VC recruiting is brutal right now
Is the market especially bad? Or is it always like this? And also, why do these firms make you jump through so many hoops with these personality tests and random mid-interview riddles and then ask you to do projects that don't match the skillset that they are hiring you for? Is it to weed people out who "don't want it enough"?
Ah, the world of Venture Capital (VC) recruiting, it's a jungle out there, isn't it? Based on the most helpful WSO content, it seems that VC recruiting can indeed be quite challenging. The market conditions can vary, but it's generally a competitive field.
As for the hoops, riddles, and seemingly unrelated projects, it's not just about weeding out those who "don't want it enough". It's more about finding individuals with a unique blend of skills. VC firms often look for people with operational experience at a startup, as this experience translates well into early stage investing. They value the ability to recognize a good team from a bad one, or to spot operational mistakes before they occur.
The tasks and tests during the recruitment process might not always seem directly related to the job, but they're designed to assess these skills. For instance, a public stock analysis task might seem out of place for a VC role, but it's actually a way to evaluate your independent decision-making skills and your ability to think critically about investment opportunities.
So, while it might feel like you're being asked to juggle while riding a unicycle, remember that each task is a chance to showcase a different skill that could be valuable in the VC world. Keep your chin up, and remember, every monkey has to start somewhere!
Sources: https://www.wallstreetoasis.com/forum/venture-capital/early-stage-vc-101-5-questions-you-better-be-able-to-answer?customgpt=1, Basic Questions About PE Recruiting Answered, London recruitment-can't understand how it works., Q&A: 1st year VC analyst (~750M AUM)
Head up man. This market is horrendous rn and this is coming from someone who made a switch from BB IB to VC. I honestly caught a very lucky bounce - right place, right time. You’re gonna have to be patient unfortunately
Per seniors at my fund - many hires during the '20/'21 craze ended up being total garbage.
Funds want to make sure you are internally motivated and will actually pull weight.
I think macro, and as a result, recruiting will get increasingly bad over the next few quarters.
Damn, why did they hire bad people? There were so many candidates to choose from. I know many people with very impressive backgrounds who were trying to break in. From what I can tell, it wasn't a lack of talent
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