The DM strategy that helped me land VC interviews

Hi! I’m glad you’re here. You’ve made it to issue #56 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 breakdown of how I used cold DMs to ex-interns to land first-round 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 for free across my socials.}

Read time: 4 minutes

The DM strategy that helped me land VC interviews

2019 was the first year I learned about venture capital.

I was two years into banking, exploring career options, and came across a firm I fell in love with.
The second I read about them, I was hooked.

I didn’t just want to learn more - I wanted to work with them.

But I was starting from scratch:

• I didn’t know anyone in VC

• I had no exposure to startup investing

• I had no idea how to navigate the interview process

Still, I knew one thing:

Getting a first-round interview in VC is hard.

And when you’re an outsider, it’s even harder.

So I asked myself:

How do I get a leg up without knowing anyone?

Most people try this:
→ Cold DM the full-time team
→ Hope someone notices
→ Get ghosted

But I didn’t feel ready to impress the investors at that firm directly. I wanted to be more prepared.

I figured if I reached out before I was ready, I’d burn my shot.

So I went a different route.

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