PE OFF-CYCLE 2025 MEGATHREAD

As we look to the off-cycle, it seems that there are more spots than ever still available. To my knowledge, the only firms that are completely or mostly filled are Apollo, KKR, CD&R, and Apax. If you guys know of any others please let us know.

Let this be a thread to track off-cycle processes and firms that are still available/have spots left. Good luck everyone!

189 Comments
 

If I had to guess, maybe 20-25 across reputable firms? Although the total spots available is likely lower this year due to macro worries.

 

Havnt seen much coming out of the HHs except for one MM fund and infra stuff since on cycle.

 

Things in general have been quiet. Many firms probably waiting as this cycle was just very early. Heard from friends in PE that many of the firms the firms themselves were not prepared to kick things off as early as it did. 

Stonks. 
 

Heard from source that they interviewed a small batch before putting process on pause for foreseeable future. No 2025 offers yet I believe.

 
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Things are def starting to get a bit more active I feel. For the past week and a half, I'm starting to have more HHs reach out for MM funds having networking events. No outreach especially for MFs yet and I'm at a group  that feeds mostly to UMMs/MFs. Seems like a round of interviews for a solid chunk of firms will kickoff next month and October. Seems like MMs may try to grab some analysts  who aren't patient enough to wait until later in the year/early 2024 for the bigger fun ont know any people having official networking events with MFs right now. Lowkey coffee chats are happening for some  funds though I know.Things are def starting to get a bit more active I feel. For the past week and a half, I'm starting to have more HHs reach out for MM funds having networking events. No outreach especially for MFs yet and I'm at a group  that feeds mostly to UMMs/MFs. Seems like a round of interviews for a solid chunk of firms will kickoff next month and October. Seems like MMs may try to grab some analysts  who aren't patient enough to wait until later in the year/early 2024 for the bigger fun ont know any people having official networking events with MFs right now. Lowkey coffee chats are happening for some  funds though I know.

 

FYI just so that everyone calms themselves - Elliott is doing coffee chats, I believe so is Bain. Many shops are doing coffee chats, but doing things have kicked off in terms of actual processes

Stonks. 
 

I think a lot of HH are trying to gage interest. Have gotten the email from several funds as well, also coffee chats. No huge processes have started yet

Stonks. 
 

I’m hearing that things will start to pick back up in late Q1 / early Q2. Still a super tough fundraising environment and firms aren’t certain on their headcount needs one and a half years out 

 

Maybe a stupid question, but what is on cycle and off cycle like coming from a boutique? I don't mean an EB, I mean a boutique. Am I going to get zero looks when I start FT? How can I get looks, I know almost all of peak and am nervous for the recruitment. Sorry again if a horrible question and best wishes to all recruiting.

 

What do you mean by boutique but not EB? Could mean anything from Qatalyst/Raine/Liontree/Guggenheim/Ducera/Allen/Ardea/etc. to some 5-person regional boutique. If the latter, I'd recommend trying lateral first.

 

boutique here (m klein / raine / allen flavor) - stay in touch with your friends a year or two above at the places you want to go, ask them to pass your resume along, and get networking. Otherwise, you definitely get ignored during on cycle even though you're probably smarter than a lot of the BB kids. pretty much every MF/UMM opportunity I had was because of friends 

 

Thank you for your reply. I’ll be going to a non well known boutique. Will definitely network and grind. I feel like I am kinda screwed (but genuinely have no clue what to expect regarding potential reach outs from Headhunters with interviews) without having a good brand name, but am confident if I can just get a look I could perform. Assuming I (who go to a school that doesn’t place very well) don’t have many contacts, is it a taboo to cold reach out to associates in PE? These could be ridiculous questions (again idk) so sorry in advance. 

 

Things seem to be pretty silent for me. Have people been getting a lot of inbounds from HHs?

 

I’ve fell like I haven’t heard of any tech buyout opportunities come through HHs. Would love any insight on where these tech firms stand in their recruiting process. I thought I had really strong conversations with HHs but nothing interesting seems to be coming through

 

Heard someone got an offer there today, not sure if that’s the case for all groups

 

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