5 ways to get a VC firm to interview you

Hi! I’m glad you’re here. You’ve made it to issue #68 of VC Demystified🪄.

My name’s Nicole - I’m a Principal at an early stage venture fund, and I know firsthand that VC can often be a black box. Breaking into the industry may feel daunting and resources can seem scarce and inaccessible. I wanted to put together a newsletter to give others the playbook I wish I had when I first started.

Today’s deep dive: How to land a VC interview before your resume even hits the pile

^{My personal mission is to open as many doors as possible for other people and this newsletter is just one avenue to do that. As always, I will continue to post VC insights daily for free across my socials.}

Read time: 5 minutes

How to land a VC interview before your resume even hits the pile

Breaking into venture is notoriously competitive. If you’re here you already know that.

Firms often get hundreds of applications for a single role. Sending your resume into the void and hoping for the best rarely works.

If you want to better your odds, you need to stand out before the first interview invite lands in your inbox.

Here are 5 tactics I used that worked:

1. Send a targeted email to the team after applying

Don’t just hit “submit” on the job portal and wait.

• Identify 2-3 team members at the firm (ideally the team member who is leading the candidate search).

• Send a short, tailored email referencing your application and one specific reason you’re excited about their firm.

• Keep it 4-5 sentences max. Your goal is to make it easy for them to connect your name with your resume when they screen applications.

Example:
“Hi [Name], I just applied for your Winter Associate role. I’ve been following your investments in [Company] and [Company] and love your focus on [Firm Thesis Area]. I’d love to bring my experience in [Relevant Skill] to the team. I’ve attached my resume here for convenience. I’m also attaching [insert any of the items I mention below here too]. Looking forward to connecting.”

Keep it short and sweet. 😊 

2. Create a one-pager pitching yourself

Think of this as an investment memo about you.

• Highlight your professional background, investment experience (formal or informal), and relevant deal sourcing or research.

• Show 2-3 example companies you’d be excited to bring to the firm (bonus if they’re truly thesis-aligned).

• Mention portfolio companies of theirs that you like and why want to work at their firm in particular

• Keep it visually clean - one page, easy to skim.

The one-pager proves you understand VC storytelling and can package information clearly, both key skills for the job.

3. Share deal ideas that fit the firm’s thesis

Most candidates talk about their passion for VC. Fewer actually show it.

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