• Getting a job in venture capital is notoriously difficult because it is so competitive.
• Emma Halls, a Stem7 Executive Search recruiter, shares what venture capital firms look for in candidates.
• A financial background is often important, but soft skills can help candidates stand out, says Halls.

This essay, as stated, is based on a transcribed conversation with Emma Halls, director at Stem7 Executive Search, a recruitment firm for the financial services industry. Business Insider has verified his employment. The following has been edited for length and clarity.

Venture capital is one of the hardest sectors to break into because it is so competitive.

As a recruiter for Stem7 Executive Search, I specialize in placing candidates in venture capital and private equity, particularly early stage investment firms. We work with venture capital firms in London, Paris, Berlin, Stockholm, Munich, New York and Palo Alto, California.

For junior positions, our clients prefer candidates with experience in the field investment bank or management CONSULTANCY. But that alone is not enough to get a job in VC.

It is beneficial if one has experience working in technology or startups. But also look for candidates whose resumes show that they are actually passionate about the entire VC ecosystem. It’s not enough to say you’re passionate on your CV – you need to show it through your experience.

Venture capital firms are looking for networks and disruptors

This could be through their education; candidates may have done a degree in science or engineering and shown that they are curious about how things work. It could be by launching an initiative herself, such as a university society or building an app with friends. This shows the VCs that the candidates were always doing things that created some kind of disruption.

One thing we tell candidates is that they are entering a highly connected industry. VCs want to know if applicants have been able to connect in some sort of startup or internship role. Did they reach out to people in the ecosystem to build contacts? Have they participated in any university competitions related to startups or businesses? These things will show a hiring VC that this person has something extra about them.

A key quality our clients look for is the ability to build interpersonal relationships. Were the applicants able to communicate with people and build relationships? You’re not just talking to people, you’re building relationships, which means keeping in touch with that person constantly. The other trait they look for is emotional intelligence, which stands out more in interviews.

The good of the interview

Before candidates get to the interview stage, they need to look into what this specific fund does and the industries in which it operates. What fields and companies do these venture capital funds invest in? What stage of investment are they looking at?

There’s no point in applying to a biotech firm and saying they’re really interested in AI. Usually the process would be that if they make it to the interview stage they would then be asked to talk about their background. They would be asked questions like, “If you could invest in any market right now, which would it be?”

There are some hot markets where our clients are quite interested in candidates who have experience. This includes but is not limited to artificial intelligence, biotechnology and health, climate technology and financial services.

So if candidates come in for an interview, the interviewer will want to know: What investments does the firm make in its portfolio? Which do they like? Which would they invest in and why? Which one would he go back to do really well?

They want to know that the candidate has done a lot of research on their portfolio before joining the firm.

Candidates without financial training can stand out

In the last five years, I have seen many different routes in venture capital. People have networked in these areas and we would advise candidates to soak up all the information available through podcasts and social media.

This will help candidates learn more about the fields, but they will also get to know themselves if they have that real passion and curiosity that will set them apart.

Also, for more niche funds like biotech and healthcare, we’ve seen PhDs and people with experience in the life sciences apply in those areas.

Share what podcasts you listen to

One of the common mistakes candidates make is not sufficiently listing in their resume all the things they have done that make them stand out. They should make sure they list everything they did at university, what they do outside of work, all the research they’ve done and even what podcasts they listen to.

Candidates often forget that they need to show why they think they will be a good fit for the company. So instead of saying, “I want the chance to come and join your company because your company is really exciting,” what it should say is, “I would really like the opportunity to I’m interviewing you because I think I could contribute in these ways.”

Avoid long cover letters

Often, a candidate can write a very, very long cover letter, and it’s essentially unnecessary. They might trip without knowing it. Our advice to candidates is that it is good to write a few sentences about why they would like to join that particular organization and why they really like the company’s portfolio. They should outline why they feel the skills they have are in line with what the company is looking for at that level.

If I look at why our candidates are rejected from interviews, it’s often because they don’t exemplify that they have certain soft skills. Can I communicate? It’s very easy for candidates to get consumed by their phones instead of talking to people face to face – which will show in interviews if they don’t have those coveted communication skills.