MBA for PE in US? Am I being to naive?

Hi chimps - I am fighting a lonely battle with nobody else to find advice from. I'm not sure if I should go for an MBA in the states or to stay in IB. Open to any advise.

  1. Why did I go for MBA initially? I'm currently a 1st year VP at a BB IB country coverage in Asia. I initially applied for M7 MBA programs because I come from a non-target even in the country I work and I kinda got a lot of shit for that. Also, when I was an Analyst I hated the people in IB/PE because they were all misogynistic jack asses that jacked off to their ginormous ego because the "made it" in IB/PE while the rest of the others work "less meaningful jobs at corporates". The main reason that made me still work to this date at my firm was because my seniors weren't like that; they appreciated my work and talents setting aside my non-target background and they cared about my career progression in IB. Also, the high finance scene in my country has become much more developed with less Jack Asses (some went to jail, some retired, some are still there acting like they are better people) and actual good people. Also the people that gave me shit all left my firm and became less relevant to my work, and I like the juniors that my team has recruited and the clients that I work for. So, now the reason I first wanted to leave the industry has become to some extent obsolete. Only reason that still stands is prestige.

  2. Is the grass greener? I first started in IB because I wanted to succeed in MF PE. When I worked with sponsor clients I loved drafting the IC Memos, doing to the research to identify risks and upsides, trying to quantify and analyze the impacts, etc. However, I was never given the chance to interview at an MF except for a few infra gigs because they couldn't bypass my non-target background (I confirmed this with my friends at the firms that I applied to). All the other PE opportunities that popped up weren't as attractive, because either they had shit culture or shit compensation. So, I've given up on pursuing PE in my country and wondering if the grass is greener in the US. So I applied for an MBA so that maybe I can get a second chance at a PE career with more options in the US. But this option scares me now, because my opportunity costs have increased. If I dont go I'll still make annually 350K+ which will grow. There is good amount of deal flow for me to benefit in the mid term and create my own client base to make it to a decent ED/MD position at my firm now. I'm always top bucket and staffed to the landmark deals for key clients. I'm wondering if the grass is greener even at a UMM PE in the states or if I would even have a chance at a MF PE. I do not have a US citizenship or green card nor did I graduate from a US college, so I need to take the time to apply for a citizenship and try at PE even after the MBA.

  3. Didn't get into H/S/W It would have been an easier decision if I've gotten into HSW but I striked out on all top schools. I received a few admits from Kellogg/Sloan/NYU and so I'm hesitating because they're not the very best programs for me. Also, I'm worried because the Trump administration will pressure for more restrictions when it comes to providing H1-B Visas and I won't be able to get a job in the US and I'll have to return to IB in my country with 2 years of experience completely lost. Should I pass on the MBA offers?

Thanks for reading through my whiny post. Happy to hear everyone's thoughts on whether if I should go for the MBA or not.

18 Comments
 

If you don't have a green card or a citizenship, AND you struck out on ALL top tier colleges... I wouldn't do anything unless you don't mind staying in a different country and/or leaving the US.

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Most Helpful

VP in BB

Who do PE's actually hire then, post-MBA?

In order of likelihood, based on pre-MBA work experience:

  • PE: Most likely, but still more difficult than it used to be, as a lot of top PE talent is staying for Sr Assoc/VP promote or lateraling after their Assoc program. Wide range of possible funds to land at depending on quality of educational background and what PE shop you were at pre-MBA.
  • IB/HF/Corp Dev: Less likely, but possible if you can spin your experience and be convincing that your skill set translates. Takes megafunds and probably UMMs off the table as they have their pick of people who did PE before the MBA.
  • MBB/T2 Consulting: Unlikely, need to prove you can handle the modeling piece and the hours, and probably only a decent bet at shops that emphasize operational involvement over financial engineering. MM/LMM the likeliest successful outcome, but also a high probability of striking out.
  • Anything else: Good luck. You'll need to spend your entire MBA grinding to get up to speed on technicals/finance concepts and networking your ass off, and even then it's unlikely to be enough. Look, I hate the boring IB->PE->MBA->PE box-checking exercise, and I think our industry loses out on a lot of talented people by being so narrow in what it looks for, but the reality is, those checked boxes (and to some extent consulting as well) filter on a set of traits that private markets investors want to see: Work ethic, analytical abilities, professionalism, and willingness to suffer. I say this as someone who falls into this "anything else" pre-MBA experience bucket and managed to get a LMM Sr Assoc seat after my HSW MBA: It's not impossible, but it is very, very difficult and requires a ton of focus to overcome the lack of those credentials. You need to find a fund that believes your non-traditional experience can add tangible value based on their investment thesis/industry focus, and is willing to hold your hand on modeling/deal process/other basics that anyone with previous finance experience would already know cold coming in.
 

You're in a great spot right now and you want to toss that away? 

Stay where you are bro!

 

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