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November 30, 2026
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I typically see those firms looking for prior analyst experience at a principal shop and an MBA from a target school.
Unless you were in IS at CBRE, JLL, NWMRK, I think they don’t care about your IS experience because so many brokers aren’t good brokers, and it’s hard to know if you were on a reputable team and trained well.
Del
It doesn't matter, just apply
They probably have hired some people from IS, most will not even get interviewed.
Even if you’re on a top team such as Adam Spies ?
Best shot is from an Eastdil type in my experience. There’s also no “blanket” background, I work at a MF type place and certainly wasn’t a banker, but the types of people getting interviewed tend to be of the same/similar background.
What's IS?
Investment sales
I don’t get what the hype is for investment sales and also when there are similar questions like this in WSO regarding REPE recruiting honestly. When you start to recruit for a fund at the level of Blackstone/Starwood/Bain, there are virtually no one coming from investment sales background. New hires at large REPE firms mentioned in the last sentence are usually bankers in the REGAL IB coverage group or asset management/acquisition folks from other RE investment firms at best. Only exception for IS I’d give is Eastdill.
I’m writing this so students aren’t misguided: if you are looking to get into a respectable top level REPE fund like at blackstone/Starwood/bain, your best bet is to either 1) try to get direct RE investment roles (which is essentially repe) and then lateral OR 2) recruit for REGAL IB, do your two years there, and then recruit for REPE.
This is the answer. I work at non mega fund but competitive REPE shop. Everyone comes from other investors/developers or IB. I think we’d be open to JLL types but for some reason it just never happens.
It is firm dependent. Mine is basically whether the repsective department MD and other senior leaders think you are intelligent and pass the vibe check.
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