Landing a job in venture capital is notoriously tough, and it’s usually not a straight route for an undergrad. Investment banking is the first step, and for decades, gaining employment has followed a strict cycle. Investment banks recruit for their rising senior year internship class when the students are sophomores — undergrads typically sign a full-time offer before they’ve even turned the tassel.

After about six months of employment, individuals can be recruited again toward the investing side without knowing the intricacies or opportunities available within the private investing industry. But now, there’s a growing shift for earlier recruitment from private equity and venture capital firms mining for top talent.

Like all savvy business leaders, Marshall and its Trojan Network are hoping to capitalize on the emerging trend by creating a pool of prepared and highly motivated undergraduates interested in investing.

“This past August, Marshall alums who started their analyst positions in investment banking were recruited into their post-investment banking investor roles during training, even before they hit the desk,” explained JULIA PLOTTS, professor of clinical finance and business economics and the academic director for the Masters of Science in Finance Program. “We felt it was more important to help educate and prepare our students when they are making such important career decisions so early.”

Hence, the formation of the inaugural USC Private Investing Event. Plotts and Marshall alum LUKE SIKORA ‘06, a general partner at J.P. Morgan Growth Equity Partners, first conceived the event in 2018.

Sikora has been guest speaking in Plotts’ FBE 421 Financial Analysis and Valuation every semester for the last 10 years. He shares with students his knowledge of venture and how it works.

“I speak with undergrad and graduate students and there’s just not a lot of courses at any university that focus on this subject…you just have to learn on the job,” Sikora said. “When you’re graduating, most students don’t know what they want to do for the next five to 10 years. [With this event,] we can start educating them earlier on, at least when they’re making that decision of getting into investing.”

In October, 23 students traveled to the Bay Area before the Weekender (USC football vs. Cal) for the inaugural USC Private Investing Event. The day-long event featured presentations and panels, giving students quality time and mentorship from USC alums working at prominent venture capital firms.

This insiders’ view exposed students to the different types of investing, provided an update on the current trends in the market, discussed career progression opportunities, and offered guidance on how to get a job in the space.

The students attending included top finance undergrads as well as seniors who are members of the TROJAN INVESTING SOCIETY, the university’s premier finance club for over 25 years. The highly-motivated attendees already have accepted offers from investment banks, consulting companies, or investment firms.