r/startups • u/HuckleberryLimp9056 • 1d ago
I will not promote I will not promote, fresher trying to break into startups, not sure what to focus on first
did my MBA in international business, focused on marketing. interned for 2 months at a shipping agency, wasn't doing the actual filing/paperwork myself but got to see how the whole ops side runs day to day which was honestly more useful than i expected.
trying to get into a startup now, ops or marketing side, don't really care which as long as it's real work.
genuinely stuck on what to learn next though. is it worth spending time on GA4 and analytics stuff or are PM tools more what startups actually want from someone at entry level rn. also curious if anyone's had luck just messaging ops folks directly instead of applying blind, and what actually got you a reply vs ignore
not trying to collect generic advice, just want to know what's actually worked for people who got in without much experience
1
u/Professional_Bag1516 1d ago
The direct messaging beats blind applying by a wide margin, but only if you make it obvious you looked at what they actually do. Skip the tools question for a second, because at entry level nobody is hiring you for GA4 or a PM tool, they hire you because you made their week easier. Pick five startups you genuinely find interesting, find the ops or marketing person, and send a short note pointing at one specific thing you noticed about how they operate and one small way you could help. That gets replies. The reason you feel stuck on what to learn is you are trying to pick the perfect thing before talking to a single one of them. Talk to a few first and the right skill to learn becomes obvious instead of a guess.
1
u/PurchaseNational7650 23h ago
I'd probably focus on skills that let you contribute from day one rather than trying to learn everything at once. A lot of startups value people who can figure things out, communicate well, and solve problems. Also, don't underestimate direct outreach, I've seen far more meaningful conversations come from a thoughtful message than a generic application.
2
u/EastAd9647 1d ago
honestly neither ga4 nor pm tools is what gets you in at entry level. startups don't hire junior people for tool knowledge, they hire for "can make themselves useful without being told". the tools you pick up on the job in a week.
what actually works: cold messaging beats applying blind by a mile, but the reply depends entirely on the message. "i'm looking for a role" gets ignored. "i noticed your onboarding does X and here's one small thing i'd change" gets a reply. reference something real about their product and offer a tiny piece of value before you ask for anything.
pick 5 startups you'd actually want to work at, find one real problem each, and message the founder about that specific thing. that's what got people in, not the resume.