Preparing for PE - too early?

Starting as an IB analyst in the summer. Don’t know the rules regarding networking and how it works for PE / if it’s different from undergrad -> IB

When should I start networking for PE? Is that even a thing? What should I know before hand (market trends, my interests, why PE, anything else)? What should I prioritize - location preference, culture (from the limited information I can gather), sector, etc.  

Just want to get ahead of the game and I have extra time right now.

Targeting MM/LMM btw. I’ve heard MFs don’t take coffee chats and reaching out can blackball you. Not sure if it’s same for smaller funds. 

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