8 Comments
 
MisterXYZalso ib, straight from analyst/associate promoted to VP? coming from Private Equity? coming from the industry?

tell me, you know why I'm asking this, don't you?

mistake, sorry

 

I work for a tier-one M&A group. Depending on who you ask, possibly the best M&A focused platform on the street.

I would say about half of the VPs/Directors have spent time at private equity funds before returning to M&A (some mid market/some larger firms like TPG). A number of the associates we hire have worked at PE funds prior to B-school.

 
Best Response

I know a few people who have (myself included), but these guys were invariably either not happy or not successful.

I left a B+ firm (one tier below Blackstone, TPG, KKR) to return to M&A because I missed the "deal" environment, and was happier running and negotiating deals than I was doing analysis and due diligence.

And for people more senior:

I knew a guy who is the head of a major group on Wall Street, who was poached away to head an industry vertical at a major fund, who told he came back to the same bank because he couldn't deal with the slower pace of private equity.

And there's Brian Finn, who used to run M&A at CSFB, who went to CD&R and came back. My friends at CD&R who say he was a much more talented banker than investor.

The skill sets get very different at a senior level. Some people (i.e., Schwarzman) can do both. Manry others (i.e., Wasserstein) cannot.

 
thesquareI know a few people who have (myself included), but these guys were invariably either not happy or not successful.

I left a B+ firm (one tier below Blackstone, TPG, KKR) to return to M&A because I missed the "deal" environment, and was happier running and negotiating deals than I was doing analysis and due diligence.

And for people more senior:

I knew a guy who is the head of a major group on Wall Street, who was poached away to head an industry vertical at a major fund, who told he came back to the same bank because he couldn't deal with the slower pace of private equity.

And there's Brian Finn, who used to run M&A at CSFB, who went to CD&R and came back. My friends at CD&R who say he was a much more talented banker than investor.

The skill sets get very different at a senior level. Some people (i.e., Schwarzman) can do both. Manry others (i.e., Wasserstein) cannot.

If an analyst(after 2 years) with good reviews and ranked around the top of their class wanted to try out PE or another opportunity on the buyside for a year or two, but then decided they didn't like it and wanted to return to IB, will their old firm (or a firm of similar quality) take them back as an associate, or will they have to go get their MBA and reapply?
 

"If an analyst(after 2 years) with good reviews and ranked around the top of their class wanted to try out PE or another opportunity on the buyside for a year or two, but then decided they didn't like it and wanted to return to IB, will their old firm (or a firm of similar quality) take them back as an associate, or will they have to go get their MBA and reapply?"

In a market like this where people are starved for good associates, that's possible. In a more neutral or down market, the expectation is probably that you would go to business school

 

Nobis qui consequatur laborum totam omnis omnis voluptatum. Eaque culpa quae et. Non quo fugiat vel et dicta. Libero dolorum quaerat rem qui. Qui hic aliquid maiores eaque iusto reiciendis.

Career Advancement Opportunities

November 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.5%
  • Moelis & Company 01 99.0%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.4%
  • Guggenheim Partners 02 97.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 06 97.4%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

November 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.5%
  • Morgan Stanley 02 99.0%
  • Evercore 01 98.4%
  • Banco Santander 02 97.9%
  • BMO Capital Markets 13 97.4%

Professional Growth Opportunities

November 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.5%
  • Moelis & Company 01 99.0%
  • Morgan Stanley 05 98.4%
  • Goldman Sachs 01 97.9%
  • JPMorgan No 97.4%

Total Avg Compensation

November 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (16) $429
  • Associates (57) $264
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (29) $183
  • Intern/Summer Associate (16) $161
  • 1st Year Analyst (84) $151
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (77) $101
notes
16 IB Interviews Notes

“... there’s no excuse to not take advantage of the resources out there available to you. Best value for your $ are the...”

Leaderboard

1
redever's picture
redever
99.2
2
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
3
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
4
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
5
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
6
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
7
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
8
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
9
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
10
Jamoldo's picture
Jamoldo
98.8
success
From 10 rejections to 1 dream investment banking internship

“... I believe it was the single biggest reason why I ended up with an offer...”