2nd thoughts about accepted PE offer. Feeling very under-qualified.
A few weeks ago I received and accepted an offer for a FT Analyst role at a boutique PE fund that I am very keen on joining, which is heavily focused on Consumer. I am currently a top-rated analyst in CB at a BB (Shipping and Aviation team), during which time I have been staffed on practically every major episodic financing transaction, which has strengthened my modeling skills but not to the level expected of an IB Analyst at a similar level.
Following numerous interview rounds with both the recruiter and the company, including two case studies, I managed to land the job, which I signed following a constant push from both the recruiter and multiple people at the fund - however, now I am having strong 2nd thoughts and I am worried that I am under-qualified for the role and that I will be underperforming from day 1. What makes me even more worried is that the existing Analysts and Associates at the fund all have multiple years of experience in either BB IB or from MBBs.
Since signing the offer, I have been extremely set back and overly worried. On one hand, I am very bored in my current role (which I am good at), on the other. I fear failure in the new role given my lack of required experience.
The recommendations I have received so far are mixed; my biggest worry is leaving something that I am good at, for something uncertain, and then crashing my career before it even started. I have 2 months to prepare for the new role.
Any opinions about how to proceed would be deeply appreciated!!
What you're feeling is impostor syndrome. I felt the same every single day I was at my UMM PE shop. It was painful and required a lot of reflection / mental energy to buck the trend of being overly hard on myself (to the point of analytical paralysis and much darker thoughts).
Get used to this feeling and try to channel it to constant improvement - nothing will derail your career faster than doubting yourself. It's easier said than done, but worrying is not productive and will not support growth.
One of the senior partners at my firm said it best: This job is all about being uncomfortable - everyday you will feel like you don't belong, but the people who can cope with that feeling are the ones who make it to the top.