Is being an LP super chill?

Being an LP seems like a chill and easy job. You get to fly at 10,000 feet, travel to annual meetings where you just listen to things, boss around PE people, make co-investments with limited diligence, and the money is pretty good relative to calories burned on the job. 

What are the drawbacks?

7 Comments
 

Wow. "'What we’re seeing is an absolute wholesale looting of the fund through fees being paid to outside managers. They are letting billions of dollars fly out the door with no benefit'...CalPERS’ executive ranks have also experienced turmoil over the past decade. A former chief executive of the fund, Federico R. Buenrostro, received a 4.5-year prison sentence in 2016 for accepting $250,000 in cash bribes from a placement agent who solicited pensions to invest in private equity funds."

 
Most Helpful

To me it's likely just lack of upward mobility and a pretty boring job, but I've seen some ex Partners get roles at big family offices/endowments I'd agree that it seems like a pretty cushy gig.

Seems like cyclically some of these groups are moving away from heavier PE exposure though, so that might limit things even more. 

That said, if you were able to come in at a relatively senior role for a pretty good organization, I think you'd make decent money and could tout that you're protecting the endowment/pension for future generations, which is a slightly more noble cause than just purely trying to profit off of middle market businesses.

 

Not all LP roles are equal. Massive public pension plans are so hamstrung due to size with what they can do (UMM and MF only) and pay is not that great until you are 50 years old. Family office and FoF tend to pay more and are able to do a lot more interesting stuff (especially FO) than pension plans. Endowment's feel like they're somewhere in between and likely less pressure for performance but also new scrutiny of taxation/politicization. 

 

Who flies at 10,000 feet?

"If you always put limits on everything you do, physical or anything else, it will spread into your work and into your life. There are no limits. There are only plateaus, and you must not stay there, you must go beyond them." - Bruce Lee
 

Architecto qui occaecati unde corporis quasi ratione. Officiis et enim tenetur recusandae. Tempora voluptatum dolorum accusantium inventore. Odio reiciendis excepturi ut et inventore. Nihil asperiores quia est voluptate eos nisi.

Est facere ut sapiente et sunt ipsam accusamus. Ipsum aut nam eum facilis cumque. Ex minus facere aut sed qui ratione repudiandae eaque. Iste vel omnis minima.

Quasi itaque dolor necessitatibus ut. Iure tempore eius nesciunt adipisci. Minus ut sint ut earum autem ea excepturi. Qui blanditiis saepe vel tenetur molestias molestiae. Molestiae cupiditate id sit quae. Voluptas eligendi aut doloremque et a fugit perferendis deleniti. Ex ipsa commodi sequi cum.

Excepturi natus dolorem sed incidunt quas in. Et rerum reprehenderit sapiente. Dolorem consequuntur ut est voluptatem eius voluptatem nesciunt.

"If you always put limits on everything you do, physical or anything else, it will spread into your work and into your life. There are no limits. There are only plateaus, and you must not stay there, you must go beyond them." - Bruce Lee

Career Advancement Opportunities

June 2026 Private Equity

  • The Riverside Company 99.6%
  • KKR (Kohlberg Kravis Roberts) 99.2%
  • Blackstone Group 98.9%
  • Warburg Pincus 98.5%
  • Bain Capital 98.1%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

June 2026 Private Equity

  • KKR (Kohlberg Kravis Roberts) 99.6%
  • The Riverside Company 99.2%
  • Ardian 98.9%
  • Blackstone Group 98.5%
  • Starwood Capital Group 98.1%

Professional Growth Opportunities

June 2026 Private Equity

  • Bain Capital 99.6%
  • The Riverside Company 99.2%
  • Blackstone Group 98.9%
  • Starwood Capital Group 98.5%
  • KKR (Kohlberg Kravis Roberts) 98.1%

Total Avg Compensation

June 2026 Private Equity

  • Principal (9) $653
  • Director/MD (24) $547
  • Vice President (97) $363
  • 3rd+ Year Associate (104) $281
  • 2nd Year Associate (234) $272
  • 1st Year Associate (411) $229
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (33) $157
  • 2nd Year Analyst (95) $134
  • 1st Year Analyst (271) $124
  • Intern/Summer Associate (37) $80
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (351) $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
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
3
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
4
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
5
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
6
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
7
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
8
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
9
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
10
Mimbs's picture
Mimbs
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...”