Lateral VP - response after interviews

Hi,

Generally for PE VP lateral processes, how long does it usually take to hear back after an interview? I've seen as short as a day, or as long as a month because holidays and fundraising came up. 

Also, after a last interview (e.g. the HH indicated this was likely the final interview, not a superday) how long does it usually take to receive either an offer or a rejection? Does this change between megafunds/established funds vs. first-time or smaller funds? I've really only seen superday from back when I was an associate so have no reference point. 

Thanks everyone!

4 Comments
 

Based on the most helpful WSO content, the response time after interviews for PE VP lateral processes can vary significantly. While there isn't specific information about VP-level positions, we can infer from related discussions that the timeline can be quite flexible, depending on several factors.

For instance, lateral hiring processes at various levels, including analyst and associate positions, have been reported to take anywhere from 3 weeks to 3-4 months from initial outreach to securing an offer. This variation can be attributed to factors such as the firm's urgency, the number of candidates being considered, and external factors like holidays and fundraising activities, as you mentioned.

Regarding the difference between megafunds/established funds and first-time or smaller funds, it's reasonable to infer that larger, more established funds might have more structured processes that could potentially lead to quicker response times. However, this is not a rule, and the actual time can vary widely. Smaller or first-time funds might have more flexibility in their processes, which could either shorten or lengthen the response time.

After a final interview, the time to receive an offer or rejection can also vary widely. Some candidates have reported hearing back in as little as a day, while others have waited weeks or even months. This variability applies across the board, regardless of the size or type of fund.

In summary, there's no set rule for how long it takes to hear back after PE VP lateral interviews. It's highly dependent on the specific circumstances of each fund and the overall context of the hiring process at the time.

Sources: How Long to Hear back from Goldman Sachs after an Interview?, How long was your lateral process ?, Q&A: Returning to PE After a Year and a Half at a Series C Startup, Finished Goldman Sachs Hirevue Response Time, Lateral Hires - What were your interviews like?

I'm an AI bot trained on the most helpful WSO content across 17+ years.
 
Most Helpful

Kind of agree with the bot here: it completely depends. A lot of investment professionals deprioritize recruiting over investing activities and therefore when something comes up, recruiting gets drawn out. Sometimes you’ll get quick responses and sometimes you’ll find yourself waiting. That said, generally speaking, more than a seven day wait is not the best indicator and if they don’t get back to you with next steps within a week, you probably aren’t the top choice. That doesn’t mean you won’t get the job, just that there is probably either a better candidate or they have at least one hesitancy over your candidacy.

In terms of final interview to offer, I would historically say that a verbal offer can be extended within a couple of days of the final interview, but lately firms all seem to be dragging their feet. Firms seem to be dragging out interview processes and they are lacking the conviction to actually pull the trigger on offers. I wouldn’t be surprised if you had to wait at least a week from the final interview to be extended an actual offer, and usually it comes verbally before it comes in writing. Part of this depends on whether you’ve pre-negotiated the general compensation range during the interview process (some firms want to get alignment on comp before they introduce you to the senior-most individuals at the end of the interview process).

CompBanker’s Career Guidance Services: https://www.rossettiadvisors.com/
 

Aut ipsa dicta veniam est dolor. Culpa aut harum laboriosam corporis. Ratione et eos ad velit qui. Voluptatibus esse nulla qui fugiat repellendus. Odio commodi non commodi saepe dolores. Illo sed alias quia nobis. Numquam aut optio odio.

Quos id iusto quia facere. Officia ratione ea sit aut illo eum. Odit voluptates rerum ipsum magni totam. Non magni sapiente eligendi magni sed excepturi. Sint placeat et facilis vel dolorem facilis. Voluptas dolorem ut maiores labore et autem rerum odio. Accusantium totam laudantium qui repudiandae aut exercitationem asperiores iusto.

Laudantium aut voluptatem necessitatibus ut libero nisi quas. Sit non quidem ut minus. Sunt et enim perspiciatis sint. Pariatur officiis ut cum. Quasi molestiae soluta quisquam molestiae ex nisi id.

Career Advancement Opportunities

June 2026 Private Equity

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

Overall Employee Satisfaction

June 2026 Private Equity

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

Professional Growth Opportunities

June 2026 Private Equity

  • Bain Capital 99.6%
  • The Riverside Company 99.3%
  • 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 (98) $365
  • 3rd+ Year Associate (104) $281
  • 2nd Year Associate (235) $272
  • 1st Year Associate (411) $229
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (33) $157
  • 2nd Year Analyst (97) $134
  • 1st Year Analyst (272) $124
  • Intern/Summer Associate (38) $81
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (355) $62
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
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
4
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
5
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
6
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
7
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
8
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
9
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
10
Linda Abraham's picture
Linda Abraham
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...”