Search Fund Internship

Hi 

I think it has been discussed a couple of times on this forum but I still want to have a better perspective on my situation. So, I am at a tier 1.5 university in Canada and intend to specialize in finance. I am a freshman and I have recently got offered an unpaid internship at a search fund based in Toronto, and it is a new one. Now, I don't have any issue with the part being unpaid but I'm just concerned about the whole experience itself. Since it's a new fund, I'm not sure if there would be any deals during this tenure and the principal has made it clear that a heavy part of the role would consist of industry research and finding companies. Now, I do not really have any other internship since it is just after my first year but I am planning to learn some LBO modelling and other forms of valuation during this internship, on my own. What do you think? Should I go for it?

Thanks. 

13 Comments
 

Hi, I'm currently finishing my first year. The nature is not a hundred percent clear to me but they do have a thematic investment approach, I will be informed of the specific set of industries that we are supposed to focus on. The principal has an MBA from a top B-school in the US and has had ample experiences in consulting and M&A. The principal was working at a mid-size consulting company based in New York before this, for over 7 years. He definitely seems to have some good experience and a solid skillset when it comes to the private space and acquiring companies.

 

Hey, my first internship was a search fund and I completely recommend the experience if you think that you will have a great fit with the partner/s. In terms of learning, as the place is small I learnt a lot and very quickly, and just from watching discussions between the partners I gained a lot of knowledge. If you think they will be involved in your training, then I wouldn't have any doubts.

Therefore, I would advise you to go for it 100%. For context, it has been the experience that has helped me the most to land a summer internship at a BB.

 

Hello, I'm a junior in high school right now and am trying to intern somewhere over this summer, like a search fund. Looking to get experience and I want to see if this path is for me, would you be able to give me a few tips on how to reach out?

I don't think I should be applying on SearchFunder, instead I think I should be emailing searchers, what do you think? Problem is that they don't list their emails, recommended any websites? In that cold email should I directly ask for a call and internship or work up to it. How should I address the being a highschooler part? I want to be transparent, but don't want this to deter searchers.

As for having the skills and proving to them, do you think having a basic understanding of Excel would be good? My parents are in the healthcare sector, and I have seen them go through with selling a pharmacy (also worked there a bit, helped with register and ordering from wholesalers), is this relevant experience to include in the email? 

What do you think the best way to reach out would be? Thanks for your time.

 

Hey, I'm an incoming Sauder student (2022). Was wondering if I could pm you to learn more about the classes, extracurriculars to take and how to land internships from Sauder? It'd be a huge help!

 
Most Helpful

Aspernatur voluptas eos velit molestiae nisi quos excepturi ut. Enim est vel non sit totam dolore autem. Distinctio delectus ut autem mollitia natus. Nisi qui eum officia nobis.

Consequatur vel neque vel sed distinctio nesciunt. Laboriosam doloribus ab iste asperiores tenetur. Et dicta eligendi aut ipsa.

Et enim quis quibusdam sit cumque eos. Quia in quaerat et et officiis accusantium commodi necessitatibus. Vel ea voluptas voluptates sint eum.

Career Advancement Opportunities

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.3%
  • Guggenheim Partners 01 97.7%
  • Morgan Stanley 07 97.1%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.4%
  • Morgan Stanley 02 98.8%
  • Evercore 01 98.3%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.7%
  • Banco Santander 01 97.1%

Professional Growth Opportunities

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 05 98.3%
  • JPMorgan No 97.7%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.1%

Total Avg Compensation

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (14) $434
  • Associates (44) $258
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (22) $179
  • Intern/Summer Associate (13) $156
  • 1st Year Analyst (78) $151
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (73) $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

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...”