Ever wondered why so many tech companies are hiring for “GTM engineering” these days? It’s not just another buzzword—this blend of growth, tech, and process is turning into a key role for modern organizations.

If you’re coming from a background in marketing ops or sales ops and love building workflows or automating manual tasks, breaking into a GTM (go-to-market) engineering role might be easier than you think. Let’s break down what the job actually is—and how you can make the leap.

What Is GTM Engineering?

GTM engineering sits at the intersection of growth teams (like sales and marketing), operations (think process optimization), and technology (automation and data). The job involves designing systems that help different teams work together—often by connecting tools like CRMs, marketing platforms, and analytics dashboards without needing to rely on traditional software engineers for every tweak.

Instead of hand-coding everything from scratch, a GTM engineer uses no-code or low-code tools to build automations and integrations that save time and drive revenue. For example:

• Automating lead routing between your CRM and sales team
• Building dashboards that combine customer data across tools
• Setting up triggers so marketers get notified when leads hit certain milestones

If you’ve ever wished you could automate repetitive processes in your current role—or found yourself connecting apps with something like Zapier—you’re already thinking like a GTM engineer.

How People Transition From Marketing or Sales Ops

Most folks moving into GTM engineering come from either marketing operations or sales operations. These roles already require some comfort with technical systems (like CRMs or automation platforms), which makes picking up more advanced GTM work feel natural.

Some typical paths include:

• Marketing ops pros who start owning more automation projects outside their usual scope.
• Sales ops specialists who get involved in optimizing handoff processes between teams.
• RevOps (Revenue Operations) folks who look for ways to connect even more data sources across the org.

A great way to stand out is by showing examples of process improvements you’ve led—especially if they involved connecting multiple tools or automating a manual task.

The Skills That Matter Most for GTM Engineering

You don’t need a computer science degree to land a job in GTM engineering—but being comfortable with certain tools is a huge plus. Here are some areas worth focusing on:

• No-code/low-code automation: Platforms like Zapier, Make.com, or Tray.io
• CRM mastery: Deep understanding of Salesforce or HubSpot setup/customization (Salesforce Trailhead offers free training)
• Data wrangling: Comfort working with spreadsheets (Excel/Google Sheets) and basic SQL for reporting (SQL basics here)
• API knowledge: Enough familiarity to use connectors or test endpoints (even if you’re not writing code)
• Workflow design: Mapping out business processes clearly before automating them

Some people pick up certifications along the way—like HubSpot’s Operations Software Certification or Salesforce Admin—but real-world projects matter most.

Projects That Get You Noticed in GTM Engineering

Hiring managers love seeing proof you can solve real problems. If you want to stand out when applying for your first GTM-related role:

• Create sample automations that connect mock sales/marketing tools—even if it’s just for yourself.
• Solve common business problems in public (like automating lead scoring) and share your solutions on LinkedIn.
• The more you document your thought process—screenshots, diagrams, even short Loom videos—the better.

An anecdote worth sharing: A friend moved from marketing ops into her first true “GTM engineer” role last year at a SaaS startup. She didn’t have any formal coding experience but started by automating her team’s lead handoff process using Zapier. She recorded her workflow and shared it internally as a guide—which caught the eye of leadership when they went looking for someone to own broader automation projects. That one initiative led directly to her new title.

Bounce Between Tech Skills & Strategy—Or Focus?

It’s normal to wonder whether to double down on technical chops or lean into strategic thinking. Truth is—successful GTM engineers blend both. You’ll need enough technical knowledge to build automations and enough understanding of business strategy to know which processes should be automated first.

So start experimenting with tools and sharing your results publicly. Try small side projects at work or on your own time. Connect with others already in these roles via LinkedIn groups or communities focused on RevOps.

Ready for the next step? What would your ideal first “GTM engineering” project look like—and how could you start building it today?