30Under30 Nominee: Jake Formento
Great to hear from 30 under 30 nominee Jake Formento, who is a Project Manager at Fieldwork Chicago Downtown, working to provide communication and transparency to lead towards rich and robust insights research. He has a personal goal of going the extra mile to ensure his clients are happy and the project is a success.
So, how did you get into the industry, and take us through how you got to this point?
Before starting my college journey, I discovered my passion for marketing in high school, and loved process of turning an idea into a reality. Through my higher educational venture, I took class after class but found my true calling in courses on Buyer Behavior and Market Research & Data Analytics. These classes opened a whole new side of marketing that I never really learned about in prior classes: I was immediately hooked and knew I found my calling. Since starting my career at Fieldwork Chicago Downtown in April 2022, I have made it my goal to take every day as a learning experience to grow my skills and industry knowledge. After more than 1.5 years in this role, I am still loving every minute of the industry.
What are you most proud of from your career so far?
So far in my career, my pride comes from helping clients achieve a connection with their customers while collecting valuable insights to create a real impact. Successful research studies have helped me build lasting relationships in the industry and advance my role and personal goal in making a positive change to the industry.
What two things should junior researchers focus on as they progress in their careers?
1. Ask Questions
One of the greatest ways to progress your skills in your career is by asking questions and learning from others. Although it can seem scary at first, asking questions can be beneficial in learning how to avoid common mistakes or get clarification that could help save a project. Everyone wants you to be successful; don’t be afraid to speak up!
2. Transparent Communication
Transparent communication will make a study successful! Whether communicating with colleagues, clients, recruiters, or even respondents: frequent communication helps keep everyone informed and on the same page. Transparency comes in handy when a problem arises; address the problem head on with your contact and work together for a resolution. Work to clients to keep them informed and work together to solve any problems that might come up.
What message do you have for anyone considering a career in our sector?
Be Flexible and Ready to Handle Adversity
In an industry that constantly evolves and relies on the involvement from many moving parts, planning will only take you so far. Flexibility and being able to adapt on the fly is a skill that all industry leaders must utilize to be successful in market research. Clients will look to you when problems arise; you have to be ready to handle any adversity and find a solution.
Do you have any advice for our sector as a whole?
Remember the value of Face-to-Face MRX
With the shifting tides of our industry over the past 2 years, personal connections have never been more valuable. Focusing on face-to-face market research creates a depth of connection to understand a deeper insights that cannot be collected remotely. Although everyone is well versed in remote research, Face-to-Face MRX is the clear choice because there is always more to gain when in person!
And do you have anyone who has helped your career so far that you’d like to acknowledge and say thanks or give a shout out to?
I must acknowledge and thank my Fieldwork Chicago Downtown Team (Kelsey, Karina, Sandi & Niki) for not only welcoming me with open arms on my first day but for helping me become the best Project Manager I can be. They are always willing to help and go the extra mile to make any study successful. Thank you for everything, CDT!