You never get a second chance at making a good first impression, as the saying goes. But you’d be surprised how many people meeting with venture capitalists ignore that maxim says Anthony Tjan. Tjan works for a venture capital firm and is often on the other side of the desk, interviewing candidates and entrepreneurs who want to pitch their business to his firm. He offers some simple, but effective tips in an article in the Harvard Business Review.
First, with all the information readily at our fingertips, there’s no excuse today for not learning as much about the person (and firm) you’re meeting with well ahead of time. Start with the bios on the firm’s website, but go deeper. Google the person to get other bios or profiles. At the very least, you should know where the person grew up, where they went to school, and where they last worked. And here’s another good tip: find picture of the person online. Tjan notes that it’s often less intimidating to meet someone you recognize. Together with your background checks, it’s almost like you already know them. He even recommends having a picture of the person in front of you even if you’re simply phoning them.
As for your research on the firm: get the latest news and analysis on the company. Find what analysts are saying, if it’s a public company. Find recent stock trends or trading events. For private firms, you can check out sites such as TechCrunch, compete.com or alexa.com to get a snapshot of firms profile and traffic trends to their website.
And how do you score that first face-to-face meeting? There’s no better way says Tjan than being introduced through a third party. Today, with online networks such as LinkedIn, Facebook and online versions of your school’s alumni database, you should be able to uncover someone who knows someone at the firm. Try to get that person to share what they know about the person or firm, as well, besides simply helping you with an introduction.
Be armed with this information, but don’t go overboard. Otherwise you’ll be seen as a show-off or suck-up. The point is to be familiar enough that you’re comfortable with the person, and can relate your experience to something that’s important to their firm.
What are some of your favorite ways of preparing for a venture capital job or other big interview? Add your comments below.
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