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Key ones you can trust: KEA, Blackwood, Dartmouth, Walker Hamill, PER, Norbridge. Others like Arkesden, Hinton Rose, Fairfax, H.W. Anderson etc. for more credit/HF.

KEA is best for Large Cap, Blackwood has some names but annoying, Dartmouth also couple strong ones (but too big of an organization to be consistently good), Walker Hamill is great (consultant focus), PER doesn't have the names in London, Norbridge is good for EU names but takes some work to get in front of them.

Edit: there are also a bunch of one-man shops (that are at times very legit) where I would advise asking your colleagues if they came across them

 

Key ones you can trust: KEA, Blackwood, Dartmouth, Walker Hamill, PER, Norbridge. Others like Arkesden, Hinton Rose, Fairfax, H.W. Anderson etc. for more credit/HF.

KEA is best for Large Cap, Blackwood has some names but annoying, Dartmouth also couple strong ones (but too big of an organization to be consistently good), Walker Hamill is great (consultant focus), PER doesn't have the names in London, Norbridge is good for EU names but takes some work to get in front of them.

Edit: there are also a bunch of one-man shops (that are at times very legit) where I would advise asking your colleagues if they came across them

On one-man shops - Melrose Partners is one of the best out there.

 

Associate 2 in PE - LBOs

Key ones you can trust: KEA, Blackwood, Dartmouth, Walker Hamill, PER, Norbridge. Others like Arkesden, Hinton Rose, Fairfax, H.W. Anderson etc. for more credit/HF.

KEA is best for Large Cap, Blackwood has some names but annoying, Dartmouth also couple strong ones (but too big of an organization to be consistently good), Walker Hamill is great (consultant focus), PER doesn't have the names in London, Norbridge is good for EU names but takes some work to get in front of them.

Edit: there are also a bunch of one-man shops (that are at times very legit) where I would advise asking your colleagues if they came across them

On one-man shops - Melrose Partners is one of the best out there.

what has he helped you with? he told me no mandates only inflexion and not doing visa

 

Associate 1 in PE - LBOs

Key ones you can trust: KEA, Blackwood, Dartmouth, Walker Hamill, PER, Norbridge. Others like Arkesden, Hinton Rose, Fairfax, H.W. Anderson etc. for more credit/HF.

KEA is best for Large Cap, Blackwood has some names but annoying, Dartmouth also couple strong ones (but too big of an organization to be consistently good), Walker Hamill is great (consultant focus), PER doesn't have the names in London, Norbridge is good for EU names but takes some work to get in front of them.

Edit: there are also a bunch of one-man shops (that are at times very legit) where I would advise asking your colleagues if they came across them

when yo usay takes work to get in front of them, what does that mean? whenever i email they say they have no mandates, pretty much the same for every HH actually. im at a good bank and came from new york so i have done a million deals, i do not know what to do with no HH helping. it is because i only speak english and am a bit older / associate 2... what is your experience as i see you are also an associate, are you getting interviews / where / how?

 

Options Group is also good for blue-chip hedge fund names (think Citadel, Elliott and a bunch of Tier 1 credit funds). Hinton is quite good for more credit focused roles. Armstrong can also be good across various mandates. Korn Ferry has the odd good mandate (they did have Elliott in the past for certain roles)

"too good to be true" See my WSO Blog
 

Thought Options were quant-focused roles, thanks. Happen to know if Options still do other HFs aside Elliott?

 

GBB_19NHS

Options Group is also good for blue-chip hedge fund names (think Citadel, Elliott and a bunch of Tier 1 credit funds). Hinton is quite good for more credit focused roles. Armstrong can also be good across various mandates. Korn Ferry has the odd good mandate (they did have Elliott in the past for certain roles)

who at korn ferry for PE?

 

Good experience with PER and Leverton, stay away from Venture Search and Mondrian, complete loss of time. I also would not recommend Dartmouth.. snobbish attitude without real substance.  Their process was frustratingly slow and inefficient. Applications could progress without any communication, leaving you completely in the dark - very disappointing

 

gtras12

Good experience with PER and Leverton, stay away from Venture Search and Mondrian, complete loss of time. I also would not recommend Dartmouth.. snobbish attitude without real substance.  Their process was frustratingly slow and inefficient. Applications could progress without any communication, leaving you completely in the dark - very disappointing

what does leverton have?

 

Anyone with views on Paragon, Maven Search, Options Group, Forge Partners, Hinton (previous posts indicate good for Credit, anyone know any specific mandates?)

Anyone know who do growth/crossover investors in London (TCV, Sequoia, QIA, ME SWFs, DST Global etc)?

 

Venture Search are absolute fraudsters. Be very of them saying they have roles / fishing to know what processes your currently in

 

Thanks for the rec on Melrose Partners. For HHs you're going to get a real mix. Sadly some funds don't seem to care about the candidate experience so you have to put up with less than professional behaviour. Best advice: connect with main ones, also have a few smaller top ones you know well. You need access to the best jobs really. Only be totally candid with HHs who check out properly. Definitely avoid the cowboys ... their business model is spray and pray so before you know it, your CV will be with a ton of PE firms ... without your knowledge! Outrageous but they do it. And there are a few very good HHs out there so keep in touch, ask their advice. You'll get a good sense of which HH you can trust in the first few calls. 

BK
 

BKMP1

Thanks for the rec on Melrose Partners. For HHs you're going to get a real mix. Sadly some funds don't seem to care about the candidate experience so you have to put up with less than professional behaviour. Best advice: connect with main ones, also have a few smaller top ones you know well. You need access to the best jobs really. Only be totally candid with HHs who check out properly. Definitely avoid the cowboys ... their business model is spray and pray so before you know it, your CV will be with a ton of PE firms ... without your knowledge! Outrageous but they do it. And there are a few very good HHs out there so keep in touch, ask their advice. You'll get a good sense of which HH you can trust in the first few calls. 

any luck with melrose? fantastic guy but have yet to get any intros. also -- who is hiring right now and thru which HH?

 

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