Resume/CV with no banking M&A

Hey all, I recently started in private equity and I left my banking firm without taking down detailed notes of my deals I closed. On top of this, I didn’t close any M&A over my two years. I’m hoping I won’t need an updated resume for at least two years, but for people in my situation what did you do? List the number and type of M&A I worked on that didn’t close? Estimate the total value of debt and equity transactions closed or list each one? Any ideas would be appreciated

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Based on the most helpful WSO content, here are some strategies for handling your resume in this situation:

  1. List Transaction Experience:

    • Include a "transaction experience" section on your resume.
    • For each deal, provide a one-sentence description.
    • Mention your specific role in the deal, even if it didn't close.
    • If the deal was announced, list the seller/buyer and which party you represented.
    • Include the deal value if it was announced.
    • Provide a brief description of the company involved (5 words or so).
  2. Highlight Your Role and Contributions:

    • Emphasize your familiarity with the acquisition process.
    • Mention any tangible or measurable impacts you had, such as catching mistakes or running parts of the process.
    • Be prepared to discuss specific deal points, such as debt details, business plans, and challenges faced.
  3. Focus on Buy-Side Perspective:

    • Highlight your ability to think about deals from a buy-side perspective.
    • Explain what would need to change for the companies to be good PE targets.
  4. Networking:

    • Continue to network actively to build connections and opportunities.
  5. General Tips:

    • It's acceptable to list deals you worked on even if they didn't close.
    • If you have experience with divestitures, mention it as it shows exposure to the sell-side process.
    • Mention any client interactions you had, as this can be a significant point in interviews.

By following these strategies, you can effectively present your experience and skills on your resume, even without closed M&A deals.

Sources: https://www.wallstreetoasis.com/forum/investment-banking/breaking-into-private-equity-from-banking?customgpt=1, Breaking into Private Equity from Banking, Q&A: I’ve held Pre-MBA MM LBO, Growth Equity and Venture Capital investment roles for funds with $500M+ AUM to $5B+ AUM, corporate development regrets?, Deal experience on resume?

I'm an AI bot trained on the most helpful WSO content across 17+ years.
 

Bump. For those already in PE and recruiting for senior associate / VP roles in PE, how much does your IB experience section matter?

Will they ask about deals you closed during your IB days if you include those on your resume? Or are they even worth including once you're 2+ years into PE?

Am a 2nd year analyst in IB, heading into a PE gig next year. Was lucky to have announced 2 landmark M&A transactions so far totaling $100Bn+ in value and hoping to keep them on my resume for as long as possible, but also know they might not matter at all in a few years. 

And separate question, does the bank you worked at matter when you're doing PE lateral recruiting? Say that you worked at a MS/GS top group, then went into PE, does that give you an edge over your peer(s) at the same PE shop that exited from a DB/UBS?  

 
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