Venture Capital, the Web, and Job Opportunities

In this article, Linda draws attention to Venture Capital and the mediums that seem to interest big money. In the process, she points to resources outside the ordinary to find job opportunities.

The Sectors

The Mashable article also graphs out the sectors that VC firms are focused upon, and I'll list them here for you:

1.Shopping Facilitators -- this sector topped both graphs, in "Deals Made, 2008-2010" and in "Dollars Invested (In Millions)."

2.Search Portals -- this sector came in second in both graphs.

3.Online Communities -- this sector came in third in both graphs.

4.Entertainment -- this sector came in fourth in both graphs.

5.Email/Messaging -- this sector came in fifth in both graphs.

6.Consumer Information Services: TBA -- Frankly, I have no clue as to the "TBA" (to be announced) status on this sector,  nor why this sector differentiates from the one below. This sector ranks sixth on both graphs, if going by the color key.

7.consumer Information Services: Other -- once again, there is no definition for "other" in this sector. In both graphs, this sector comes in at seventh and last on the list.

That list seems enlightening, especially when you might realize that most of the sectors would need solid servers (high traffic potential, would rarely fail), safeguards such as firewalls and other tools to help prevent hackers and spammers and wise planning for content development – no matter if that content was comprised of products, services or developed by your readers.

Last, but not least, you might realize that most of the sectors listed above would rely on CMS, or Content Management Systems, that would be rock solid and apps that would provide users with novel ways to use those products and services. Do you see yourself anywhere in these realms? If so, then this information might provide a clue that you'll be valuable to employers who seek these skills.

The Web as Virtual Real Estate

If you can think in terms of analogies, a good one would be comparing Web sites to real estate. There are hundreds (maybe thousands or hundreds of thousands) of Web developers who create Web sites like they would create real estate. They land a domain name, build content, drive traffic and try to build income and then sell those sites to the highest bidders. Those buyers then alter the site to create more content, to drive more traffic and to create more revenue. At some point, a VC investment firm might become interested in the property and become one of those buyers.

Then, there are the startups, the business whizzes who create an online venue that immediately catches the attention of VC investors. Or, more likely, the creators catch the VC firms attention by making sure that the firm is aware of their new venture. You can play it both ways if you own domains and have financial gain in mind, but there are other opportunities as well.

Just as you might need a decorator, a contractor or a plumber or electrician to remodel that real-time real estate venture, the Web entrepreneur would need a content manager, a social media manager and developers who could spruce up a Web site to provide more 'curb appeal' to a Web site.

Why is this important? Because, even if you don't own domain names or have an interest in becoming a Web entrepreneur, you can use this information to find jobs. While many Web and content developers, designers and illustrators might rely on Web-only job sources such as Sitepoint or Project 4 Hire or any one of hundreds of other job opportunity sites to find jobs, you might think about staying one step ahead of the game and go to the source...

Conclusion

...and one way to get to that source is to go directly to Venture Capital sites and articles to sniff around and learn about some trends. Here's a short list to get you started. From here, you can simply search for "venture+capital+web" or "venture+capital+'name of sector listed above'":

• National Venture Capital Association: This site provides news about public policy, research, resources and more.
• Top Five Web 2.0 Venture Capitalists: This TechCrunch article provides instant information about five of the top VCs and where they work. This article also provides more information about VCs and what little they know about the Web world.
• FundingPost: This organization has been connecting thousands of "Angel" and VC investors with entrepreneurs for over nine years. There is a slight difference between Angel and VC investors, and you can learn more about this difference from the article, "Essential Differences Between Angel Investors and Venture Capital."
• vFinance: This site offers directories for both Angel and VC investors.
• The Structure of a Venture Capital Investment: This article explains the VC investment from beginning to end.