A New Researchers Forum that inspired

Richard Hershman reviews the New Researchers Forum

As a graduate trying to make his way into the qual industry, I was delighted to learn about this event. It provided a great opportunity to meet and talk with those at a similar stage in their career.

Held at the wonderfully stylish Brown's in Covent Garden, I was eager to hear what advice the guest speaker, Angela Humphries, experienced and charismatic founder of Egg Research, would offer to the newest additions to qualitative practice.

The focus of the evening was 'How to be a market research star ­ A whistle stop tour' and a jam-packed tour full of gems it was. An accessible array of practical advice was offered on group development, eclecticism and just what makes for a star researcher, subjects that were openly discussed with and plucked from the audience themselves.

For me, however, what really stood out was Angela's response to questions, which raised the difficult issue of 'new' being associated with 'inexperience'. She suggested that we must have the confidence to value our own role in the planning process and asserted that once we respect ourselves and instil this in our work, then others will recognize our value.

Richard Hershman
This article was first published in InBrief magazine, November 2002
Copyright © Association for Qualitative Research, 2002