Finding the Best Data Researchers

Recruiting full-time, home-based data researchers might seem a piece of cake but it's actually more of a huge, flaming, human-eating-flesh-infested boulder. Far from a cake.

I've had my share of searching for a god-sent and sometimes purgatory-sent data researcher applicants. If ever you're planning to outsource research work, here are some tips to hire a trusted, dependable and quick thinking data researcher:

1.) Manner of application

Did they just send in a resume, no email message, not even an email subject? Or have they forgotten to attach their CVs? Or are they really applying for a data researcher job or just any job in your company will do? If you answered yes to all these questions, then oh-oh, I see a red light. How do you expect these individuals to gather sufficient and authentic data if they can't properly apply for a job and submit their credentials?

2.) Provide an exam

For the shortlisted applicants, give them a research exam. Make sure that your instructions are easily understood by your 16 year old niece. If you don't have a niece or know any young people for that matter, ask an officemate, who is far from doing any type of research, have them read your instructions and ask them if they understood it. Make them give you the whole gist of the exam.

If your officemate or a 16 year old understood your instructions, there's a high probability that the data researcher applicant will get it as well. So if you sent back the exam to you and they didn't follow the entire briefing and only managed to understand 50% of it, then I guess it's time to find another suitable candidate again.

3.) Avoid hiring friends of friends or even friends.

This is coming from a personal experience, but if you find it comfortable to work with a friend, then I guess that would be okay. But sometimes, knowing that you'd be there to give them some support tends to hamper the work for the supposedly hired friend. They might not take it too seriously when you say your boss will lit your ass if they don't submit the required researched data on time. Or they might underestimate the work, initially telling you that it's easy, that they can easily google the company information until they have to deal with a thousand data at hand.

4.) Check their background.

People with accountancy background works well with gathering, compiling, identifying, consolidating, validating, checking and anything that you can do with data. They are the best candidates for this job which might be taxing and repetitive for some.

Also, it wouldn't hurt if they know MS programs, internet research and using computers either. I'm being sarcastic here.

Generally, it all boils down on how a data researcher, can gather a high percentage of accurate data as quickly as possible. But those that work best can understand and follow instructions, has some data background and have seen and used a computer before so note that down and start looking for these people.