Fellowship Selection Events: Ditch Perfection, Gain Experience

FELLOWSHIP SELECTION: WHERE LEARNING WINS

Venture for Canada’s (VFC) Fellowship Program is the bridge from postsecondary education into the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Canada. It’s for ambitious, recent grads who are hungry to learn and want to accelerate their career.

That’s right: learn. You may have expected “work hard,” “innovate,” or “add value to growing startups across Canada.” Fellows do all that. But first and foremost, their journey is about life-long learning.

The learning is rich at our Selection Events – the third step of our admissions process.

Here we’re talking about some keys to success at our 2024 Selection Events so you can have the best possible shot at landing a spot in the Fellowship Program.

Ps. What we’re not looking at includes an extensive resume; previous startup experience, exceptional public speaking skills; or business attire. Save the suit and tie for another day. Wear something comfy and be prepared to dive in. 😃

THE SELECTION EVENT

In a 3.5-hour virtual event, we observe participants as they face ambiguity in a complex group challenge, showcasing their potential to collaborate and embrace new tasks — while sharpening their interview skills.

THE WORKSHOP 

The Selection Event begins with a live workshop – a values session, where you’ll learn how to confidently share what motivates you, taught by our in-house training team.

Put on an active listening hat during this portion of the Selection Event and get to know your peers better by listening to what drives them. 

You’ll also be turning inwards during quiet reflection when we ask the big questions. 

The Zoom chat is also a brilliant place to share some thoughts without disrupting the flow of the live training session. 

There may even be an opportunity to unmute and shine, but this section of the event is much more about getting a glimpse into the type of workshops you’ll receive as a Fellow in the program.

THE CHALLENGES

You will face ambiguity – working with new teammates on a high-level startup challenge. 

After collaborating with your team, you’ll have the opportunity to present your solution to our panel of judges, which includes entrepreneurs, industry experts, and members of the VFC community who are all eager to meet you. 

So what do we want to see?

The value of experiential or group interviews in candidate selection has long been recognized. That’s part of our logic here, too.

Seeing candidates in action (instead of just talking about it) gives our team and the judges a much more accurate idea of how the finalist considers an opportunity to learn; how they take on new tasks; work with others; and cope with ambiguity: all key skills for success in their first role at a startup.

So here are some tips:

• Showing eagerness for new information, including others’ perspectives.
• The energy and ambition to push through a complex solution, while thinking critically, and even outside the box.
• Feel free to sprinkle in some vulnerability and humility to really create a group dynamic that thrives together. 
• We want to hear all perspectives in the room, so don’t forget to make space for others!
• Enjoy the process, it’s not always about the destination, it’s also about the journey. 
• Failing is as much of a learning opportunity as success. 😉

OVERALL, WE’RE LOOKING FOR

Collaboration, kindness, and a learning mindset at every step of the way. There is no one definition of an entrepreneur, and unlocking your entrepreneurial potential looks different for each of us. 

By the end of the Selection Event, our team wants to know:

1. That you’re passionate about dedicating a year to learning — and stretching what you thought possible; and 
2. How you show up in a complex situation (we’d suggest that “curious”, “collaborative”, and “open to learning” sounds good… right?) 

ABOUT THE FELLOWSHIP: 

Since 2015, 500+  graduates from across Canada have participated in our program, creating their own businesses and landing jobs with startups and innovative small businesses. Our team works closely with each Fellow to offer personalized support through 1:1 coaching and timely professional development so that they gain the knowledge and confidence to lead more successful careers. 

Fellowship 2025 applications are now OPEN and we’re looking for Canada’s top 65 entrepreneurial graduates who are ready to make their mark with their career post-graduation.

🫵Are YOU one of them? 

I’m ready to accelerate my career!