Is Search Fund Experience Valuable?

How is Search Fund internship experience looked by Investment banks and Private equity firms? I have work on a few lbo models, build three statement models, work with brokers for finding deals and evaluating CIMs.

14 Comments
 

Thank you for the feedback. The Search Fund experience also has an element of entrepreneurship/ Start-upy as we are given the criteria of what to look for by the investors but is up to us to become creative in the search process. Thus, the job is less structure and requires a lot of creativity. Is this an appealing aspect that I should talk about in PE interviews?

 

If you actually managed to source deals or were involved in a meaningful way, it clearly would make a strong statement about your maturity and ability

I'm talking about liquid. Rich enough to have your own jet. Rich enough not to waste time. Fifty, a hundred million dollars, buddy. A player. Or nothing. See my Blog & AMA
 
"vxtu"

It was monumental for me.

care to elaborate?
I'm talking about liquid. Rich enough to have your own jet. Rich enough not to waste time. Fifty, a hundred million dollars, buddy. A player. Or nothing. See my Blog & AMA
 
Best Response

Coming from a non-target it was by far my best experience. I was able to get my hands on some DCF modelling. I was able to show leadership and initiative. Interviewers were all impressed by it and it was BY FAR the biggest contributor to me earning my next internship in a good place.

Infinitely better than some corporate finance or insurance/financial advising internship in my opinion.

 

Echoing others - very valuable, especially at the FR/SO years. I interned at a search fund and coming from a non-target and engineering background, I was able to land several interviews with IBs and a couple of VC firms for entry-level/analyst positions. I was able to reference this experience as something that inspired my desire to pursue a career in finance.

 

Could you elaborate on how you worded the search fund experience on your resume? Was it very general? Or did you get into specifics? Any info would be helpful as I am currently interning and I am about to start looking for future opportunities

 

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