How long should I stay at my firm?

I will be starting as a PE analyst at a non-NYC firm this summer, and I am very grateful for this position. However, I don't see myself staying at this firm for too long. The issue is that I really want to live longterm in NYC, but I can't do that if I stay at my current firm. Could anyone with experience in the industry help me strategize about the best time to leave?

I could stay 2-3 years and recruit for associate positions, 4-5 years and recruit for senior associate positions, or 6+ years and recruit for VP/principal positions. A big reason why I wanted to do PE out of college was to avoid the on cycle recruiting scramble during my analyst stint. I also would probably be moving to a smaller fund, so the longer I wait, the more money I can make. How much more difficult is it to recruit at more senior levels? Will I have to try to be discrete with recruiting so my firm doesn't know about it?

5 Comments
 

Buddy, slow the fuck down. Start your job first and get the lay of the land before trying to decide how soon you should leave Jesus Christ.

 

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