Advice needed for BB analyst

Hello,

I recently started an investment banking analyst stint at a BB in nyc. I'm interested in making the switch to private equity after 2 years. I'm wondering how I should approach PE recruiting. I'm not sure how headhunters will view my profile - nontarget engineer -> 1 yr msf -> 1 yr MM equity research -> BB analyst. I'm pretty confident in my ability to interview and impress people once face to face, but it's a different game than IB and I'm not sure if I'll even be competitive for interviews. Also, no alumni from my ug school work in PE and only a few from my msf school do. Any advice? I bought the WSO PE interview guide - I'll be prepared for interviews, but I'm just not sure how to approach the job search. Maybe just target MM PE, upper MM? I appreciate any advice

Thanks,

3 Comments
 
Best Response

Firstly, congratulations on the new job. You're on the right track to begin thinking about exit opportunities now, and, for now, I would say cast the net as wide as possible. The reason is that you may find something that you didn't existed before, and that could be very interesting to you (i.e. secondaries. I had no idea it existed before a year ago, and now I'm at a secondaries fund).

Certainly talk to headhunters to get their feedback, and don't be defensive when they give you their honest opinion. Sometimes they're being truthful, and sometimes they're setting lower expectations. They can be your best friends if you let them be themselves.

With your specific route you planned, this is probably the easiest route for someone in your position. MMs and elite MMs love BB analysts, and you would have less competition from your comrades who are aiming for BB PE shops. But to animalz's point, go for it. Shoot for the stars. You never know where the connection can come from; schools are just the most obvious ones.

--Death, lighter than a feather; duty, heavier than a mountain
 

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