How common is it to leave PE early?

Hey all. I know many juniors in PE are completely crushed right now due to COVID impacting deal flow and portfolio companies. I'm curious why we don't see as many people leaving PE before their two-year stint is up versus people leaving all the time in banking. Assuming you are not interested in bschool/staying long-term, what are the main drawbacks? I know this inevitably burns bridges but how severe is that as a consequence?

2 Comments
 

PE associates, by and large, are a group people who chose that path after working tough hours in banking. Very few are lucky enough to enter PE right out of undergrad, whereas the majority of IB analysts are right out of undergrad with no experience and without any idea of what to expect. The kids who quit banking after two years don't typically leave for PE. So the kids that go into PE know what they're getting into.

 

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