IB -> PE -> IB -> HF?

Wanted to get thoughts on the proposed career route? For context, 2nd year PE asso in energy (trad oil and gas). Not crazy about the current gig, lots of technical (engineering/niche oil and gas stuff) and not very much traditional PE finance experience? Thinking of what the next step is, the public markets have become an interest to me but as you can imagine hard to recruit for HFs from my current seat. Thinking of going back to IB (still trad o&g) just to get closer to the public markets. Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thank you.

3 Comments
 
Most Helpful

Ignore the title, I work at a LO. So, your proposed career path is to leave an investing seat in an undersired sector to go to a non-investing seat in the same undesired sector? This makes absolutely no sense considering that you've already transitioned from IB to PE. Going to IB also doesn't put you closer to the public markets... if you were going to leave an investing seat to be closer to the public markets, you'd go do ER, which, again, doesn't make sense.

It is easier to find a HF seat from your current position than anything else. If you were going to take a backwards step it would make most sense to do ER, considering that you have IB and PE experience, your exit opps would be significantly better than any person IB or ER. Contrary to what's on this website, ER places exceptionally better than IB for HFs, yeah there may be a few funds that don't hire from ER, but 95% of SMs do and MMs prefer ER over PE and IB. Elliott and Tiger might not hire, but that's not representative of the entire HF world and like I said, those funds would still consider you because you did PE, but wouldn't anyway if your PE background wasn't blue chip.

 

Itaque corrupti voluptate neque non labore. Inventore et a sed aut repudiandae quis.

Maxime qui possimus blanditiis nihil dicta ut. Labore iusto voluptate ullam ipsam impedit. Molestias consequatur culpa recusandae. Fugiat labore aut et possimus ut. Sunt placeat quia exercitationem qui voluptatibus rerum omnis.

Autem sed eos dolorem voluptas dolore eligendi tenetur. Nulla minima modi voluptatem aut fuga totam. Velit dolor in ut. Commodi veniam quam officiis.

Et delectus laboriosam et dolores rerum totam eius. Ipsa culpa cupiditate ipsam non non totam cupiditate. Fugit sint ut quia numquam esse. Dolorem quo consequatur illo vel vel ab labore. Voluptatum consequatur tempore quas deserunt.

Career Advancement Opportunities

November 2026 Private Equity

  • Blackstone Group 99.6%
  • The Riverside Company 99.3%
  • KKR (Kohlberg Kravis Roberts) 98.9%
  • Warburg Pincus 98.5%
  • Vista Equity Partners 98.2%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

November 2026 Private Equity

  • Blackstone Group 99.6%
  • KKR (Kohlberg Kravis Roberts) 99.3%
  • The Riverside Company 98.9%
  • Ardian 98.5%
  • Warburg Pincus 98.1%

Professional Growth Opportunities

November 2026 Private Equity

  • Bain Capital 99.6%
  • Blackstone Group 99.3%
  • The Riverside Company 98.9%
  • Starwood Capital Group 98.5%
  • KKR (Kohlberg Kravis Roberts) 98.2%

Total Avg Compensation

November 2026 Private Equity

  • Principal (9) $653
  • Director/MD (24) $547
  • Vice President (100) $364
  • 3rd+ Year Associate (106) $280
  • 2nd Year Associate (236) $272
  • 1st Year Associate (414) $231
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (33) $157
  • 2nd Year Analyst (97) $134
  • 1st Year Analyst (274) $126
  • Intern/Summer Associate (40) $79
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (357) $61
notes
16 IB Interviews Notes

“... there’s no excuse to not take advantage of the resources out there available to you. Best value for your $ are the...”

Leaderboard

1
redever's picture
redever
99.2
2
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
3
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
4
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
5
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
6
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
7
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
8
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
9
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
10
Jamoldo's picture
Jamoldo
98.8
success
From 10 rejections to 1 dream investment banking internship

“... I believe it was the single biggest reason why I ended up with an offer...”