2023 Young researcher of the year – client: Jigna Tailor

Tailor is marketing insights manager at Acacium Group and has worked in research and insights for around 21 months. Tailor is the sole research professional at Acacium Group, where she is responsible for five recruitment brands and qualitative and quantitative research into jobseekers.

Tailor’s current role, as the first insights manager in her division, champions research and prioritises the candidate’s voice, creating and presenting personas decks to help the business understand candidates and their needs.

Tailor has completed the MRS Certificate in Market and Social Research within her first nine months in the role, achieving a distinction, and regularly attends industry events and shares knowledge with research networks, including discussing the benefits of using new technology like ChatGPT for research purposes. For instance, Tailor has tapped into the power of ChatGPT to develop baseline discussion guides.

Tailor also examines new tools to introduce into her business, for example, she is currently trialling transcription services and has recently introduced new ways to present data, such as heat maps.

Monitoring more than 70 news sources, Tailor provides weekly updates to keep her team informed on relevant intelligence across health and social care and manage an online insights library.

Previously, Tailor led a £50,000 project on brand perception and market positioning that helped to guide strategic investment decisions.

In addition, Tailor launched a mental health project that generated client leads and gain media recognition, including in The Independent.

Tailor has been asking for feedback from in-depth interviewees to help improve her moderating skills, with sessions rated 4.9 out of five stars on average, and shares research and make recommendations to teams outside of marketing.

Tailor’s research seeks to uncover inequalities within Acacium Group’s candidate database, and she conducts interviews to identify the needs of different segments, which informs decision-making and helps improve the candidate experience. For example, Tailor identified specific challenges faced by international doctors and advocated for tailored support.

Tailor said: “I am overjoyed to be recognised with this award especially as someone who recently transitioned from marketing to market research.

“This recognition motivates me to continue pushing boundaries and making a positive impact in this field. I am grateful to MRS and Research Live for this award and excited for the opportunities that lie ahead.”