Wheeling, Dealing, and Joint Venturing: On the Job in Corporate Development

Last time around you learned all about how to break into corporate development – from getting interviews to answering questions to following up successfully.

But just as with sales & trading, the more interesting part is what you do on a daily basis in corporate development, what the lifestyle is like, how much you get paid, and what you do afterward.

So let’s get started with part 2 of this interview and dive into all of those – plus how this interviewee got a unique experience in China out of his role.

How to Break Into Corporate Development and Make Bank Without Selling Your Soul

While other exit opportunities get more attention – it is hard to pass up moving into PE or hedge funds and buying your own country, after all – corporate development presents many attractive benefits, such as having a life and building value for customers rather than destroying the world.

Today we’re going to speak with a reader who works in corporate development at a pre-IPO tech startup (yes, you would know the name) on the West Coast of the US.

Inside, you’ll learn:

• What the recruiting process is like for corporate/business development and related fields.
• What types of people go to work at normal companies, and how to move in from banking/consulting.
• How recruiting might differ at larger companies and non-tech companies.
• How to ask your MD to hook you up with a job without getting fired.

How to Break Into Venture Capital

“I’m an engineer with a 3.6 GPA at a top university. I have a full-time investment banking offer lined up at Credit Suisse, and I’ll be working in their tech M&A group. Do you think I can I break into venture capital?”

While venture capital receives less attention than private equity and hedge funds, I’ve gotten many, many VC-related questions over the years.

In this 2-part interview, we’re going to speak with an investment banker who broke into venture capital.

In part 1 – focused on recruiting – you’re going to learn:

• How to make the move from investment banking to venture capital
• What types of people VC firms look for and the 3 entry points into VC
• The role of headhunters in the VC recruitment process
• How resumes and interviews for VC differ from banking and PE
• How to position yourself to break into the industry