Finding the perfect role for you in a tech startup

Australia is flourishing with a range of tech startups and a range of different roles you might fit into. Juniors, recent graduates and even those looking to change career paths might find the perfect place at a tech startup. Some of these companies are looking for young and eager people and are often willing to teach along the way.

You’ll find that working in a startup will allow you to learn an array of new skills, even ones outside of your department. It’s important to note that working in a startup usually comes with working in a fast-paced and demanding environment. However, this also means your work will be making an impact and you’ll see yourself growing immensely.

Currently, some of the hottest jobs with high demand, but short supply include product managers, data scientists, engineers, UX and UI designers, and sales and business development managers. With so many different specialised roles, you might be wondering where you can fit into a tech startup.

Roles for coders

Front-end, back-end and full-stack engineers are always on demand from startups. This could be in the initial stages of building the business or in the process of scaling up the business. In order to land a job as a coder, make sure to keep updated with the most common and up-to-date coding languages.

Roles for those in science, maths or data

If you have a background in science, maths, or data, data analytics is a crucial role for all startups. Working with data means knowing how to use numbers to solve issues and to answer questions. Being able to work with basic programming languages such as SQL, R and Python will give you the edge if you want to work in data analytics.

Roles for leading a team

If you want to lead a team on a smaller scale, product management involves creating products with a team. Product managers fill one of the most important roles for startups since they act like mini CEOs. Those with a wider range of skills such as business, engineering, marketing, economics and/or design will find a role in product management exciting. However, it’s harder to get into this field compared to other roles.

Roles for those in marketing

Marketing is another pillar for any tech startup and you’ll be happy to find a range of roles that you could fit into if you’re coming from a background in marketing. You might find more general marketing roles as well as specialised ones such as in content marketing, social media, SEO and SEM.

Roles for creatives

If you’re hoping to bring your creative flair into a more technology-based role, UX and UI designers are in high demand at tech startups despite a short supply. These roles involve making sure the user interface is aesthetic, functional and easy to use. If you’re interested in interface design, wireframing, research and testing, UX and UI design are the perfect fit for you.

Roles for students

Another common feature of tech startups is their interest in university students. You’ll often be able to find internships that you can do while you’re studying. Though many of these roles are unpaid, you’re typically only required to work 2-3 days a week while gaining experience and building your network.

Even with unpaid roles, you’ll have a high chance of landing a full-time role at the end of your degree since you’ll have grown with the company. Many startups also offer paid internships so don’t be afraid to aim for a paid role, especially if you already have freelance experience or you’ve completed an internship in the past such as on AngelList and LinkedIn.

Final words

Depending on what type of role you’re aiming for, you might need formal qualifications. However, many other roles only require you to have a great portfolio or other kinds of proven experience. For certain roles such as with internships, all they might be looking for is the right attitude and a great culture fit for the company.

You’ll find that there are an endless amount of opportunities in tech startups regardless of whether you’re a graduate, or you’ve been in the workforce for decades. No matter what your level of experience is, startups are the perfect environment to develop your existing skills and to work across a range of disciplines. Hopefully, you’ll find the perfect role for you!

A version of this article was originally published on OpenAgent.com.au

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