“Time is of the essence,” we almost too often say, and so we perpetuate the unending rat race by trying to “save” up on time—multi-tasking to the limits of our abilities. There are certain tasks we choose to be very hands-on about, but then there are other things that we can delegate to other people; one of those things is research. It’s nothing new to hire someone to do your research for you—save of course, if you’re in college and working on your thesis. Doing your own research helps you to understand your thesis better and know how to defend it from all angles.

SMEs, just like big-time corporations can afford to hire a research team to gather the data they need and in spending for that, they are able to afford themselves the ability to focus on more important things. You’ll need to know what the industry is like, find out what you can about your competitors in the market, and learn the market’s trends and the fickle inclinations of your demographic.  Research is also the key that could turn the doors of opportunity for an ill-fated product, service or advertising campaign. It helps you see the problem from different angles as well find other approaches to boost your product or service effectiveness.

But just what makes a good researcher? Ihsan M. Salloum, a medical doctor who is a professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences in the University of Miami School of Medicine (UMSM) and also holds position as director for Addiction Psychiatry and Psychiatric Comorbidity Program, (UMSM Co-director, Mood Disorders Program, UMSM) as well as chair for Section on Classification, Diagnostic Assessment and Nomenclature, World Psychiatric Association states three important qualities of a good researcher: “Enthusiasm, perseverance, and staying informed are three vital characteristics of a successful researcher.”

Evidently if there is no enthusiasm for what you do, you will hardly be able to muster any perseverance for the work you do and this will not give you the impetus to keep learning and staying informed. You will hardly and very rarely get the response or results you want on the first go. There will always be some form of rejection or disappointment in terms of having your research data accepted and acknowledged. But this rejection can be a good thing if you use it to fuel you in fortifying your data further and really solidifying your body of work.

Definitely hire someone who’s got experience in data research and is equipped with a list of references who can give you an idea of what the working relationship was like. If you have the luxury of time, perhaps you can have a sit-down chat and go over your preferences (if any) in research or data-entry style. This would also be a good time for your researcher of choice to lay down any expectations or requirements that he will need from your end.

Another man of science,  Christodoulos I. Stefanadis, from the 1^st Department of Cardiology at Univeristy of Athens Medical School, Hippokration Hospital in Athens, Greece, states that “the ability to conduct good research relies on a constellation of several personal traits, skills and abilities…A portion of such characteristics can be transmitted with teaching and a further portion can be acquired with continuous, careful and hard work.” He also goes to say that “in order to become an excellent researcher, one has to possess a certain gift which can neither be taught nor learned, but is rather inherent.”

In closing, Stefanadis ends his article by quoting Harisios Boudoulas, M.D. and president of the Hellenic Cardiological Society: “There is no substitute for talent.”