Entry-Level Positions for Aspiring Operations and Strategy Analysts
Dosbal recommends two entry-level paths: operations associate roles at tech companies, which are often advertised as "university hires," and sales development/business development representative (SDR/BDR) positions at companies with large sales teams; the latter is great to "learn how to interact with... potential customers" and develop skills like "objection management", which will give you a "full suite of experiences needed to thrive" if you later want to move into a planning role like Sales Operations. Dosbal seems to suggest the experience in sales will provide the practitioner with valuable on-the-ground experience that is useful in strategy and operations.
Entry-Level Positions, Operations Associate, Sales Development, Business Development, Sales Operations
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Dosbal Aibyek
Customer Strategy & Operations Manager
CaptivateIQ
UC Berkeley
n/a
Economics, Political Science, American Studies
Technology
Operations and Project Management
Immigrant
Video Highlights
1. Entry-level operations associate positions at tech companies are a great starting point, often specifically targeting university hires. Look for these roles at career fairs or through keyword searches.
2. Sales development or business development representative (SDR/BDR) roles, especially at companies with large sales teams, offer valuable experience in customer interaction, objection management, and product advocacy.
3. Starting in sales provides a comprehensive understanding of deal execution, which is highly beneficial for transitioning into strategy, operations, or sales operations roles, offering a well-rounded skill set.
Transcript
What entry-level positions in this field might an undergraduate or graduate student consider?
Absolutely. There are a couple of different avenues you could explore. For example, in recruiting cycles, tech companies often hire for entry-level operations associates.
Nowadays, they'll even advertise that they're looking for university hires. So, make sure you do keyword searches. At a career fair, if you see a company recruiting for an operations or strategy analyst or associate, that's a great option.
It's also certainly the most obvious path to where I am now, five years down the line. Another strong option is in companies, especially those with a product to sell, that have large and crucial sales teams.
They're always hiring for entry-level sales development or business development representatives. Often, these individuals are recent college graduates, along with experienced industry veterans.
Those are great roles because you learn how to interact with many different types of potential customers. You'll also learn crucial skills like objection management and how to respond to "no."
This teaches you to think on your feet and advocate for your product. If you want to move into strategy and operations or sales operations, which is similar to my role, working in sales for a few years is beneficial.
Sales reps can be compensated very well if they perform strongly. You learn how to manage deals yourself. When you're ready to move into a backend or planning role like mine, you'll have the full suite of experiences needed to thrive.
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