2. So you want to join a VC?

Hey there,

Welcome to where I write about my journey from a stable Big Tech Software Engineering job to the wild and volatile world of Venture Capital.

New here? Read the first post

As a software engineer (SWE) entrenched in the world of Big Tech, you may find yourself seeking challenges beyond coding. One path you might consider is stepping into the high-stakes, high-reward world of Venture Capital (VC). The journey is not straightforward, and the interviewing process can be starkly different from what you're used to. Let's break it down.

Big Tech Interviews: Emotionless Efficiency

In a Big Tech interview, expect your coding skills to be put under the microscope. You'll likely face algorithm-heavy questions, system design problems, and multiple live coding exercises. The goal? To assess your technical competence and the depth of your knowledge. The process is standardized, systematic, and can sometimes feel emotionless. Emphasis is placed on your ability to solve complex problems rather than your personality or cultural fit.

During my interviews, I remember sitting in the same room as a parade of essentially nameless engineers came in one after another. Each interview was pretty similar:

• Exchange pleasantries for ~5 minutes

• Jump directly into a problem (AST, UnionFind, QuadTree, Design a Rate Limiter for an API)

• Shake hands, say goodbye, and never see that person again

By the end of it, I was exhausted and frankly had no idea if I did well or still wanted to join. No one asked me about my feelings, hopes or dreams (For the record, I felt like a special snowflake melting in the sun 🫠). The appeal of working at the edge, learning directly from the source, and brand recognition on my resume eventually convinced me to join.

Startup Interviews: Founder Speed Dating

In a startup environment, technical prowess is still important, but the emphasis is less on theoretical Data Structures & Algorithms problems and more on practical applications of your knowledge. How would you do this in X framework, how would you pick between these technologies, how would you build X feature for our product.

But there’s more. Interviewers will be keen to gauge whether your personality will mesh well within their smaller, close-knit teams. Expect to discuss your motivations, aspirations, and how you handle failure. Often, the company will live or die based on your willingness to work weekends, how well you and your cofounders can handle conflict, and frankly if you like spending time with each other.

When I joined a startup’s founding team, my interviews included:

• The standard algorithm and data structures problems

• A product design exercise (Grocery store for the blind)

• Various coffee walks around town with the other founders

• Meetings with their investors

• Disco bowling & mini golf

• A sunset walk on the beach with my toes in the sand (… not really 😜)

It’s a fun process, but the simultaneous dance of courting and being courted can be draining and mentally taxing. It’s definitely worth it to know as much as possible about the people you’re hoping to achieve escape velocity with.

When I joined, the desire to build something from scratch, drive engineering decisions / culture, and to wear many hats across the company were major factors.

Venture Capital Interviews: Career Colonoscopy

Venture Capital interviews are a different beast entirely. The focus shifts away from coding ability towards a more holistic assessment of your potential as a teammate, marketer, product thinker, and investor. You'll be asked about your opinions on market trends, your investment thesis, and even your life goals. The expectation? A ten-year commitment, at the least (more on this in a future post).

Unlike the relatively predictable nature of Big Tech and startup interviews, VC interviews can range from casual coffee chats to rigorous interrogations about all aspects of your life. Your ability to think strategically, make sound decisions under pressure, and build strong relationships will be tested. The firm wants to see how you will show up for them, their founders (current & prospective), and their LPs.

For the firm that I eventually joined, I interviewed for > 40 hours across multiple sessions:

• White-boarding b-trees

• 10pm - 12:30am phone call with partners to discuss my past roles

• A philosophical debate on the trolley problem

• A very “brisk” 6am run

• Meetings with every single employee of the firm

• A deep dive on my entire career in front of the whole team

Intense doesn’t begin to describe it, but they want to see if you’ll give yourself entirely to the firm. And the expectation is that you will…

Coming up:

• Negotiating & Offer Evaluation

• First Impressions & Rude Awakenings

• Breaking into the Investment Team

Until next time!

Signing off and signing zero checks,

SWEdonym

PS: Love hearing from you, send me an email with your thoughts or add a comment below on what you like or want more of.