Ask HN: How do you get a job at a VC firm? • Hacker News Board

Re: Ask HN: How do you get a job at a VC firm?

#11

Post by propter_hoc » Sun, Jul 23, 2017, 5:25 AM UTC

Getting a first job as a VC analyst is pretty achievable. It is pretty much a 3 years and out kinda job so any VC firm that has an analyst who's been there 2+ years will be hiring soon.

Typical background: Major in business/finance, or CS/engineering; whichever side you don't do, get some exposure to the other side - teach yourself to code or take an accounting basics class.

Get involved in the local startup ecosystem - volunteer at a demo day or a local tedx event, intern at a startup, something like that. Get to know a lot of people in this world. Maybe write a couple blog posts with insights about some upcoming markets.

Generally, you want to show that you get both tech and business pretty well, and also seem like someone who's eager to work hard to prove themselves and that lots of people seem to know.

Re: Ask HN: How do you get a job at a VC firm?

#12

Post by richardknop » Sun, Jul 23, 2017, 9:21 AM UTC

Why do you want to work for a VC firm? I would suggest investment bank might be better paying job with more potential.

Re: Ask HN: How do you get a job at a VC firm?

#13

Post by user5994461 » Sun, Jul 23, 2017, 10:30 AM UTC

propter_hoc wrote: post #11

Getting a first job as a VC analyst is pretty achievable. It is pretty much a 3 years and out kinda job so any VC firm that has an analyst who's been there 2+ years will be hiring soon. Typical background: Major in business/finance, or CS/engineering; whichever side you don't do, get some exposure to the other side - teach yourself to code or take an accounting basics class. Get involved in the local startup ecosyste…

If it's the same naming as banks, analyst is the lowest level position in the chain. Something similar to an intern at a GAFA. Not a dream position at all.

Re: Ask HN: How do you get a job at a VC firm?

#14

Post by jwilliams » Sun, Jul 23, 2017, 7:11 PM UTC

maxxxxx wrote: post #4

Powerofmene wrote: post #3

It appears based on the background of the VCs currently, you need to build a product/business, grow it, sell or do an IPO (returning a tidy profit to the VCs that funded you), and then join a firm after 'retiring.'

There are plenty of people behind the figureheads who just have an MBA and somehow got a job there.

I've seen there are two (highly generalizing) tracks:

1. Professional Finance/Banker types. Usually MBA track with some Goldman-Sachs-type experience.

2. Founders and entrepreneurs aka "Operators" who move into VC from an exit.

(Again with the generalizing) The former (MBA) tend to work later stage, whereas the latter (Founders) usually work early stage.

Late stage has more financial metrics and needs stronger traditional finance networks. This suits a professional finance type better.

Early stage requires a grass-roots network and some technical/operational chops can be a big advantage. Founders can also differentiate here as they can roll their sleeves up and help hands-on in more areas.

A less common way is to build up to VC as an Angel investor or some type of advisor. After getting a bit of a portfolio you can start raising a fund (or more likely, help someone else raise one and jump on). However, they tend to be founders with some level of liquidity. But if you're in for a long haul that seems to work too.