Is it worth trying to work for a startup if you aren't a coder/MBA?

[sandmansandine]

I've been looking for a job at a startup in the Boston area for a while at this point. I am not a programmer nor do I have an MBA. I have a degree in psychology and recently graduated but would love to work at a technology related startup. I just love the entrepreneurial spirit and I love working in small teams on important projects. I don't really want to go back to school because I believe my time would be better spent learning directly from someone or a company.<p>Should I keep applying or should I go back to school and get another degree or MBA before even thinking about it?

[solost]

I think for someone like yourself it is all about fit. What type of work are you looking to contribute to the start up? Can you contribute to some or all of project management, marketing, design, strategic planning, or even basic coding?

Taking the time to understand how you can make a team better and then articulating that first to yourself (be honest about what you really have to offer) and then to a start up is in my opinion the best way to go.

If you want to work for a tech start up and have the personality to mesh with the team and the drive to contribute meaningfully even in the smallest ways (ego can often get in the way), then keep looking. Go to start up events, meet as many people as you can and eventually a relationship with click.

It is hard to be patient, however if you really want it then just keep going. Finding the work you may discover was the easy part, even if it wasn't so easy.

I wish you the best of luck.

[ibejoeb]

TL;DR go work at a startup to get great, broad exposure. Consider looking for a product development role.

Two things to consider:

1. A degree in CS does not, per se, qualify you to be a startup technologist. An MBA does not by itself qualify you to run a business. If you go back to school, you'll probably be asking yourself the same question in 2 years. Going to a startup will expose you to things that you wouldn't ordinarily see if you were at a larger organization. You burden later on will be paring down your resume to look like you have considerable expertise in something instead of everything, and that's probably a better place to be.

2. Psychology is great. I don't know your concentration, but I'm sure you're aware of the deep connections to making things, especially if you want to get involved in software design or industrial design. The disciplines of human factors, HCI, etc., come to mind. I'm not very familiar with the myriad programs, but I've hired psychology majors from a few different unis as technologists and product devs, and they all have a reasonable grounding in the scientific method. Get involved in product development, design, marketing--anything that deals with the consumer side--and you'll probably find a useful role very quickly.

Also, if you're interested in people management and happen to have a knack for leadership, consider doing an MBA in management down the line. Real interpersonal skills are hard to come by.

[candre717]

In case you haven't done this yet:

Check out the jobs sections at greenhornconnect and venturefizz. See whose hiring, contact them and apply. Also, check out the careers page of local VC firms if any of their portfolio companies are hiring.

If a startup doesn't end up hiring you, stay in touch with the people you meet. They may know of an opportunity later down that they may recommend you. Greenhorn and Venture Fizz also have event calenders, which you should use to meet people.

And, if you're really out of luck, volunteer. Look for an organization (not a startup, but like a MassInno, WebInno, conference or Meetup) that aligns with your interests where you could volunteer -say for one night a week or one meeting a month.

Another thing is to dig through your network (college alum office, church, friends and family friends) for referrals on possible opportunities. You never know who is connected to a startup.

Lastly, whoever you meet - online or off - always have a pitch ready to describe who you are, what you can offer, and what you want. For example, "I'm a psychology grad with an interest in y. I have spent the past x years doing z (insert major project, thesis, unique experience). And, now I'm looking to enter (insert specific position)."

[nl]

You can get a job at a startup, but it has to match your skillset. If you haven't built anything yourself, then just saying "I'm smart and want to work for you" isn't going to be enough - your training needs to add some critical value.

There probably aren't a huge number of startup directly related to psychology (excepting dating websites), but I suspect it might not be a huge stretch to get into an education related startup.

Take some short courses on instructional design and pedagogy, then look for non-coding jobs where your training can add value. For example, the "November 2010 Who's Hiring" thread has this:

Education Start Up - just raised a large series A from NEA. We're looking for all sorts of people - from product managers to front designers to back end engineers, we're hiring across the board. Also open to internships.

http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1856026

If not education, then there may be some other hot field that's closely related to what you study. Don't say "social software", though, because everyone's an expert there. (OTOH, if you bring serious data analytics skills then maybe you'd have a chance there)

[tgriesser]

There is really no reason to get an MBA coming straight out of school, the benefits do not justify the expenses. It's not an automatic pass to a position in a company, especially if you have little to no work experience.

If you have the passion to work for a startup that is absolutely what you should strive for. Many entrepreneurial projects are looking for people with that drive to work because it definitely isn't cut out for everyone. I'd say that you should keep applying and your time would be 100% better spent learning directly from someone or a company.

Take a look at job openings at a company like AirBnB. http://www.airbnb.com/jobs Not all of them require coding experience and none of them require an MBA. Just figure out how you can creatively show some of the companies you're interested in that you have a 1) willingness and drive to work and 2) can get shit done, and hopefully you'll land a job you enjoy.

[wmf]

There are plenty of skills that startups need that are not coding or business; there's design, UX, support, marketing, sales, etc. Pick one, get good at it, and get good at explaining why you're good at it.

[willheim]

Why do you want/need an MBA? That's one of the first questions asked on entry essays.

Yes, you can work at a start-up without being a coder or having an MBA. Right off the bat I see sales as your potential fit. Don't expect much in terms of compensation. You're likely looking at commission plus bonuses for meeting targets. Could be a very lucrative fit if you a) pick the right start-up for you, and, b) really rock at sales. BTW, sales could be in the customer service branch in which case you may be able to wrangle a small salary with bonuses for upselling.

[Mudblood]

As for me, any person can learn anything if there's enough motivation. If you really want doing small business, consider your role in it and apply for corresponding posistion. Although it may be usefull to work in the bigger team for a while (espessially if you have no "explosive" ideas). You see, in small team your decision often comes last point. Very often there's no one to guide, to prove you wrong. Just take a measure of responsibility.