Hi! I’m glad you’re here. You’ve made it to issue #34 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: The 5 questions to ask yourself to effectively craft your story for VC interviews

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 across my socials for those of you who prefer those channels.

When I first started VC recruiting, I made A LOT of mistakes.

I received a ton of rejections, even from firms I now work with regularly.

Looking back, one of my biggest missteps was focusing on listing accomplishments instead of telling my story.

Here’s what I’ve learned from sitting on the other side of the table - and how you can avoid the same pitfalls.

Simply rattling off your achievements doesn’t make you stand out. What interviewers really want to understand is your journey:

Storytelling gives depth to your resume and shows your passions, thought process, and self-awareness.

To build a compelling narrative, start by asking yourself these 5 key questions:

1) What has caused me to switch roles?

2) What was missing in my previous role that I want in my next?