Recruiter Mistake?

I got hit up by a recruiter for an RE asset management opportunity at a true PE firm (ex-IB analysts, Ivy Leaguer's, etc.)

I am about as non-target as it gets with a very non Princeton->GS->KKR background so when a third party recruiter reached out for this role, I was taken back. She is not a recruiter at the firm, so should I trust her judgement in reaching out? To make things more interesting, I started a new role in December but obviously would love to work in PE, yet I was not "open to recruiting" on LinkedIn.

This is an Associate position and all the Associates at the firm have that standard background I mentioned above. Feel like if I spoke to someone actually at the firm, my CV would be thrown out.

What should I do here? I would love to exit to PE after my current role but I enjoy what I am doing/like my current team and would feel like such a prick leaving 3 months in.

7 Comments
 
Most Helpful

Who cares! Apply for it like a boss, and if they say something about that later, just say.... "Do you know who the fuck I am?" 

Seriously, that is their problem, not yours. People care about that on WSO, real life, less. Could you not get picked for interview in favor of "Ivys", sure, but that is their problem, not yours.

I've "leveled up" and beat out Ivy-league candidates for positions before (I only went to state school), granted for more senior positions where school/pedigree means far far less but still. Even Blackstone is not 100% ivy-league grad filled, few are or actually care enough to be. 

 

I don't think you have much to lose here. If you're interested in the role/company, it's worth starting the conversation with the recruiter to hear more. If some part of that conversation turns you off, or sounds a bit unreal, then pass on it. I don't think there's really any worries you should have right now. When a new offer gets presented, that's when you really need to think if jumping ship early on is worth it.

 

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