IB to PE: London Headhunters

Hi all,

Quick question on how the PE headhunter process typically works in London.

I’m currently a UK target student and will be starting an IB internship at a boutique this summer. I’ve been reading a bit about typical IB → PE paths and was just curious how the headhunter side of things actually works in practice.

Do analysts usually reach out to headhunters themselves, or do recruiters tend to contact you once you’ve started in banking? If it’s the latter, is there anything people generally do to get on their radar early on, or is it mostly driven by firm/group reputation and performance?

Not trying to get ahead of myself, just interested in understanding how the process works in London.

Appreciate any insight from people who’ve been through it. Thanks.