There is no Linear Career Path
Tips to building the skills necessary to break into Venture Capital
We’re trained to think of career paths as a structured, upward progression, rising through the ranks from the bullpen to the C-suite. For those of us interested in entrepreneurship and venture capital, this can be a struggle, because there is no traditional path to these roles.
As a first-year MBA student, even though I have a clear vision for my career, I have often found myself chasing gold stars, just because everyone else is. As the investment bankers and consultants come back from winter break with their offers in hand, every now and then, I panic and spend hours poring over online job postings that I’m not really that interested in. In my quest to find the perfect summer internship, Earnest’s TEDx talk on not searching for a linear career path resonated with me.
“I was trying to fit myself in a specific box based on what I was seeing, rather than creating my own journey”
Instead of trying to fit himself into someone else’s profile, Earnest decided to broadly identify the skills he needed to be a successful VC and find ways to develop these attributes before he started the role:
Build a strong network
In venture capital, entrepreneurs are your currency, your access to deal flow, so get to know them. It’s also important to build a strong network with investors, service providers, and other members of the innovation ecosystem. Research has shown that well-networked venture capitalists perform better because they are able to provide better value-add services to their portfolio companies through their relationships
Where to Start: Get involved with startup incubators and accelerators in your local area and industry. Look for relevant events on meetup.com. Some of these may not be particularly high yield, but they demonstrate your interest in the startup community and make you a known entity.
Identify your superpower
Most venture capitalists have particularly strong industry or functional expertise. Determine what prior experience you can leverage in the investor role. It is important to remember that no prior work experience is useless.
Where to Start: read everything you can about trends and innovation within your target industries. Form an opinion about what you believe the industry needs next. Go a step further and develop an investment thesis.
Rather than try to plan a career path that would lead to venture capital, pursue what you are passionate about. Don’t chase after an industry or role just because it’s what everyone around you is doing right now. Instead, focus on developing the transferable skills needed to be a good VC — skills that can be developed across any industry, geography, or role.
