IB -> PE -> Strategy -> IB -> PE

Had a fairly standard EB + MF path to start my career, didn’t get a return offer and MBA recruiting sucked, so I took a strategy job in industry that’s honestly not a finance job at all, very product / “corporate.”

Have been trying to break back into PE for a while to little success—I’m too weird and risky for LMMs who can hire from sector-specific banks or groups and I’m too off the path to succeed at MM/UMMs. Basically I need to get back into finance in a bad bad way. Is it a pipe dream if I attempt to break back into the sellside with the intent to then break back into the buyside down the road? I found banking so draining compared to investing but every year I’m not at least adjacent to transactions I can sense funds thinking I’m more and more washed…

4 Comments
 

Hey friend —


I hate to be a bit negative here but at this point, I’d ask “WHY” do you even want to do PE  to yourself at this point . I’d imagine you’re in your late 20s early 30s, maybe thinking about kids and marriage etc, do you really want to subject yourself to starting at the bottom/ the grind of PE? 

I would imagine maybe it’s partially FOMO— you’re incredibly accomplished and have nothing to prove. 

The other thing , that I hate to say, is you’ve kind of also gotten a lot of market feedback about PE not being a fit. What makes you so confident you are right and they’re all wrong ?


Anyways maybe I’m totally off here and I’m sure there is someone’s who has the trajectory you’re hoping to have. I also think that perseverance is a hugely important trait so only love to ya. 

 

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