FIG --> PE

College junior, looking at summer internships. I've been interested in M&A for the past 1-2 years, and relatively recently after speaking to some people in FIG it caught my interest as well. I think I would enjoy covering banks etc., but I might want to move into PE after my analyst years, and I am wondering how much I would limit my PE exit options if I ended up in FIG.

I looked up a few threads on here, but I wanted to ask the question myself - in the real world, at a practical level, suppose you are in FIG. How much does it pigeonhole you? From PE's pov, how much do they care? How big is your recruiting disadvantage?

18 Comments
 

ur exit opps are what you make them...but yes it helps to focus on the FIG focused PE funds given the background

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FIG focused PE is one of the most bad ass types of PE in my mind.... if not the most badass type

Check out the firm Stonepoint Capital - a guy I know works there. The firm's people are completely fucking badass - their top guys were formally CEO of goldman and things of that nature. The pay is also off the charts

 

This is sort of a silly question if you don't have a choice to make. If you don't currently have offers you are choosing between then I wouldn't worry about it, just focus on being prepared for your interviews and put yourself in a position to have a choice in the future.

Regards

"The trouble with our liberal friends is not that they're ignorant, it's just that they know so much that isn't so." - Ronald Reagan
 

If you look across the funds FIG is actually one of the most represented groups. I think it's because FIG is a bit special on its own terms and draws technical oriented people. I would say around at least 30-40% of the guys at top PE funds had some sort of FIG experience in the past. So you shouldn't worry that your FIG knowledge won't get appreciated in interviews.

 

It's a matter of preference, but I don't know why out of all coverage groups out there you'd pick FIG. I mean, you WORK in the industry - so you'll know it fairly well as is. If I did coverage, I'd pick a different industry like Tech, and do an M&A focus on it if I could. Afterwards the doors are open for VC / PE, and with an M&A focus you'll do a lot of modeling and execution. At a regular FIG group you'll do a lot of equity raises for FIGs, which can be monotonous and boring.

But to each his own.

 
Best Response
midnight_oilIt's a matter of preference, but I don't know why out of all coverage groups out there you'd pick FIG. I mean, you WORK in the industry - so you'll know it fairly well as is. If I did coverage, I'd pick a different industry like Tech, and do an M&A focus on it if I could. Afterwards the doors are open for VC / PE, and with an M&A focus you'll do a lot of modeling and execution. At a regular FIG group you'll do a lot of equity raises for FIGs, which can be monotonous and boring.

But to each his own.

That's patently ridiculous. Working in IBD does not mean you know the first thing about financial institutions...explain to me just how doing tech m&a ends up teaching you how to understand a bank's capital constraints.

if you find fig interesting, do fig. doing things you like and are good at will lead you to be much better off when it comes to finding other jobs

 

I summer interned in a FIG group. before the end of the summer I was contacted by a headhunter for an analyst postition in a PE fund (I refused - I prefer to start my career in IB). I asked the Headhunter if FIG was a problem in order to go to PE

They said no BUT you are not the first choice when they look for itw candidates as you dont do any LBO modelling...

 

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