Competitive Intelligence Analyst

Competitive Intelligence Analysts are hired to scour the market for information about competing companies, their products, and their services. It’s not as exciting as corporate espionage, but the important strategic work a Competitive Intelligence Analyst produces helps his or her employer track what others are doing, and see if they’re keeping pace.

Your day-to-day tasks as a Competitive Intelligence Analyst vary depending on whom you work for. Competitive Intelligence Analysts are hired by a variety of companies in almost every field. Your duties might include playing with software and jotting down objective observations about what you find. Or, you might look into how much money competitors are pumping into marketing, or what types of services they’re advertising.

Based on your level of expertise, you may be asked to predict a competitor’s next moves, or offer direct advice to company executives.

You produce regular reports assessing the business landscape, and make note of any new market entrants. Any external information that’s being circulated, as well as all secondary sources, is fair game. Here’s where your sharp analytical skills come into play: You take all of the insight you’ve gleaned, and produce actionable, strategic recommendations for your employer. Do a good job and you may one day find yourself as a Competitive Intelligence Director.