What Forrester Research actually looks for

Forrester Research is a market research and advisory firm headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and a direct competitor to Gartner in the technology and business research space, best known for frameworks like the Forrester Wave, which evaluates and ranks technology vendors and service providers. Forrester has built a particular reputation for research grounded in customer experience and the voice of the customer, alongside its core technology and business strategy research, so analyst candidates should expect interviewers to probe how they think about connecting business or technology decisions back to actual customer outcomes, not just technical capability comparisons. Like Gartner, Forrester runs a subscription-based advisory business, so client-facing and sales roles are evaluated heavily on relationship management and consultative selling skills, not just product knowledge. Analyst roles require candidates to demonstrate real, current expertise in a specific coverage area and the ability to write and speak with authority, since Forrester analysts are expected to be credible external voices that clients and media reference directly.

Common questions and how to answer them

How would you evaluate a set of technology vendors using a structured framework like the Forrester Wave? is realistic for analyst roles and tests structured, criteria-based evaluation thinking. How would you factor customer experience into a technology purchasing recommendation? reflects Forrester's particular emphasis on customer-centric research compared to some competitors who focus more narrowly on technical capability. Tell me about a time you had to write or present a point of view clearly to a skeptical audience tests the communication and thought-leadership skills central to being a credible external analyst that clients and media will quote.

How to prepare

Pick a specific research coverage area, a technology category or industry vertical, and build genuine, current expertise in it before an analyst interview, since Forrester wants candidates who can already speak with some authority, not just enthusiasm. Look at a couple of publicly available Forrester frameworks or reports to understand the style and rigor expected, and note how customer experience tends to factor into the analysis compared to competitors. For client-facing roles, think through how you'd handle account renewal and value conversations, since Forrester's business, like Gartner's, depends heavily on subscription retention.

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Frequently asked questions

How is Forrester different from Gartner?
Both are major technology and business research and advisory firms with similar subscription-based business models, but Forrester is particularly known for research centered on customer experience, while Gartner is often seen as having broader IT market coverage through frameworks like the Magic Quadrant.
Do Forrester analyst roles require public speaking or writing skills?
Yes, analysts are expected to publish research and often speak directly with clients and media, so clear, confident writing and communication are core requirements, not secondary skills.

Before your next interview, it helps to have the fundamentals down. Our complete guide to preparing for a job interview covers the basics, and the STAR method is a reliable way to structure almost any answer under pressure.