“My mentoring session with Andre was extremely valuable and gave me the clarity and direction I needed at an important stage of my application journey. He was kind, approachable, and generous with his time, creating an atmosphere in which I felt comfortable sharing my experiences, asking questions, and discussing my doubts openly.
One of the most helpful aspects of our conversation was his guidance on how to organize and communicate my personal story. Andre helped me understand how to connect different experiences into a coherent narrative, identify the elements that matter most, and explain their significance more clearly. His perspective was fundamental in helping me see how to present my background with greater confidence, purpose, and authenticity.
I particularly appreciated his advice on what to avoid. He helped me recognize that including every detail does not necessarily make a story stronger, and that being selective can make a message much more effective. Our discussion gave me a clearer understanding of how to avoid unnecessary repetition, keep my narrative focused, and ensure that each part contributes something meaningful to the overall application.
Andre also provided valuable guidance on how to organize the application process itself. He helped me think more clearly about priorities, how to approach the different components, and how to make the work feel more manageable. Having a clearer structure has made a difference to my mindset: instead of seeing the applications as one overwhelming task, I now feel better equipped to approach them through specific, achievable steps.
Another important takeaway was his advice on how to use the coming days effectively. Our conversation helped me understand where to focus my energy, which tasks deserve immediate attention, and how to establish a realistic plan. I left the session with a stronger sense of direction and a better understanding of how to balance thoughtful preparation with consistent progress.
What made the experience positive was the combination of practical guidance and encouragement. Andre offered suggestions in a considerate and constructive way, helping me reflect on my choices while also making me feel supported. His kindness made it easier to engage honestly with the process and to see areas for improvement as opportunities to strengthen my applications.
Overall, this session was fundamental in helping me understand both what I want to communicate and how to move forward. I now have a clearer approach to telling my story, organizing my applications, avoiding common mistakes, and planning the next few days with intention.
I am very grateful for Andre’s support and for the care he brought to our conversation. His advice gave me useful tools, renewed confidence, and a more focused approach to the work ahead. I would highly recommend a session with him to anyone seeking thoughtful guidance, practical direction, and a supportive space to develop their application narrative. The session helped me turn uncertainty into a clearer plan, and I feel much more prepared to make the most of the time ahead and present my experiences in a meaningful and convincing way.”
I'd reckon whoever had the greater exposure to deals while at MS would be the more attractive candidate. Assuming they were both equal, however, my guess is that the PE firm would also consider deal exposure at the summer internship.
Disclaimer: Not in the industry
Edit: Double post
What kind of meaningful experience from your summer internship would you be able to talk about during an interview that you didn't have as a full-time analyst? "All things being equal" I'd take the guy that looks more like me over a SA line item on a resume.
i would look at the internship exp, but in context of everything else. maybe he was hired into morgan m&a because his dad plays golf with an md, he did some seriously brown-nosing during the interview process, etc. if it looks to me like he shouldn't have gotten into morgan, i would obviously ding him in favor of the other candidate, but purely because he worked at a boutique is not reason enough.
not in industry; but i see some strong PE firms list their FTs' profiles with their internship experience in addition to the other stuff, so could have some relevance.
Doubt summer would have thought much weight - no one usually does anything too meaningful (even those interns think that they have - trust me I was an intern) - it depends on your experiences at MS M&A, if you closed say ten 10B+ deals, then you've got a golden ticket to almost anywhere...
still early in the recruiting process, but every one of my initial headhunter meetings involved some time discussing my internship. I did pe at a known fund though (unfortunately they didnt give any ft offers my year)
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