Hours as VC Associate (NYC)?
What are hours actually like working in VC after 2-3 years in banking? Do you have control over your time / life or are there last minute requests that blow up your night / weekend?
Interested in investing but don’t love the IB hours, so a bit hesitant to go PE
Hours are highly dependent on the firm, but generally way less than banking. On average across the industry I'd say ~50-60 per week is standard, more if there's something urgent like a fast moving deal/fundraising/portfolio crisis. Rarely all nighters & weekend work tends to be light (a little bit on Sunday prepping for Monday team meetings). Certain firms can be more intense though - the Tiger Cubs for example (Coatue, Tiger Global etc), and some growth funds like TCV.
Based on the most helpful WSO content, as a VC associate, you typically start your day around 8am and wrap up at the office around 6pm. However, the work doesn't necessarily end there. You might find yourself working a few more hours from home. The work can be intense and there's always a lot to get done. You have to learn to be a very efficient worker in VC and get good at context switching.
While there's no expectation of face time, the nature of the work means you might have to deal with last-minute requests that could potentially disrupt your evenings or weekends. However, many find the work-life balance in VC to be better than in investment banking, as there are more parts of the job that they enjoy and the job generates interesting conversations with friends.
Remember, your experience is largely what you make of it. Your growth will largely be a function of the effort you put in and the network you develop. So, if you're interested in investing but are hesitant about the hours in PE, VC might be a good fit for you. Just remember to be prepared for the intensity of the work.
Sources: Are there careers within finance with these characteristics?, Current VC associate taking questions, Actual BB IB Associate post-MBA hours, Associate and VP hours
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