Product > coverage, typically, but your WLB will be shit. Product here means M&A / RX / LevFin.
Coverage work involves a ton of pitch work and group support that is not conducive to PE. That being said, a BB / EB strong coverage group is still an excellent placement (obviously GSTMT > most product groups at other banks, doubly so since GS does modelling in house at coverage groups).
If coverage is your only choice, try to go for a group with as broad a mandate as possible (Business Services, TMT, Industrials) and not a group with more bespoke analysis (Natural Resources, FIG, Infrastructure).
If very early in IB career try lateraling to strong product or coverage group as I laid out.
If your bank isn’t that bad and not having luck with IB lateraling (you’ll likely add a year to your analyst career), aim for best PE shop you can get and yes you can lateral upward when junior, but it is difficult).
Why do you need a “differentiated” skillset? You’re entering a job where thousands of other people your age do the exact same work. If you want to do private equity, then you can’t beat an m&a skillset.
Imo it doesn’t matter if you go product or coverage as long as you don’t mind doing PE in that same coverage and you like it. Also assuming there is m&a deal flow and that group has a decent deal close rate. Otherwise, m&a groups will give you broad exposure to industries and you could pick and choose what PE seat you would want a bot more freely than if you were say a pharma ib analyst.
You want as broad a skillset as possible to be most marketable and then shine as an individual. It’s a cool story to have a different background but firms want to make sure you have the table stakes technical abilities.
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Product > coverage, typically, but your WLB will be shit. Product here means M&A / RX / LevFin.
Coverage work involves a ton of pitch work and group support that is not conducive to PE. That being said, a BB / EB strong coverage group is still an excellent placement (obviously GS TMT > most product groups at other banks, doubly so since GS does modelling in house at coverage groups).
If coverage is your only choice, try to go for a group with as broad a mandate as possible (Business Services, TMT, Industrials) and not a group with more bespoke analysis (Natural Resources, FIG, Infrastructure).
Thank you for your response and insights. Assuming I have all options on the table, which group positions me best for lateraling to another bank?
Or, would you recommend shooting for MM/LMM PE as a path to lateral to MF/UMM PE instead of shooting for a different bank?
If very early in IB career try lateraling to strong product or coverage group as I laid out.
If your bank isn’t that bad and not having luck with IB lateraling (you’ll likely add a year to your analyst career), aim for best PE shop you can get and yes you can lateral upward when junior, but it is difficult).
Why do you need a “differentiated” skillset? You’re entering a job where thousands of other people your age do the exact same work. If you want to do private equity, then you can’t beat an m&a skillset.
Imo it doesn’t matter if you go product or coverage as long as you don’t mind doing PE in that same coverage and you like it. Also assuming there is m&a deal flow and that group has a decent deal close rate. Otherwise, m&a groups will give you broad exposure to industries and you could pick and choose what PE seat you would want a bot more freely than if you were say a pharma ib analyst.
This is gold, thanks a lot.
Good advice.
You want as broad a skillset as possible to be most marketable and then shine as an individual. It’s a cool story to have a different background but firms want to make sure you have the table stakes technical abilities.
Atque dolores atque fugiat sapiente recusandae eveniet. Occaecati dolor possimus excepturi iusto perspiciatis. Culpa est placeat fugit sed. Odio consectetur omnis quibusdam voluptas deleniti.
Expedita quo quas repellat corporis. Laborum reiciendis id porro aliquam laudantium. Eum quidem autem delectus voluptatum et exercitationem rem aperiam. Voluptatum id molestiae occaecati neque doloribus id et. Omnis adipisci minima non ut labore. Id reprehenderit distinctio tenetur. Illum dolore totam voluptates recusandae.
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