Looking for opinions
Hi everyone,
Obviously I'm very new here, but I have been exploring the site, and it seems to be a fantastic source of information/opinions/discussions. I thought I would post a dilemma I have and hear some of your thoughts.
I just graduated from a Top 20 university in May (think closer to 20 than to 10), and am currently working in the San Francisco Bay Area at a small investment management firm. I was very lucky to get a "temporary" position here, as I was an athlete in college and thus had no internship experience. My ultimate career goal is VC, I won't bore you with the details but it's what I want to do. My dilemma is as follows:
Option 1: Remain in my current position. Because I'm here in the Bay Area, I occasionally attend events with BIG VC names. No substantial connection, essentially my best shot would amount to "Hey, can I come work at your firm for free?" I know this sounds strange, but I have a sense that because I'm in the Valley, I am where the action is, if that makes sense.
Option 2: Accept an offer as a Business Analyst at Capital One in D.C. The plan here would be to work there for 2-3 years, then come back to Stanford GSB, easier said than done, but in a perfect world.
So the question is which to take? Obviously an MBA would open doors for me, but again, DC is a long way from the Valley, and even without direct connections, at least I am in the Valley now, like an actress moving to Hollywood just to be there. Anyway, I'd love to hear any thoughts or opinions. Sorry for the long read, and thanks so much.
option 1. i'm in DC and I can tell you that networking for VC opportunities here are incredibly thin to almost non-existent. the business analyst role is also not an ideal set up for Stanford.
if you are in the bay area, then network, network, network, and you are bound to move some pieces. After all, I'd argue that the VC space is one of the most network-oriented industries, so creating a buzz around yourself (also easier said than done) is key.
an alternative option, since you are already in SF, is the "impact" investing space. lots of funds are being raised in the west coast to invest in sutainable or "triple bottom line" businesses. combining that social component with VC experience will position you really well for Stanford.
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