| Topic Name: |
Majors for VC |
| Message Name: |
Same boat... |
| Date Posted: |
04/27/2001 |
| In Reply To: |
The problem with transitioning into BD at a biotech is that I have no formal business experience, just a lot of financial/investment knowledge and a good understanding of the commercialization process of biotechnology discoveries. Is this transition something I should wait to do until after an MBA? Also, how likely is it that I could get into a top MBA program with only R&D and QC work experience? It seems to be almost a prereq that one has a Harvard/Stanford/Wharton MBA to have a chance at VC associate positions, but I'm worried that lab jobs aren't the kind of work experience these schools are looking for in their applicants. Any thoughts? |
| Message: |
I'm in the same boat as you (well, a few years behind you: I've just been accepted into an MS program, and want to get into the business end.) I've spent alot of sleepless nights wondering how to make the transition; I worked on Wall Street for a time, and that helped get me some further information.
Unless you have close family members that went to the Ivy League, forget about getting into Harvard, etc. as a legacy student. In other words, you'll have to work to get in.
The only way you get into any of these elite programs is by showing that you had some sort of excellent success in the business setting: Increasing sales numbers, negotiating mergers successfully, etc. Doing BD would definitely help get you in. Or, try to get a Wall St. job as an investment banking analyst, etc. (damned hard, though.)
You're going to have to get creative and try to network, because our paths are not standard, tried and true career paths. If you want to speak further, send me a note at
chuck_lumia@lakmail.com
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