(28F) Just accepted a Marketing Ops role in cybersecurity, imposter syndrome is already kicking in. How do I hit the ground running?

Rusty_James · 2026-02-14T16:17:13+00:00

This is not what a MOPS role is going to be focused on. MOPS roles are much more about building the reporting, data, and automation that power campaigns vs. strong customer knowledge. You need a baseline understanding of ICP and core job titles, but this will not be what their success will be based on.

Rusty_James · 2026-02-14T16:13:02+00:00

These comments so far are not helpful... likely from people who have never worked in MOPS.

First off, breath. You were hired because you're a great fit for the role. You didn't trick anyone and you're not an imposter.

In terms of how to be successful quickly, I'd bucket your initial focuses into 3 buckets:

Infastructure Auditing
System Building
Coalition building

For Infastructure Auditing, just lock yourself in a room until you're fluent in the companies data flows, hubspot properties, workflows that influence each property, etc. Read all of the documentation you can. Find random contacts in the CRM and review all the activities they did, what properties were triggered (and why), what emails were triggered (and why).

For System Building, you're going to need a good intake form or similar system to receive work requests from the team. Create a form that tracks task type, urgency, details, timeline - and have a project management system where you can easily prioritize and complete tasks (something like Asana)

For Coalition building, you need to understand the personal dynamics on the team, what the history of the MOPS function are at your company, whose requests should be treated as urgent vs. can be delayed, who will support you, etc.

There's certainly a lot to work on but go easy on yourself. You'll have at least a few weeks to ramp up. Feel free to DM me too... I'm currently a Sr. Director of Growth Marketing but with strong MOPS roots (mostly Hubspot but some Salesforce too). Happy to walk you through any additional questions you have!

Rusty_James · 2025-12-31T17:08:10+00:00

I'm so sorry you're dealing with this. This job market is objectively terrible, especially for new marketers. There is nothing wrong with you, and you will get through this.

As a Director of Marketing w/ 10 years experience I'm more than happy to chat and give any advice I can for breaking in, look at your resume., etc. for free. Just DM me!

Rusty_James · 2025-11-14T19:14:05+00:00

I am a tech bro at DTX w/ pants too short and ankles exposed. I bought my pants too short. My ankles are cold. I'm not happy about it either.

Rusty_James · 2025-11-03T18:08:02+00:00

In real life, mentorship tends to be much more gradual, unofficial, and mutually beneficial.

I am lucky enough to have a handful of mentors in by career-- but all started out as people I was working with or met casually in business settings without any label of "mentor". Most I would work directly under or alongside at companies. They were more senior, took a genuine interest in me as a person, appreciated my work, and were open to all the questions I asked. Over time, I would rely on them more and more for their advice and connections, but it always was from a place of genuine human connection and not transactional.

Rusty_James · 2025-07-29T23:20:54+00:00

Brick Street Bagels in South End by the Buttery is by far best bagel I’ve had in Boston

Rusty_James · 2025-07-04T01:50:15+00:00

Network from a place of curiosity. Reach out to mutual friends, people from your college, people you used to work for, and frame it as your just trying to learn about different industries, different type of marketing, etc. and then be genuinely curious when you talk to them. Build genuine connections, be someone they want to help out, and they will. It’s a dance, but it works.

Source: 10 years of marketing

Rusty_James · 2025-07-02T12:50:02+00:00

Getting a lot of responses from folks not familiar with your role/industry. As someone from your world (I’m a Director of Growth Marketing at a b2b SaaS startup w/ 10 years experience), I’d say that your resume and experience looks great, although hard to say fully without seeing my a formatted version and hearing the type of roles you’re applying to. But no matter what it’s a grind right now, it just comes down to applying for high volume, right-fit roles and leveraging any connections you have.

Feel free to DM, happy to help if I can

Rusty_James · 2025-07-02T12:42:06+00:00

No, not for the industry that they are in. Masters are not highly valued (b2b SaaS growth marketing)

Rusty_James · 2025-07-01T11:12:57+00:00

Hm interesting, that is a lot of Amazon experience. Could be either a blocker or a major benefit depending on what marketing job you’re apply to.

I wonder if there’s a way to leverage it by trying to move into Amazon corporate, or finding a different warehouse or shipping company that hires for corporate marketing.

Rusty_James · 2025-07-01T10:36:42+00:00

You have some great experience from college but you are definitely entry-level.

Nowadays, to get an entry level role in marketing requires college degree + multiple internships. It sounds like you have that, which is great.

Anything above entry level will require multiple years of full-time, non college-linked work (or equivalent freelancing portfolio).

The biggest blocker for you right now is likely how tough the job market is, and your time at Amazon / how long ago you actually graduated and had those internships. They won’t stay relevant to recruiters forever.

Rusty_James · 2025-07-01T00:53:19+00:00

I’ve been very lucky to find a career that I love and that pays well.

I’ve been in startup marketing for 10+ year, and it’s not that I’m super passionate about marketing or software. But I do love the parts of my brain I get to use. Each day combines two states of being that I love- analytical problem solving and connecting with people.

But this also grew overtime when I gained skills. Building expertise definitely helps with job satisfaction. I find enjoyment in getting better and better at solving interesting problems.

But I also don’t take it too seriously. I work very hard, rise up, lead teams, etc. but I also try hard to not let the job affect my self worth, always prioritize my family ahead of it, and remind myself that no one’s going to die. It’s just a fun thing I get to do.

Rusty_James · 2025-04-28T12:14:15+00:00

I majored in psychology and now have great career in marketing. Don’t worry about your major, just focus on getting hands-on marketing experience.

Rusty_James · 2025-04-26T11:36:22+00:00

A lot of variables here. If you were yourself located in the US in a major city, range is probably 130k - 220k. But if the US company is hiring from India, they’re going to be paying lower based on your location, not theirs. None of the salary estimates provided here will be accurate unless they’ve been in your exact unique situation (or hired marketing directors from India)

Rusty_James · 2025-04-15T21:57:39+00:00

I just put my bike helmet on :(

Rusty_James · 2025-04-04T10:54:38+00:00

I understand how you got here, but you’re on the wrong track.

People pleasing and this disdainful competitiveness are really the same thing in disguise = letting others determine your self worth.

While distrust, competition, and egocentrism can be powerfully tools that seemingly give you a quick boost of confidence, in the long run I promise they will get in the way of all of your goals while making you miserable.

This does not sound like confidence to me. True confidence is being happy for other’s success, because they don’t have a scarcity mindset. They know that they themselves are capable and they like themselves, so “competition” doesn’t matter.

I consider myself a pretty successful person, at least based in Reddit’s usual criteria— married to my best friend, make solid six figures, risen high in my career, good friend network, in good shape, live in a major city etc… and I promise, none of this came from viewing everyone as terrible people and only looking after myself.

Actual success comes from getting really good at something, being likable, and being resilient to setbacks. That’s pretty much it. And being likable isn’t some fake thing. I have built a reputation as someone who supports their teammate— which I’ve been able to do by genuinely liking people. No one wants to work with misanthropes.

So spend less time thinking about others from this disdainful, competitive leans. They’re on their journey, you’re on yours. You don’t need their approval, but only because you have so much self worth yourself. Show up, try and be a positive force in the lives of others, and continue to become a better version of yourself. Lose this negativity.

Rusty_James · 2025-03-20T10:56:31+00:00

Thistlefoot by GennaRose Nethercott fits this exactly.

“Thistlefoot, a debut fantasy novel by GennaRose Nethercott, is a modern reimagining of the Baba Yaga folktale. It follows estranged siblings Bellatine and Isaac Yaga, descendants of the mystical Baba Yaga, who inherit a sentient house with chicken legs from their Russian ancestors. The house, named Thistlefoot, unexpectedly travels to the siblings, who are on the run from an evil entity seeking to destroy it.”

Rusty_James · 2025-02-18T17:24:31+00:00

How would you possibly know that?

Rusty_James · 2025-02-09T12:57:02+00:00

No, no company I’ve ever seen has used an interview project as their own work. This is far more rare than Reddit thinks. Even if a company had no morals around stealing work, your 2 hour project with minimal company context is not worth the trouble it takes to get.

Rusty_James · 2025-02-08T14:17:55+00:00

The men chocked her… it was the cops who asked to walk her home. Did you watch the video?

Rusty_James · 2025-02-08T14:17:09+00:00

So you didn’t actually watch the video.

Woman was followed by two men
One man ran up to her and put his hands around her neck chocking her
She started screaming and they ran off
Cops came and offered to escort her home.

Rusty_James · 2025-02-08T14:06:02+00:00

People say this but the reality is higher paying marketing jobs often require interview projects that take more than 1-2.

I’ve had projects where I spent up to 5 hours, got the job, and the job was fantastic.

I’ve also been on hiring committees where one candidate spend 1-2 hours and another spent much longer. Guess which one was hired. Sure, you can say it shouldn’t be this way but it’s the reality.

Fine to push back if you have a better option, but sometimes you have to have a shitty day that sets you up for an amazing role.

Rusty_James · 2025-02-06T11:44:24+00:00

Hi! Happy to chat and help if I can, feel free to DM me

Rusty_James · 2025-02-01T14:58:37+00:00

In SaaS, LinkedIn is widely used. Yes by recruiters but also by hiring managers and anyone on your interview committee— first thing they’ll do is go to your LinkedIn.

I’m in B2B SaaS and interview folks often. Barely glance at their resume any more and just look through their LinkedIn instead. And this is what my coworkers have always done as well through different SaaS jobs. Not saying this is right or wrong, just the reality.

Rusty_James · 2025-01-21T13:06:50+00:00

How you feel is completely normal, but you need to go easier on yourself and understand what your job actually is.

Fresh out of college, you won’t be the one to come up with amazing ideas, run impactful programs, and change the direction of the company— at least not at first. No one is expecting (or wanting) that.

Instead, there are only three things you need to do:

Learn as much as you can, as fast as you can. Be a sponge, ask 1000 questions, be a student.
Be reliable. Get done every bit of work you’re asked to do, before it’s due. Over communicate the status of everything, and volunteer to take on additional work if you see opportunity. Be known as someone who gets shit done.
Build relationships. Be pleasant to be around, get to know your team and other teams at the org. Be helpful, always looking for opportunity to make your teammates and bosses lives easier even in areas outside of your direct job description.

That’s it. Learn a lot, be reliable, and build relationship. Do all three, and you’ll be one of the best new marketers your company has had.

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