I turn 25 in a month, starting second year BSc studies in International Business in a non-target school in a small town. I am living in Europe and studying abroad and my GPA after first year is nothing spectacular. How could I ever land a job in VC?
On the bright side, I am good with numbers, socially unconstrained and can chat easily with anybody. I can sell, can speak 3 languages and starting to study 4th in fall. I have courage and can work hard.
Started school only last year, because even though I was signed up and went to a couple first lectures of Economics major course, I decided to get my compulsory 1-year military service out of the way. By then I was about to turn 20 and suddenly wanted to see the world. In three years traveled most of the world except for Americas.
I have been self-studying finance, economics, equities and investing since 2012. Read a lot and don't consider myself completely new to finance, investing and reports/charts.
I also like statistics and I'm good at it. Going VC to combine two things I love - finance and quantitative methodologies. I like tech start-ups and especially interested in AI and computer chip technologies, where atom chips and quantum computers will enter the scene sooner rather than later. May-be planning to take masters in QR in SSE or, more likely, CBS. Any ideas how my education should go on after graduation?
This is not an easy situation. Reading these boards, I get thoughts that I should not have spent 4 years on military and travelling, because I'm too old now for traditional ways of getting in. At the same time I always think long-term and down the road, 5-year difference shouldn't be such a biggie. I may be completely wrong though. Considering my current situation, what are the chances/ways to make it to VC, and is there anybody here who has made it from this kind of situation? Need to take action now and land at least something for next summer intern.
Sorry for the wall,
thanks for your time!
Bump!
I don't seem to be receiving too much advice here, it looks like. From this I will conclude that WSO agrees that traditional ways of getting in are not for me. Therefore it seems if there is any chance at all, it would be through networking my ass off, in which case my Master's studies will be irrelevant, meaning I can go for statistics. I'm going to make it, I can network! Though I would really appreciate if somebody in VC, or who has made it with a similar background, would leave a note here so that I could ask a few questions over PM, or get some advice from time to time. I won't abuse, I promise.
Not trying to be a dick, honest thoughts below.
If you are actually good (i.e. above average / your peers) with numbers then your grades should reflect that, surely?
Have you ever actually sold anything? A LOT of people say this, I think sales is generally an undervalued skill. That said, whilst my fund isn't hiring a fair few of our portfolio companies are looking for bus devs, as are many, many start ups. So that could be an option.
I think you need to explore what analysts at VC funds do. Finance, sure, quantitative methodologies....Not so much. I'm literally responding to your post instead of proofing a recommendation report, it contains zero quantitative methodologies. Well, basic valuation + caps but you get the point.
I can only speak for where I work but the hardware side of things is minuscule in relation to everything else. Something to bear in mind.
Maybe not, but you did so I wouldn't focus on it unless you try and spin a military angle. I don't have all of what this forum would indicate is a rock solid VC background but got multiple offers. It's an unstructured process and luck is a big factor. However you being from a non-target, with low grades, it will require a lot of luck, imho
EDIT: My bad, totally fucked the quotes up and cba to re-do. Also, the more I think about it.... actually we do a fair bit of stuff that isn't software. So ignore that bit.
Gain experience.... start up, growth investing SOMETHING! Bring your GPA up, do something to display interest and do some research about what analysts at funds do.
About the grades, being and International Business major, I have had maths B, statistics B and QR A, but I am also having soft courses such as Organisational Behavior, Management Accounting and Micro, for which I honestly couldn't care less about. I know that GPA is more of a measure of the effort a person is putting into his current most important task, studies, and less of an indicator of actual intelligence. I will improve my effort on courses which I don't find interesting. About sales, I have had actual sales experience, direct and over the phone, I don't want to sound ego, just honestly I did well.
Luck, yes. This is where I wanted to end up with this discussion. Luck seems to be a matter of how many favorable situations you put yourself into, in order for the luck to occur. In other words, someone who's never exposed to opportunities, will hardly experience luck. I would like to know how to expose myself to more opportunities in VC while living in a relatively small town?
Starting up is something that has been causing me a lot of agony for the last year. I know I need to get something going, just exactly what.. Sometimes I think I should have taken IT and programming.
Thanks for your advice and I always respect honesty! Could you tell me something about your educational background? And do you have a start-up?
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