How I’d prep for a VC interview in 7 days (step-by-step)

Hi! I’m glad you’re here. You’ve made it to issue #61 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: A step-by-step, 7-day plan to help you walk into your VC interview feeling prepared, confident, and ready to think like an investor

^{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: 6 minutes

How I’d prep for a VC interview in 7 days (step-by-step)

So, you’ve landed a VC interview. Congrats! But now the clock is ticking and you’ve only got 7 days to prep.

Here’s the good news: You don’t need to master everything about VC. You just need to show that you can think like an investor, understand the firm you’re talking to, and communicate clearly.

Here’s a step-by-step playbook I’d follow:

Day 1: Research the Firm

Your first goal is simple: understand this firm better than 95% of applicants.

What to do:

• Read the last 10 blog posts, tweets, or LinkedIn posts from the firm and its partners.

• Find their portfolio companies. Understand which ones are most recent, which align with your interests, and which have exited.

• Google or use ChatGPT - “[Firm Name] + investment thesis” or “[Firm Name] + recent deals.”

• Map out their check size, stage, and typical ownership targets.

• If possible, figure out what fund they’re on and when it was raised.

Goal: Know their thesis, tone, and the types of founders they back.

Day 2: Know Your Story Cold

VC interviews are storytelling interviews. You need a tight narrative that makes it obvious why you’re a fit.

What to do:

• Refine your “Why VC?” answer.

• Craft a narrative that ties your past experience to investing. Focus on patterns: exposure to startups, operating experience, sector expertise, sourcing, writing, etc.

• Practice your personal story with a friend or record yourself. Aim for a 90-second version.

Goal: You can confidently walk through your story, highlighting how it makes you uniquely suited for this role at this firm.

Day 3: Pick 2 Startups to Pitch

Almost every VC interview includes: “What startups are you tracking?” or “What would you invest in?”

What to do:

• Pick 2 startups that:

  • Are relevant to the firm’s thesis

  • Are early enough that a firm could invest now or soon

  • Haven’t already raised from that VC

• Write a short investment memo or summary for each (1 pager).

  • What’s the company?

  • Who are the founders?

  • Why now?

  • Market size?

  • Traction or social proof?

  • Risks?

Bonus tip: If you're short on ideas, look at Product Hunt, TechCrunch, or ask AI to help surface companies that match the firm’s thesis.

Day 4: Study the VC Interview Question Types

There are 5 types of VC interview questions:

Subscribe to Premium to read the rest.