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re: How would one go about getting a job in Venture Capital?
Posted on 8/31/14 at 8:30 pm to RemouladeSawce
Posted on 8/31/14 at 8:30 pm to RemouladeSawce
quote:
this is likely a pipe dream unless you're talking a small regional firm
He didn't really specify, so I wouldn't want to count this guy out based on his threads here. If he's done good work in the semiconductor industry, he might find a niche player in VC somewhere who will take him on if he learns some financial modeling skills. It wouldn't be the craziest thing in the world to happen.
1
Posted on 9/1/14 at 6:04 pm to Doc Fenton
quote:
He didn't really specify, so I wouldn't want to count this guy out based on his threads here. If he's done good work in the semiconductor industry, he might find a niche player in VC somewhere who will take him on if he learns some financial modeling skills. It wouldn't be the craziest thing in the world to happen.
Thanks for the words of encouragement. The truth is that I DO want to do financial modeling. I took a 10-week Finance course last year on Coursera and I loved everything I learned about DCF modeling, CAPM, valuations, capital structure of firms etc. Now with the MBA and my school's strong alumni and job network on the West Coast, I am hoping I will be able to leverage my technical skills & work experience (I have a Master's degree in Engineering [my research thesis was semiconductor related] + 4 years as a design engineer in O&G + 5 years in semiconductors) with the stuff I learn in business school to make a switch to a career in finance.
I understand that given my age (early 30s) and previous non-finance background I am not going to get into a traditional IB, VC, PE shop etc. I am under no illusions there. Right now I am just exploring all possible avenues where I can combine my tech background with the finance skills I'm learning in school in an industry that I am very familiar with (semiconductors). My first preference is to get into a boutique shop on the west coast. Next choice would be a corporate venture investing division at a large tech firm. If either of those don't pan out, I could always look at corp finance or consulting, I guess. It is still early days. We will see how it goes as I finish a couple of semesters and get a chance to network more.
This post was edited on 9/1/14 at 9:35 pm
Posted on 9/1/14 at 7:03 pm to euphemus
Just network your arse off and as shallow as it sounds figure out who is who because at top schools there will be people who have guaranteed jobs and connections that are better than any OCR office has to offer.
This post was edited on 9/1/14 at 7:04 pm
Posted on 9/1/14 at 7:47 pm to euphemus
Something you may want to look at is the thread I created back in April on the WSAT done by Street of Walls: LINK.
They have now changed their name to Vettery.com, and if you read the founder's story (a guy from UF who found it difficult to break into blue-chip i-banking, and who wanted to help others), you'll see it's great stuff.
Like the poster above mentioned, networking is the big key here, and Section 5 in the i-banking section on networking applies equally well to VC I would imagine. (See LINK.)
It's ironic that I just got a hit based on my WSAT scores and resume posted on Vettery from a PE recruiter based in Miami, less than 2 hours ago, which I haven't gotten since I posted my stuff there in April!
:heli:
By the way, for VC, I don't think being in your early 30's hurts you at all. Don't feel embarrassed about that a bit. It's freaking VC, not some i-banking factory stuff where they take summer interns out of undergrad.
Your potential value is based on (1) how well you know the business, (2) how much you keep up to date on deals within your particular sector, (3) how well you can do a valuation model and investment pitch book for a prospective deal, and (4) how well you understand all the many varieties of legal clauses and negotiatons that go on between VC investors and small tech company owners.
Above all else, you've got to convince a VC partner that you can be trusted to be presentable to people, know your stuff in negotiations, and be able to understand the key terms and situations of potential deals quickly, and to communicate this in a manner of a few minutes during presentations without rambling into unimportant crap.
But yeah, use your business school alumni base and network, network, network...
Good luck!
They have now changed their name to Vettery.com, and if you read the founder's story (a guy from UF who found it difficult to break into blue-chip i-banking, and who wanted to help others), you'll see it's great stuff.
Like the poster above mentioned, networking is the big key here, and Section 5 in the i-banking section on networking applies equally well to VC I would imagine. (See LINK.)
It's ironic that I just got a hit based on my WSAT scores and resume posted on Vettery from a PE recruiter based in Miami, less than 2 hours ago, which I haven't gotten since I posted my stuff there in April!
:heli:
By the way, for VC, I don't think being in your early 30's hurts you at all. Don't feel embarrassed about that a bit. It's freaking VC, not some i-banking factory stuff where they take summer interns out of undergrad.
Your potential value is based on (1) how well you know the business, (2) how much you keep up to date on deals within your particular sector, (3) how well you can do a valuation model and investment pitch book for a prospective deal, and (4) how well you understand all the many varieties of legal clauses and negotiatons that go on between VC investors and small tech company owners.
Above all else, you've got to convince a VC partner that you can be trusted to be presentable to people, know your stuff in negotiations, and be able to understand the key terms and situations of potential deals quickly, and to communicate this in a manner of a few minutes during presentations without rambling into unimportant crap.
But yeah, use your business school alumni base and network, network, network...
Good luck!
Posted on 9/1/14 at 10:15 pm to Doc Fenton
quote:
Something you may want to look at is the thread I created back in April on the WSAT done by Street of Walls: LINK.
They have now changed their name to Vettery.com, and if you read the founder's story (a guy from UF who found it difficult to break into blue-chip i-banking, and who wanted to help others), you'll see it's great stuff.
Like the poster above mentioned, networking is the big key here, and Section 5 in the i-banking section on networking applies equally well to VC I would imagine. (See LINK.)
It's ironic that I just got a hit based on my WSAT scores and resume posted on Vettery from a PE recruiter based in Miami, less than 2 hours ago, which I haven't gotten since I posted my stuff there in April!
:heli:
By the way, for VC, I don't think being in your early 30's hurts you at all. Don't feel embarrassed about that a bit. It's freaking VC, not some i-banking factory stuff where they take summer interns out of undergrad.
Your potential value is based on (1) how well you know the business, (2) how much you keep up to date on deals within your particular sector, (3) how well you can do a valuation model and investment pitch book for a prospective deal, and (4) how well you understand all the many varieties of legal clauses and negotiatons that go on between VC investors and small tech company owners.
Above all else, you've got to convince a VC partner that you can be trusted to be presentable to people, know your stuff in negotiations, and be able to understand the key terms and situations of potential deals quickly, and to communicate this in a manner of a few minutes during presentations without rambling into unimportant crap.
But yeah, use your business school alumni base and network, network, network...
Good luck!
Bookmarked! That was extremely helpful. I love the training courses link. It will come in really handy.
I appreciate all your help
ETA: By the way, how long did it take for you to study for the WSAT? Did you just use the training material in the above link to study?
This post was edited on 9/2/14 at 12:39 am
Posted on 9/2/14 at 6:14 am to euphemus
Yeah, pretty much. I had already taken the CFA Level 1 at that point, and moreover, I had been studying a bunch of mathematical finance for years, so for me it was mostly a matter of boning up on financial accounting terms. My method of study was to just take the practice test a bunch of times until I got a perfect score, and then take the real test.
Keep in mind that this is not an important standardized test like the GMAT, and you can retake it every 3 months or so anyway, and furthermore, that the odds are that you are unlikely to get your eventual job through Vettery.com. The value of the website is more in being a treasure trove in terms of learning how stuff works, although I wouldn't discount the possibility of getting a job through their jobs board entirely.... because you never know.
Keep in mind that this is not an important standardized test like the GMAT, and you can retake it every 3 months or so anyway, and furthermore, that the odds are that you are unlikely to get your eventual job through Vettery.com. The value of the website is more in being a treasure trove in terms of learning how stuff works, although I wouldn't discount the possibility of getting a job through their jobs board entirely.... because you never know.
Posted on 9/2/14 at 1:16 pm to Doc Fenton
quote:
I actually had a chance to collaborate with him years ago when I was a grad student, but I ended up flushing that opportunity down the drain because of immaturity and lack of direction. (Which might have been for the best, since VC probably would have been a terrible fit for me.) Man, it's a trip though going back through memory lane and thinking about how totally lost and clueless I was back then. What a flake I was.
Interesting. Joe is great, and one of those guys you just want to sit and listen to him tell stories for hours...
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