Have we lost our relevance? Insights roles and positions are increasingly rolled into other departments and entrusted to untrained humans and bots.

In an era of accelerated workforce transitions, the insights industry needs more than just a job board. It needs a workforce development ecosystem.

Insights Career Network (ICN) is the vital link between emerging talent, seasoned professionals, and the organizations that depend on them. We serve as the final “mile” of the college-to-career pipeline and the primary resource for experienced researchers navigating an AI-driven landscape.

Since January 2022, the Insights Career Network has helped tens of thousands of insights professionals stay connected and develop new skills through free programs and resources. For organizations, this means access to a steady pipeline of skilled, motivated, job-ready researchers who can add value immediately.

Thanks to a committed and tireless volunteer force and nonstop support at every corner of the professional community, the ICN has become a trusted partner in career transitions. By normalizing career transitions, we have established a safe place in the insights professional development and support ecosystem where real people can get help from real people without feeling less than or alone. We’ve built a place where professionals can stay sharp during downtime, and where companies can tap into pre-vetted talent pools and industry-ready candidates.

Together, we have uncovered uncomfortable career truths and explored the impact of AI as it arrived on the scene. We’re stronger standing together.

As the demand for more proactive and direct career support surges in the insights profession, we now ask for your financial support to solidify and secure Insights Career Network education and career support services for the future. When we share the load, we can do so much more.

As workforce transitions accelerate, companies increasingly need solutions that:

• Support employees during layoffs with career development resources and community
• Provide hiring managers with access to ready-to-work professionals
• Strengthen teams by building AI-ready research capabilities
• Contribute to the profession while meeting internal HR and CSR goals

The first $10,000 raised will allow ICN to establish itself as a nonprofit, upgrade our member services platforms, and fund 2025 operations—laying the groundwork for scalable partnerships with companies that want to support employees and strengthen hiring pipelines.

ICN is a career community and a workforce development partner for the insights industry. With your support, we can expand AI training, mentorship, and career programs that serve individuals as they traverse their careers and deliver value back to employers.

The ICN will produce at least 75 free virtual events in 2026, directly helping thousands develop their practical insights career skills set and connect with allies who want to help them. Our website currently serves insights professionals in career transition and the people who want to connect with them the most and the best, with around 100 career-assist videos and decks, real job referrals, and hundreds of recent, real, ready-to-research seeker profiles.

A volunteer team of more than 20 volunteers works to upgrade ICN’s infrastructure as efficiently as possible while we develop new programs and partnerships, like ICN Friday Forum. Every Friday at 1 pm ET, the ICN’s Executive Director Brian Fowler, and guest allies will welcome the community in an ask-me-anything Q&A session about career matters. Stay tuned to your member email for more information.

Closing the Skills Gap at Scale

The demand for ICN’s services is global and growing. For over two years, our member growth has remained consistently high, proving that researchers everywhere are seeking more affordable, direct paths to community and skill development.

The AI Literacy Challenge

Fewer than 10% of insights workers today are ready for an AI-integrated workflow. For an unemployed professional or a new graduate, the barrier to entry is even higher.

ICN acts as a nonprofit “Skills Lab.” We don’t just talk about AI; we build it into our workforce through:

• “Research on Research” Projects: Volunteers run original, 6-week intensive studies that develop real-world AI capabilities, delivering dividends back to the entire industry.
• 1:1 Mentor Matching: We facilitate deep connections between seasoned veterans and those entering the field or transitioning their careers.
• The “WordPress Content Wall”: We curate advanced career resources and “Research on Research” findings, making high-level industry intelligence accessible and affordable.

Elevating the Professional Voice

We believe in the power of the researcher’s perspective. Through our partnerships with industry leaders like Greenbook and Quirk’s Media, we have already published eight original articles this year on recruiting, hiring practices, and the future of freelance insights work.

ICN IRL: Socialization of Findings, Advocacy for Opportunity, Community-Enabler

Our representatives and researchers are increasingly invited to speak at insights conferences about our studies and the opportunities facing researchers and when our partners enable us, we operate a mobile Insights Career Office where we help conference goers with career and hiring challenges. This year, we could organize up to 12 low-cost, networking events at the request of community members, especially when those members are company partners. That is, if we have the travel budget. In most U.S. markets, we have leaders nearby, but not all.