Strategy / ops roles understanding post banking

Currently interning at a PE firm with full time banking offer in hand. While I don’t mind the work I’m doing, I don’t love how PE you do lots of work just for a deal to die. As an intern I also do research and marketing projects that add little to no value (understand full time roles you may still have to do some of this stuff). I have found more fulfillment in working directly with a company and helping that specific company grow by executing on strategy.

My question is: what roles should I focus on recruiting into post banking for this? Should I focus on heavy operational PE firms and try to join a portco? Or would corporate development be a better pathway for that? Or should I just buy a small business or join a small / medium sized company where I can get equity upside?

Curious to hear others thoughts. I’m just not super sold on how much I will like PE right now.

2 Comments
 
Most Helpful

I wouldn't buy a small business right away - especially in this market + without real operational experience it's hard to do that well.

You sound like you might enjoy a strategy role at a startup. Corp dev is much of the same with deals dying constantly. However, any role under VP is going to be a lot of "meaningless" work so you do need to get used to that regardless of what you go into.

 

Rerum omnis sequi non vel aliquid. Omnis officiis omnis at commodi nobis. Veniam rem rerum saepe id et dicta iusto. Eligendi laboriosam enim odit sunt non. Iste autem qui aut et.

Voluptas laboriosam necessitatibus doloribus aspernatur autem. Incidunt sapiente ipsum reprehenderit a beatae debitis. Omnis quos odio impedit commodi ut repellendus est.

Porro rerum sapiente illo eum dolore ut quisquam. Tenetur soluta asperiores fugit.

Sit aut vero dolores itaque ipsum ut nesciunt repudiandae. Omnis saepe maxime saepe expedita.

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

Career Advancement Opportunities

August 2026 Private Equity

  • The Riverside Company 99.6%
  • Blackstone Group 99.2%
  • KKR (Kohlberg Kravis Roberts) 98.9%
  • Warburg Pincus 98.5%
  • Vista Equity Partners 98.1%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

August 2026 Private Equity

  • Blackstone Group 99.6%
  • KKR (Kohlberg Kravis Roberts) 99.2%
  • The Riverside Company 98.9%
  • Ardian 98.5%
  • Warburg Pincus 98.1%

Professional Growth Opportunities

August 2026 Private Equity

  • Bain Capital 99.6%
  • The Riverside Company 99.2%
  • Blackstone Group 98.9%
  • Starwood Capital Group 98.5%
  • KKR (Kohlberg Kravis Roberts) 98.1%

Total Avg Compensation

August 2026 Private Equity

  • Principal (9) $653
  • Director/MD (24) $547
  • Vice President (99) $363
  • 3rd+ Year Associate (105) $280
  • 2nd Year Associate (235) $272
  • 1st Year Associate (411) $231
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (33) $157
  • 2nd Year Analyst (97) $134
  • 1st Year Analyst (272) $124
  • Intern/Summer Associate (38) $81
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (356) $61
notes
16 IB Interviews Notes

“... there’s no excuse to not take advantage of the resources out there available to you. Best value for your $ are the...”

Leaderboard

success
From 10 rejections to 1 dream investment banking internship

“... I believe it was the single biggest reason why I ended up with an offer...”