What Do You Do as a Venture Capitalist?

Last time around we talked at length about how you break into venture capital, what VCs and headhunters look for, and how resumes, networking, and interviews differ when you apply to VC jobs.

Now we’re going to jump into all the questions you’re really curious about:

• What you actually do each day as a venture capitalist
• How you advance to the Partner-level
• How much you work and how much you get paid
• The economics of VC firms and why your pay is so dependent on the firm’s size
• Trade-offs of venture capital vs. investment banking, private equity, and entrepreneurship

So let’s dive right in.

No, You Can’t Have It All: Why Finance Does Not Guarantee You $10 Million and Your Own Beach in Thailand

“Life is either a daring adventure or nothing. Security is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature.”

- Helen Keller

I almost decided not to publish this article.

But it needed to be said.

This one is long – so grab some yerba mate, take a seat, and close your YouTube window before you start.

How It All Started

Recruiting in a Down Market, Part 4: How to Weigh Your “Plan B” Options and Ensure That You Don’t End Up with “Plan Z” Instead

Sure, it’s great if you can defy all odds and get into finance in the midst of a recession.

But let’s be honest: there’s always a chance that things may not work out, simply due to probability, bad luck, and the general lack of hiring.

So, if you don’t get into investment banking, private equity, hedge funds, or whatever else you’re after, what are your best alternatives?

In other words, how do you decide which “Plan B” option is best and which one you can actually leverage to move onto something better?

Rather than giving generic advice, we’ll go through a couple common “Plan B” options and look at the advantages, drawbacks, and key considerations for each one.

The Problem with “Plan B” Planning