Navigating the VC job market can feel like a marathon.
Heck, it is a marathon.
And you’re going to need to play the numbers:
Applying for a ton of roles that you find on my blog, or elsewhere.
But there’s a mistake …
… a mistake I absolutely do not want you to make if you’re already working part time with a VC firm or accelerator or scout program.
VC job applications take a lot of time.
And firms ask for different things.
So it might feel like if you could just get an hour or two back a day:
By ditching the VC related stuff you’re doing …
… you’d be able to submit more applications.
Get more interviews.
And get hired faster.
Well, yes, you might have more time to submit applications.
But there are a truckload of reasons why this is not such a great idea.
Your Golden Ticket: The VC Email Address
Say you’re an intern at a VC firm.
You’ve got an email address that ends with ‘@somevc.vc’.
That might seem like a small detail, but trust me, it’s a game-changer.
It doesn’t matter if you’re an intern, a bot, or a partner – that email address is a golden ticket.
It opens doors and signifies that you’re “in the club”, which is a big deal.
But it’s not just about the email address.
Just being able to say to a VC that you’re currently affiliated with a fund carries weight.
It positions you as a peer …
… versus someone who is on the outside, looking in.
And think about your resume, too.
Wouldn’t you rather have a VC-related role at the top …
… that says “ — Present” …
… instead of “— May 2023” ?
Random Questions From VCs (vs. Actually Doing VC Work)
Sure, there’s some overlap in what firms ask on their applications.
But there’s also NOT overlap.
And that NOT overlap thing is what sucks up a lot of time.
But let’s think about someone who is an intern at a VC firm.
The firm can’t take them on full time, but they’re happy to have them around helping out.
That intern could probably get a chunk of time carved out (with the partners’ blessing):
To work on deepening or building an investment thesis.
What if you were that intern?
In the process of building that thesis …
… your pitch to VC firms would get stronger.
You’d meet more VC firms and more founders along the way, too.
VCs who might be able to hire you.
And founders who might be able to introduce you to other VCs.
Spending an hour on what I just described seems like it would be a lot more helpful to your overall search:
Than taking an hour (or more!) trying to craft the perfect answer to a random question on a VC job app.
Stay the Course
I know you’re tempted.
But give 👆another read.
I don’t want you to give up what you worked so hard to get.
And what can get you closer to where you’re trying to go.
After all … you’re on the inside.
So, please stay there.
