MF post-associate roles

How plausible is it to lateral from one megafund as an associate to another MF for post-MBA role?

I feel like the people that firms bring in for post-MBA are so random (could be UMM folks sometimes, etc)

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If I'm understanding correctly, you're looking at Associate >> MBA >> SA/VP (at a different firm).

Broadly, it's a challenging numbers game. Most large firms only hire a handful (maybe 1-3) VPs each year (at best). If hypothetically, 1 of those slots is occupied by a direct promote and/or someone brought back post-MBA, that leaves even fewer. Then consider that HBS, GSB, and potentially other schools' grads are competing for these spots, all with pedigreed pre-MBA experience.

Said differently, 20+ MBAs (who all completed well-respected pre-MBA associate programs) can be vying for a single MF seat. Ultimately, it comes down to luck, competence, deal experience, culture fit, etc.

I lay out these numbers to explain why many pre-MBAs from MFs end up at UMM/MM/LMM funds post-MBA, because they want to stay in the industry but MF seats are tight, so lots of people trade down in size.

Source: My own MBA class (of those searching for post-MBA PE roles, ~10% went back to pre-MBA firm, ~20% swapped MFs, 40-50% traded down in size, 20-30% gave up and left the industry).

 

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