Double Take -- by Mark Sproxton

Sometimes a person's day-to-day work environment can be defined by the office. At least that's the case for social science researcher Tim Moro. In his cozy, busy work space, the desktop is full with stacks of neatly piled papers and reports. The shelves are filled with numerous publications he completed in the past, as well as reference material. Computer disks, CD-ROMs are readily visible. Quickly you get the impression he's a busy man, and likely the only one who really knows which pile pertains to which project.

Tim Moro spends hours working to create documents such as those shown here.

"In my job, I always have six or eight things on the go," the Vice President of Angus Reid's Western Business Unit said. "A big part each morning is to find out where we sit on these tasks, and (ensuring) each one is moving forward. Most of us will put in 50 hours a week and it's not unusual to put in 60. The expectation is you won't do that every week."

So what exactly keeps him busy? Many things. In addition to the supervisory role, and travelling for days or weeks 60 to 65 times a year, a good part of his time is spent working with energy and hi-tech companies, and trying to help them determine their business needs. Moro also spends time working in a team environment compiling, recording and reporting numbers and data. The data comes through various methods of qualitative and quantitative research, such as telephone surveys, or focus group discussions.

"My role has become more of a business consultant, not simply a gatherer of numbers and data," he said. "It's to take the numbers and data and work on business strategies and product development. That requires we carry loads of confidential information."

While Angus Reid has about 250 research professionals on staff, Moro said few anticipated becoming a researcher when they entered university. "We pursued things we were passionate about," he explained. "When I look back, the first research qualitative study (I did) was my first year of university. I didn't know that was something I'd be doing all these years later."

Moro's interests and specialization lie in the energy and technology fields, but those who have a minimum of a Masters degree in social sciences, and are knowledgeable about almost any topic, from lotteries and gaming, to agri-foods, to travel, may do well as a researcher. (Angus Reid offers an internship program for those looking to enter this realm of work.)

"I find people here very type A, but not in a bad way," he said. "People are dedicated to what they do, and like what they do. What we do is a lifestyle choice." That means the line between private life and work are sometimes blurred, he added. "Often it's seven days a week and all hours of the day. But on the flip side, there is a tremendous amount of flexibility. If you work all weekend on a report, take Monday and Tuesday off. No one has a problem with that."

The travel stemming from the work may sound exotic, but in reality, the opposite holds true, Moro said. "The travel can appear glamorous, but after having done it as long as I have, it's exhausting. If you get a couple of personal hours each day, that's unusual." Although those in research tend to stay in that position for years, they often switch between working for a consulting company, or working for a company that conducts is own research in-house.

Anyone considering a career as a researcher should stay focussed on their studies, not the latest "gimmick" being used in the business world, Moro added. "Learn the research skills you need and don't be baffled by the business trend of the month. The things we learned in school are critical. The statistics and research, those are the things that are the foundation. That doesn't change."