Advice for Analyst

Quick Background: I went from target school to BB bank in S&T and worked on a niche equty derivs structuring desk since I graduated 2 years ago. I recently was laid off, and I'm moving back to chicago for personal reasons.

Question: I've been networking pretty hard, searching online job posts, and cold emailing hedge funds, but with not much luck (2 interviews, rejected after final round). Does anyone have any advice or places to start in Chicago? I don't have a great GPA that would stand out and get me an interview and it's hurting, but I have good experience at a bank in nyc, and I'm willing to start at the bottom again in something along the lines of trading assistant at a hedge fund, or energy firm or something as a trading analyst. Headhunters not working so much as I have no IB experience.

Also, my dream job is at a VC firm somewhere down the road, so if anyone has any advice on that, I'd appreciate it. Thanks.