Business Valuation Analyst interested in IB Exit Opportunities

Hello,

I recently graduated in 2025 from a top undergraduate business school, and after a year of interviewing for IB/PE/PC analyst opportunities, with prior internships in commercial banking and private equity, I graduated without an offer. After graduation, I interviewed for and accepted a Business Valuation Analyst role (with the hope of leveraging my financial modeling skills into an IB analyst job after a year), and while I enjoy the nature of the work, I am not a fan of the company I work for. The company has a headcount of 5, and I really feel that my coworkers do not have the intrapersonal and collaborative skills I was hoping for, and I honestly regret taking this job as I don't fit in with this company. When my lease is up in 10 months, I am hoping to move to NY and start a role in IB/ER/S&T/PE.

My question is this: how early is too early to start applying for and interviewing for potential new opportunities? And how relevant and transferrable are the financial modeling skills I acquire in business valuation considered when trying to switch to a career in IB? There are several graduate analyst programs for the class of 2026, and I figured that if I graduated so recently, I would hopefully be eligible to apply for those programs as well. It's hard to gauge when off cycle opportunities start, so my logic was to start looking and applying immediately, but if anyone was able to offer insight into this, that would be great.

It's honestly a very difficult time period in my life, realizing that after a month I am going to be unhappy at the company I will seemingly be at for the next 10 months. If anyone could offer any insight or guidance into the situation I described above, that would be more than helpful. Thank you!