Small PE Shop Analyst Role to Middle Market Firm

Hi all,

I landed an analyst role at a TINY (think 4 guys including me) regional PE boutique after grad. The firm does micro deals, the largest I've seen so far is $12M. I've been here a few months, and already a couple red flags have popped up, pushing me to start preparing for an exit in 6-9 months.

My question is this: How can I best prepare myself to transition into a similar role, at a larger, more reputable middle market private equity firm?

I know the default answer is the quality/size of deals I've worked on, but if the status quo holds, nothing substantial will come across my desk. Is there a specific process that I should master that could improve my marketability to another firm?

If the largest deal on my resume has a real estate component to it, will that compromise the "prestige" of the deal in the eyes of non-real estate based private equity firms?

Thanks for all the advice!

4 Comments
 
Best Response

OP: Feel free to PM me. I was once in similar situation. It's very difficult to lateral to a larger PE shop as an analyst for a number of reasons:

  • No brand name and no true identification of what you have done in a transaction (e.g., your role could be primarily sourcing)
  • No formal training
  • Deal sizes are not comparable
  • Many PE firms do not hire analysts
  • Regional focus limits your options, for example funds in NY are more likely to interview local or big market candidates

These were words given to me when I was in your situation and they rang true as time passed. They may not necessarily apply to you. It may make the most sense to lateral to a formal IB program; the timing is right as some firms will hire between now and the end of January.

Best of luck!

Play the long game - give back, help out, mentor - just don't ever forget where you came from. #Bootstrapped
 

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