Making the switch...operations --> analyst
I realize this topic has been discussed before, but I would like to spark it up again as I'm sure there are a number of people who would be interested to hear the most recent commentary on this age-old dilemma.
Now to start, I have posted this topic on the PE forum, but I haven't gotten good feedback, and I would ask for the guidance of the bankers out there on the possibility of this switch being made.
I have a friend who took up with a KKR-level PE shop in operations with the intent of moving to the analyst side. I know there is a lot of discussion about this subject in IB, and being in IB myself, I feel that the switch is quite difficult to make. I was hoping that some of you might be able to shed some light on the nature of this beast within PE or other alternative asset management shops. If anyone has any information on how many people make the switch, or ways to go about making the swtich, any and all advice would be greatly appreciated! Thanks very much
You or your friend?
Haha solid question, but truly my friend.
"I am currently in operations within Bain Capital but I would like to make the move to an analyst role." - banker112
haha Nicely done x13, but I was just trying to implement a different angle on the PE site.
there is a trader on my desk who made such a move. but i think its harder now than ever
"Your friend" needs to:
Realize that yes, most people never make it to the analyst side. That said, he/she needs to understand why most of them fail.
Check the long tail. What differentiates the handful that do move to FO? My guess is networking like crazy with the FO guys, bluntly telling one of the directors/vps whatever that you want to work for them and ask them how you can do it. Don't take no for an answer, continue to network, apply to a thousand places and spin your work/actually focus your work on picking up the same skills. At the end of the day you have to prove you can do the work they can right out of the gate the same, if not better, you can work a trillion hours to do whatever it takes, and you won't stop pushing for it just because someone told you it was unlikely. The people who dismiss these things as "just lying to yourself" are the ones that already gave up, or are afraid of god-forbid, someone from a back office position totally showing them all up.
Annnnnd rant. But still. The short answers to these questions will always be the bread and butter moves, because they do work.
Alpha is right. network within the firm, without the known intention of networking, and Buy a few cases of Red Bull to help you with those hours you'll need to climb to Front office
The musings and antics of a Hedgie living in The Rotten Apple http://modernyuppie.blogspot.com/
to be frank, ask yourself this: what kind of answer do you really expect to hear? that it's easy? just keep on truckin. you havent failed until uve given up
Yeah thanks for the input, i agree with both of you. How would you guys say that Ops at one of the big PEs actually affects your resume if you were to try to make a switch to an analyst role at a smaller shop?
Already posted this - not really an original topic:
Just my experience - went from worse than ops (think compliance) to a sales analyst position at a large HF.
It's more important to focus on networking once your foot is in the door than anything else. Yes do a good job in your position, but if you don't seem like you're cut from the cloth of back office personnel, chances are front office people will empathize and save you.
I used to joke a lot with the sales guys and they would joke back, in front of my boss, that I should be in sales. Once the positioned opened that was it.
Good luck.
I had a back office internship at a BB and managed to make the move to the IB, and I would reiterate raoul's comment here. Networking is the key. Hit the pavement, meet and speak to as many people as humanly possible while still kicking ass at your job. The latter is pretty much a given...you need to be a rockstar at what you do, and if you have what it takes to make the switch, this shouldn't be a prob.
I would say that in order to make the switch, the most important thing is that you impress someone on the other side...once you've done that, you're chances of getting in are much, much better. Network like crazy, and get someone in a fairly senior role to go to bat for you and you will find yourself in the place you want to be. Good luck.
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