Seeing out the Summer holidays with a bit of work experience

15th September 2025 12:50

Before returning to college for the final year of her A-level studies in psychology, business and sociology, sixth form student Connie McKirgan spent three days at our Strines office getting a whistle-stop tour of all things market research. Self-motivated, enthusiastic and eager to learn, Connie wasn't phased by the newness of it all and really got stuck into all the tasks set before her. You can read all about Connie's time with us in her work experience blog post below. 

Article by Connie McKirgan, student at North Leamington sixth form college

My name is Connie and recently I had the opportunity to carry out three days of work experience at DJS research. Throughout the week, I spent time with several teams within the company, learning how each function and the role they play in the business.

This placement has abled me to gain more confidence when communicating with people who I’m unfamiliar with, have a deeper understanding of the way a business like DJS is run and how vital market research can be to a business.

The staff at DJS were all very warm and welcoming, making my experience enjoyable and a lot less frightening, compared to what I’d thought it would be like!

My first day started with learning about the business itself. This included understanding the services DJS offered, how the business was structured and the different departments and teams within it. I also learnt about the staff culture, the standards and expectations of staff and the benefits available when working for the company. Following this, I was asked to proofread a team survey, prior to it being sent out.  This allowed me to work on my attention to detail. After this, I met the Field and Data Services team who talked me through the process of collecting quantitative data and the tables they use for it.

On my second day, I met with Managing Director, Alasdair Gleed and Chairman, Danny Sims. I learnt about their roles in the organisation and the different strategies they are following to grow the company. They also gave me really useful advice when it comes to thinking about my future and what skills and experience employers will look for in potential recruits.  I was also able to join them at one of their weekly Business Development Meetings, which was really interesting. It was my first ever meeting and gave me a realistic idea of what attending meetings looked like and what I may experience in the future. I also liked hearing about some of the opportunities and challenges that were discussed.

I also had the chance to attend a Teams call with Director Alex McCluckie who leads the DJS Research Behavioural Science Unit. This was one of my favourite parts of my work experience, as it was interesting to see a different approach to market research. This also linked well with my Psychology studies at Sixth Form. I then met with the Field and Recruitment team, who explained their job and how it supported market research and contributed to the business.

On my last day, I worked with Michelle from the CATI team, which I really enjoyed. She explained to me how CATI calls worked and how she organised them. I was then able to listen to some recorded CATI calls myself which really brought them to life. Finally, I met with the Data team, who showed me some of the many systems and tools they use in their day-to-day work. They set me a task of going through surveys to check they were correct and met a high standard.

Overall, I really enjoyed my time with DJS Research. I’ve come away with a better idea of what type of careers I want to explore and a better understanding of how market research operates. I’m really pleased that I also gained and improved several skills during my visit. Thanks to all the staff for making my time so enjoyable.

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