Careers in venture capital are fast-paced and exciting. A venture capitalist job allows you to learn about the newest ideas in business and fund the projects that sound the most promising. Who wouldn't want that type of control?
Unfortunately, VC jobs are few and far between. Compared to other industries, there are simply not very many venture capital companies. The ones that do exist are generally quite small, employing less than 100 people. That means that competition for venture capital jobs is fierce and you must be able to beat the competition.
To stand out among the crowds of people applying for a venture capitalist job:
1. Have some experience. Most people start in other careers and then transfer their skills to a venture capital career. If you have some experience in venture capital, you will be ahead of the game.
2. Become an entrepreneur. If you yourself have started a business, then you'll be better able to decide which opportunities deserve a company's venture capital.
3. Get an MBA. This is a prerequisite for almost all jobs in venture capital.
Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done
Gain experience for venture capital employment with an internship
There's no doubt that venture capital is a highly competitive industry and an internship can give you the experience you need to secure a good job in the future. Furthermore, an internship will allow you to meet people in the industry who you can later network with.
I recommend: Search the job boards at
MySpace to find venture capital industry jobs. Alternatively, apply for a
Kauffman Fellowship, which is a prestigious fellowship that allows you to make many contacts in the industry.
Turn to specialized job boards to find venture capital job opportunities
An online job board can be a great way to find positions to apply for. It's often better to turn to boards that specialize in certain industries instead of the well-known boards that attract a lot of unqualified people.
I recommend: Search for private equity venture capital jobs all over the world at
eFinancialCareers. You can also find venture capital job openings at the
Vault website. Both sites allow you to post your resume so that potential employers can find you.
Use venture capital employment services to find the perfect job
A professional employment service may be what you need to get your foot in the door. The public does not often have access to the venture capital industry, but a recruiter can provide you with the contacts you need.
I recommend: Both
Opus Mitchell and
Robert Half Finance & Accounting offer recruiting services for the finance sector. Contact them to get started with your job search.
Tips & Tactics
Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide
- A professional resume writer can help you to get venture capital jobs by tailoring your resume to reflect what venture capital firms are looking for.
The official source of Venture Capital Jobs is the Venture Capital Jobs page at Business.com
Subscribe to
Try our free weekly WhatWorks newsletter, with business how-to advice
& resources from Work.com.
Related Resources from Business.com
Comments
Is any content on this page inappropriate? To let us know, please 
