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Erica, Talent Principal at Deep Tech Venture Company: Advize Career Interview
A career journey beginning in sports marketing unexpectedly led to a fulfilling career in tech recruiting, culminating in a Talent Principal role at a Deep Tech Venture Company.
This path, shaped by a desire for the dynamic startup environment and influenced by mentorship and market shifts, involves recruiting for both the firm and its portfolio companies across diverse sectors like biotech and energy.
A typical day blends virtual and in-person networking, prioritizing candidate introductions and relationship building. Success in this role requires strong organizational skills, a customer service mindset, and adaptability.
The most rewarding aspect is facilitating others' career growth, while the biggest challenge is navigating the industry's sometimes exclusive culture.
The interviewee actively works to promote inclusivity and diversity, reflecting a commitment to impacting the industry's evolution.
The experience highlights the importance of networking, setting incremental goals, and embracing flexibility to build a successful and fulfilling career in tech venture capital.
Entry-level positions often involve due diligence and analysis, and a common thread throughout is the value of strategic networking and proactive self-advocacy.
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Erica Kane
Talent Principal
Deep Tech Venture Company
UCSB
N/A
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Anthropology, Sociology
Technology
Human Resources (HR)
Greek Life Member
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Career Path Of A Talent Principal At A Deep Tech Venture Company
Erica's career journey, beginning with a pursuit of sports marketing, unexpectedly led to a fulfilling career in tech recruiting. Driven by a desire for "all the fun things" startups offered and the ability to "live as someone that didn't before," their path included roles at Asana and Niantic, ultimately culminating in a current position at a Deep Tech Venture Company, a move facilitated by a valued mentor and influenced by market shifts.
Main Responsibilities of a Talent Principal at Deep Tech Venture Company
Erica's main responsibility as a Talent Principal at a deep tech venture firm is "recruiting candidates" for both the firm itself and its portfolio companies ("Portcos"). This involves extensive networking, identifying individuals with backgrounds in fields like "biotech, semiconductors, energy," and making introductions to facilitate placement in suitable roles.
A Day In The Life Of A Talent Principal At Deep Tech Venture Company
Erica, a Talent Principal, prioritizes about five calls daily to manage candidate introductions to Deep Tech Venture Company's portfolio companies, supplementing this with database management and occasional in-office networking/meetings; the role involves a blend of virtual communication ("I actually prefer calls sometimes because I get a little zoom fatigue") and in-person interaction, depending on the need.
Most Important Skills For a Talent Principal at Deep Tech Venture Company
Erica, a Talent Principal, emphasizes the importance of strong organizational skills and self-awareness of energy levels for success in their role, stating "I organize my calls at certain times to know that I have a little bit of buffer." Furthermore, a "customer service mindset," prioritizing professionalism and responsiveness, is crucial for navigating interactions and representing the company effectively, leading to positive experiences for candidates and building relationships with portfolio companies.
Favorite Parts of Being a Talent Principal at Deep Tech Venture Company
Erica, a Talent Principal, most enjoys facilitating others' career successes, stating that "it's really nice" to help people join a company and build relationships with hires, even considering some "new girlfriends at work". This highlights the deeply rewarding interpersonal aspect of her role beyond the transactional nature of recruiting.
Biggest Challenges Faced by a Talent Principal at Deep Tech Venture Company
Erica's biggest challenge as a Talent Principal in the venture capital industry is navigating its "nepo baby coded" culture, feeling like an outsider due to a background differing from the traditional path. This contrasts with prior experiences, and Erica actively confronts outdated practices and promotes inclusive language, describing it as "challenging, but...not afraid of being like, 'Hey, we don't say those things, so, and here's why.'"
Favorite Parts of Working in the Deep Tech Industry as a Talent Principal
Erica, a Talent Principal at a deep tech venture company, enjoys being part of early-stage investments in "biotech or aerospace or semiconductor space or energy," contributing to potentially impactful advancements. The changing dynamics of the venture capital industry, with a shift toward more diverse professionals and mindsets—a change that Erica is excited to be a part of—also contributes to their enjoyment of the career.
What Type Of Person Thrives In The Tech Industry According To A Talent Principal At Deep Tech Venture
Adaptability and flexibility are key to thriving in the tech industry, as evidenced by Erica's own career trajectory of "five jobs," highlighting the benefit of "being able to be flexible and working with different teams." This experience allows individuals to "mold [themselves] based off of companies" worked for, leading to strong influence within the industry.
What a Talent Principal at a Deep Tech Venture Company Wishes They Had Known Before Entering the Venture Capital Industry
Erica, a Talent Principal at a Deep Tech Venture Company, advises aspiring professionals that breaking into venture capital "takes some time to network and get into a space like this," emphasizing the importance of connections. While the tech industry offers great perks and team camaraderie, the venture capital world presents a different reality, requiring "thicker skin" to navigate its unique culture and inherent privileges.
Entry-Level Positions For Aspiring Venture Capital Analysts
Entry-level positions at Deep Tech Venture Companies, according to a Talent Principal, often involve "due diligence or analyst positions," such as market research and company deep dives, supporting the venture team. These roles, along with finance-related work supporting portfolio companies and internal operations, primarily attract business and finance undergraduates, as highlighted by the example of a Stanford business student intern.
Significant Career Lesson From a Talent Principal at Deep Tech Venture Company
Erica's most significant career lesson centers on setting "little goals," like earning $100,000 or achieving work-life flexibility, to build momentum and satisfaction; this incremental approach helped reach a fulfilling career stage where they enjoy "autonomy" and "influence," unlike some peers who remain dissatisfied in their mid-thirties.
College Experiences That Helped a Talent Principal at Deep Tech Venture Company Succeed
Erica, a Talent Principal at a Deep Tech Venture Company, achieved career success by maintaining a "common sense of like, Hey, you need to kind of keep the ball rolling yourself," balancing part-time work with college life, and networking strategically—even joining a sorority, which unexpectedly led to valuable connections and career opportunities. This approach, along with "being a little bit fluid, flexible, and open-minded," proved highly effective in building their career.
How Identity Has Influenced A Talent Principal At Deep Tech Venture Company's Career
Erica, a Talent Principal at a Deep Tech Venture Company, highlights how her identity as a woman significantly shaped their career, stating, "I've always been this sort of very outspoken feminist," and this has driven a commitment to diversifying the tech and venture space by actively recruiting individuals from different backgrounds, believing "it all starts at the ground level."
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