You’re a new venture capital associate. How can you impress your boss and secure your future in the industry?

1 Learn the basics

Venture capital is a complex and competitive field that requires a lot of knowledge and skills. You need to understand the fundamentals of finance, accounting, valuation, due diligence, legal terms, and deal structures. You also need to be familiar with the industry trends, market dynamics, and competitive landscape of the sectors and geographies you’re investing in. You can’t rely on your boss to teach you everything. You have to take the initiative and learn from various sources, such as books, podcasts, blogs, newsletters, webinars, courses, and mentors. The more you learn, the more confident and competent you’ll become.

3 Add value to the portfolio

As a venture capital associate, you’re not only responsible for finding and executing deals, but also for supporting and growing the existing portfolio companies. You need to add value to the portfolio by providing strategic guidance, operational assistance, financial analysis, market research, and other resources. You should also monitor the performance, progress, and challenges of the portfolio companies and report them to your boss. You should also proactively identify and propose opportunities for follow-on investments, exits, or partnerships. By adding value to the portfolio, you’ll demonstrate your ability to generate returns and create impact.

4 Think critically and creatively

Venture capital is a field that requires both analytical and creative thinking. You need to think critically and creatively about the problems, solutions, and opportunities in the market. You need to assess the potential and risks of the startups you’re evaluating, as well as the fit and alignment with your firm’s strategy and vision. You need to challenge your own assumptions and biases, as well as those of your boss and colleagues. You need to ask smart and relevant questions, as well as provide thoughtful and constructive feedback. You need to come up with novel and innovative ideas, as well as test and validate them.

5 Communicate effectively

Venture capital is a field that requires excellent communication skills. You need to communicate effectively with various stakeholders, such as founders, investors, partners, and team members. You need to communicate clearly, concisely, and persuasively, both verbally and in writing. You need to tailor your communication style and tone to the audience and context. You need to listen actively and empathetically, as well as respond promptly and professionally. You need to communicate your opinions, recommendations, and decisions, as well as justify and defend them. You need to communicate your achievements, challenges, and learnings, as well as seek and accept feedback.

6 Seek growth and feedback

Venture capital is a field that requires constant growth and improvement. You need to seek growth and feedback from your boss, colleagues, mentors, and peers. You need to set realistic and measurable goals for yourself, as well as track and evaluate your progress and performance. You need to ask for feedback regularly, as well as act on it and implement changes. You need to identify your strengths and weaknesses, as well as work on them and develop new skills. You need to embrace challenges and failures, as well as learn from them and bounce back. You need to seek new opportunities and experiences, as well as take risks and experiment.