Travel/Explore the world vs. Prestigious PE 6-month internship with IB FT already lined up
Looking for some advice on a decision between two unique paths. My options are:
Spend a couple of months skiing + travelling through Europe and Southeast Asia, experiencing adventure and taking time to recharge.
Start an internship at a prestigious PE fund in January, wrapping up just before my FT IB role begins.
I’m currently interning at an MM fund, and colleagues have mentioned I might regret passing up the PE internship, especially if I aim to recruit for PE in a couple of years. On the other hand, I feel like I’d miss out on a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to explore and ski in places I’ve always dreamed of. Any thoughts from those who’ve been in a similar position or who work in PE? P.s. I am leaning towards travelling
Don’t know if this is feasible, but would personally do the PE internship then defer IB for a year. This way you can use PE earnings towards a slightly longer trip.
Assuming money is not an issue and I would have 6 months to travel + can't defer FT start.
VP at UMM fund - 100% go travel if you have a job lined up.
Negotiate down the length to 4 or 5 months + with your holidays you will get a good 1-2 months off before the start of your ft role which should be enough to travel
Go travel - you will never have the confluence of time, no responsibility, and a job waiting for you when you get home.
You’ll spend the rest of your life working - go do something that makes you more interesting and opens your eyes to what’s out there in the world.
Echoing comment above, and ignore title -- you are entering a career where WLB is always in question, and you often don't even have time to grab a drink with friends you haven't seen in months, let alone go on a 6-month vacation. And in case you're thinking, "well, I have time to take longer vacations later in life," that may be true, but going on vacation in your early 20s is radically different than as a grown adult. Go have some fun in your final half-year of true freedom, and embrace the fact you already have a job lined up. You'll continue grinding when you're back, and you'll land a solid PE role. You'll have decades of experience ahead of you - don't sacrifice once-in-a-lifetime experiences now to try to "get ahead"
Really up to you and your gut but if you commit to travel, also commit to grinding hard during you full time program so you can inevitably end up in the same place you would have if you took the internship. Get the best of both worlds without regrets on either side.
Glad to see one of these posts instead of “just got MS/GS offers for TMT and healthcare, cant make a decision but really curious about the exit opps in each, heard Evercore tech has completely taken the prestige out of GS TMT these days”
Yea dude life is more than work, go do that shit. My senior trip before starting is like a bright memory in my life, life since has honestly been dull for the most part. I've had like 1-2 really good weekends with my buddies in the last 1.5 years.
Also, the stories/life experience from that kind of trip will be worth more than you know. You have the next 30 years to be in a chair anxious all day.
I was in your position a few months ago, and I chose the PE thing - but negotiated my time down so I have time to travel.
Unless it's a superbly impressive brand name / experience that will definitively change the trajectory of your PE recruitment (if that's of interest) then take time off, and travel. Most of the work is execution - you definitely learn too, but not worth the unnecessary facade of stuff you have to do / stress on things that come up e.g., tight deadlines.
Travel, hands down easy choice. You've got a solid IB gig lined up and it's easy enough to recruit for PE once you get there. Echoing others above, you'll never have this moment in your life again where you have the time + money + freedom to go travel. Aside from the rigors of working in the finance industry in the future, you also gain more responsibilities as you progress through life. A spouse, house, kids are all things that will require your time and attention in the future (all worthwhile things). That time post-college, pre-career is precious and I would never waste it on a PE internship.
If it’s a truly elite PE firm I would intern there. But that’s me.
Travel, hands down. I did 3 months of travelling in Southeast Asia before my PE gig and was completely broke after it but don't regret it for a second. Alternatively you could ask the firm if it's possible to do 3/4 month internship instead, leaving time to travel.
Travel and it's not even close
Bro, I envy you for being able to do something like that
Travel.
There might never be another time in your life where you have a such a unique opportunity like this in front of you. It's impossible to know the outcomes of pursuing or passing up on the internship. But you can guarantee with 100% certainty that you will have a life changing experience on your travels, especially if going with friends.
Of course, you will definitely be able to travel later in life, but it will never be the same with a full time job in the picture. At least not in the short-mid term (I don't know how much you'll be making or how much you have saved up) when you are burning the candle.
Maybe this internship will help you down the line, maybe it won't matter either way and you'll get to where you want be regardless. It all comes down to your vision and what you want from life. Do you want to look back on this moment 10 years from now and think "Damn I really wish I would've traveled?" Or do you think you will be content with the potential extra money you might have instead.
Go explore my friend. I don't know where you're from, but if it's anywhere in the States, then Europe will change your life I can promise you that. SE Asia looks amazing as well and there are so many cultures and new things to explore. Weeks or months of uninterrupted travel is a luxury many people will never get in life. Cash in while you still can.
Hope this helps,
Best of luck to you
Thank you for the well thought out message, I really appreciate the fact that you (and everyone above who bothered to give me their perspective on this, thank you all!), took the time to give me your point of view (again thanks to everyone). It means a lot to me, especially coming from more experienced people who have a comprehensive view on the topic.
All in all I think the best thing to do is to travel. I'll go ski mounataineering in some of the most remote places in Europe: a couple(ideally 3/4)4 day trips between January and March and then I'll probably go to SEA from April to June before starting full time in August. Open to suggestions on places to see if anyone has cool ideas.
In the end I am really grateful because I already have a top BB/EB FT lined up and don't see the need to go grind another six months as a PE intern. We have one life and I feel like I would really regret not taking this opportunity.
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Travel and don't look back. You'll never get this time again. I'll never trade my memories for a slight leg up in the PE recruiting process.
Travel... As someone who did a similar thing last year, I'll warn you that no one will take what you worked on seriously during the 6 months and it's not that advantageous in the grand scheme of things for oncycle as you'll get treated like a normal AN1.
Travel travel travel. I will personally find you and kill you if you take that goofy internship. You have a job lined up. You will never this young again in your life. Your deathbed will come before you know it and you won’t be wondering what life would be like if you decided to grab that internship
I’m nearly 20 years into this.
Please go travel.
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