Left Top IB Due To Burnout For Corp Dev Just To Pay Rent But VC Is The Ultimate Goal, Thoughts On My Situation?

Obligatory I do not work FT in Venture, but I am on a Corp Dev team with a Venture Arm, so perhaps somewhat well positioned to provide a perspective. 

First and foremost, don't beat yourself up over leaving banking after 8 months, especially if it was as sweaty as you are letting on. More importantly, start to craft your story behind why the role wasnt the right fit. Also, craft your answer depending on who you interview with. If you are talking to an ex-banker now in VC, you cant say you left due to hours. You could say however, that while you didn't expect to leave IBD so quickly, you fell into a really exciting Corp Dev role that allowed you to build out your investor skillset as soon as possible. I know mature M&A and VC are not the same, I know that, but as someone who evaluates both types of opportunities, Corp Dev (M&A, not strategy, not FP&A), is much closer to VC than banking. I.E., say you thought this skillset would better prepare you to understand equity investing, and that it allowed you to face new challenges that you thought might make you better positioned for VC roles.

Second, whether or not you should network now is a very tough question. If you network now, the answer above goes out the window. I was once like you, and thought any moment in the role I didn't want was a waste, and felt a strong urge to get where I wanted to be ASAP. But if you are open to it, consider spending just one year in Corp Dev, while you build a strong network and pipeline with VC firms. While the market is shit, lay the foundation, and schedule as many coffee chats as you can. Then, one year from now, you may find that your network offers up an opportunity, or at the very least, youll be better positioned to take a VC role. I think if you started to try and recruit for VC now, you wouldn't make much traction and would come off as an untrustworthy job hopper. 

Lastly, as someone who does buyouts and VC, I found something I never expected, I prefer Corp Dev to VC investing. The skillsets are quite different, and as are the challenges faced, so I would encourage you to try and make the best of a bad situation, and give the Corp Dev role a shot. Corp Dev is as broad a term as PE, so some roles are captivating and enticing, while others are brutal. I don't know what your environment is like, but there is a decent chance you work with sharp folks and may be well positioned to learn a lot. Do not underestimate this opportunity. If six months from now you hate the role / team / experience, double down on building your VC pipeline. 

One last piece of advice, take a deep breath and try and remember that 1-2 years in Corp Dev will not kill (or likely even impact) your chances of landing a VC role. You are out of the brutal sweaty IBD environment, so spend a few months taking care of yourself, rebuilding your relationships, and critically thinking about why you want VC so bad.