6Months In Corp Dev-Too Soon to Jump to PE?
I joined a Corp Dev (M&A) team about 6 months ago. Before that, I worked in IB but was let go during a round of layoffs. After that, I spent a lot of time networking with PE funds since my long-term goal has always been to move to the buy side.
The market was tough at the time, so I took the Corp Dev role—it offered solid exposure and a chance to stay active in M&A. The team I’m on now is very hands-on across the entire deal process, and I’m gaining great experience.
Lately, a few of the PE contacts I made during my networking push have started to reach out about potential roles. It’s encouraging, but I’m wondering if it’s too early to make a move after just six months.
For those who’ve made the jump—how long would you recommend staying in Corp Dev before seriously exploring a transition to PE?
Why do you want to make the jump?
It's hard to get a job. If you're an associate and have the opportunity to jump and you want to jump then do it who cares. But know you'll need to do 3 years at the PE place before moving again.
Unless you've found yourself in a dream corpdev job, go for PE. This period immediately post your IB stint is one of your last high-probability shots at PE - if you can get a job, take it. Things get much harder as you spend more time out of the track.
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