What carries over
| What you did as a market research executive | Where it shows up now |
|---|---|
| Wrote questionnaires | Write survey and interview guides |
| Ran focus groups | Run user interviews |
| Cleaned and tabbed data | Analyse survey and usability data |
| Wrote debrief decks | Share findings that change a decision |
What is new
- Usability tests on apps and sites.
- Small, fast studies instead of big ones.
- Working inside product teams.
Try it: Finding or opinion
Four cards come up. Keep findings backed by what users did. Each card's back says why.
Finding or opinion
Your first proof in 30 days
Run a 5-person usability test of one public app task, record what people did, and write a one-page findings summary with 3 fixes.
Worries, answered
Is UX research only for designers? No. Researchers come from many backgrounds, and survey and interview skills are the base of the job.
I have no portfolio. One usability test and one survey write-up make a small, real portfolio within a month.
Your realistic 90 days
You worked as a market research executive. This plan moves you toward a consumer insights and UX researcher role in 90 days, using what you already do.
Assumes 2–3 hours a day alongside job applications, a laptop and a phone, and free plans only. Every step has a smaller version and a way to pause. Use them. It runs in three blocks of 30 days, each ending with a signal that you're on track. A signal is not a promise of a job or income.
Your first 7 days
| Day | Task | Done when |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pick one app task to test | Task chosen |
| 2 | Write a 5-question test script | Script written |
| 3 | Recruit 5 friends or colleagues | 5 booked |
| 4 | Run 2 sessions | 2 done |
| 5 | Run 3 more sessions | 5 done |
| 6 | Group what you saw | Themes listed |
| 7 | Write a one-page summary | Summary done |
Days 1–30: Your proof
| Step | Time | Done when | Smaller version | If you need to pause |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Run a 5-person usability test on one app and write a one-page finding | about 6 hours over 3 weeks | finding published | 3 people. | Stop at the end of the step you're on and write two lines about where you stopped. Pick it up from those notes later. |
| Show it to 5 researchers or insights managers | about 1 hour | 5 messages | Just 2 this week. | Stop sending for now. Keep a list of who you've contacted so you can follow up later without doubling up. |
Signal by day 30: Someone in the field replies to your proof.
Days 31–60: Applications
| Step | Time | Done when | Smaller version | If you need to pause |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rewrite one past survey project as a case study: question, sample, finding, action | about 6 hours | case study link | Question and finding only. | Stop at the end of the step you're on and write two lines about where you stopped. Pick it up from those notes later. |
| Apply to 10 'consumer insights', 'UX researcher' or 'research analyst' roles | about 5 hours | 10 logged | Just 5 this week. | Stop sending for now. Keep a list of who you've contacted so you can follow up later without doubling up. |
Signal by day 60: A screening call.
Days 61–90: Interviews for consumer insights and UX researcher roles
| Step | Time | Done when | Smaller version | If you need to pause |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Practise presenting your finding in 5 minutes and taking questions | about 2 hours | 3 runs | 1 run. | Optional. Skip it if the week is full; nothing later depends on it. |
| Ask 3 former colleagues or clients for referrals | about 2 hours | 3 asks | Just 1 this week. | Stop sending for now. Keep a list of who you've contacted so you can follow up later without doubling up. |
Signal by day 90: A second round or a paid trial.
Job-hunt moves that matter for this route
- Share the usability summary first.
- Describe studies you ran and the decision each changed.
- Apply to consumer brands, apps and research agencies with UX teams.
One search that fits your background
Start with this LinkedIn search string, then add your old job title with AND so results surface roles that want both skills:
("UX researcher" OR "consumer insights" OR "user researcher")
The full set of search keywords for LinkedIn and your local job boards is on the route page.
Other worries
Age, a career gap, no degree, English, family pressure and savings are covered on the route page and the role page.
Your 30/60/90 quests
XP: learning 20 · proof 60 · outreach 40. Ranks: Wayfinder → Builder → Pathmaker. Progress stays in your browser only.
Fake-job traps
Watch for postings that charge a registration or certificate fee, 'work from home' review or like-and-earn tasks, and anyone asking for one-time codes, bank or payment app PINs or a deposit before you start. Real employers never charge you to hire you. Use official domains only. Report it to your national cybercrime or consumer fraud agency and to the job site where you saw the ad.
Back to Market Research Executive · About the Consumer Insights and UX Researcher route · Marketing hub
Quick quiz: does this path fit?
Answer each, then press Check. Every answer explains itself.
Make your path card
A shareable reminder of where you're heading. The day count starts the first time you open this page; quest XP comes from your log above.
Scam check before you apply anywhere
- Real job and gig platforms are free to join. Never pay a "joining" or "training" fee.
- Never share one-time codes, bank or payment app PINs. No genuine employer needs them.
- Use official domains only; type the address yourself.
- Report it to your national cybercrime or consumer fraud agency and to the job site where you saw the ad.
Small steps, every day.
Each quest has a smaller version for hard weeks, and a pause button. Nothing is lost.
Keep exploring
Sources
Checked 30 Oct 2026. We opened every link below ourselves. Search volumes on this site come from OpenSEO keyword research (Oct 2026).
The other facts here are shared with the route page, where each is listed in full with its link.
| What we checked | Where |
|---|---|
| NielsenIQ insights: Public articles on retail and consumer data | nielseniq.com |
| NN/g usability testing 101: Plain guide to running a usability test | nngroup.com |