For London PE recruiting – I've heard the common knowledge that white males have to be in GS/JPM/MS, and females can be from any bank—as many BB females don't pass PE interviews—but what about black males? Is PE recruiting difficult from any other London BB that's NOT GS/JPM/MS for black-males?
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Based on the most helpful WSO content, it's important to note that PE recruiting in London is very ad-hoc and unstructured, even for big firms like KKR, Blackstone, Carlyle, and Bain. It's not so much about your background, but more about your skills, experience, and how well you can demonstrate your potential value to the firm.
While it's true that some firms may have target groups and banks, such as Apollo, this doesn't mean that they exclusively recruit from these places. For example, I've seen opportunities from Lazard and Rothschild, and I've met people from these firms at Carlyle.
So, regardless of your background, whether you're a white male, a female, or a black male, the key is to start networking early, build relationships with headhunters, and make sure you're well-prepared for the interviews. Remember, buyside recruiting is extremely selective and depends on a variety of factors.
I hope this helps! If you have any other questions, feel free to ask.
Sources: https://www.wallstreetoasis.com/forum/private-equity/pe-recruiting-in-london?customgpt=1, Recruiting from Chicago IB to NYC PE - how difficult?, Was recruiting for 2023 SA London unusually hard this year?
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