Product Insights Manager Says to Get Corporate Experience

Name: Marina Chernikova (she/her)

PhD: Social Psychology, University of Maryland, 2018

What was your main area of research?

My research focused on motivation, personality, and self-regulation.

What is your current job?

I am the Senior Product Insights Manager at Allwyn North America in Chicago, Illinois.

My job mainly involves consumer insights & market research.

What is your favorite thing about your job?

I love writing & analyzing surveys.

What is the most important skill you developed or experience you had during your PhD that now helps you in your current position?

Survey writing & design

How did you find this position? What were the career steps you took to get to where you are now?

LinkedIn

PhD grad ➡️ postdoc ➡️ market research on the vendor side ➡️ market research on client side

If someone is interested in a similar role, what would you recommend they start doing now to prepare?

Do an internship in market research!

Why did you decide to not pursue a career in academia?

I didn’t like the incentive structure & publish or perish mentality of academia.

What advice do you have for someone getting their PhD and looking to pursue a career outside of academia?

Get as much corporate experience as possible during your PhD (internships, part-time work, etc).