How Would Corp Dev W/O IB Experience Look for MBA PE Recruiting?

How Would Corp Dev W/O IB Experience Look for MBA PE Recruiting?

A friend is working at an F100 tech co and has the opportunity to move from Partnerships to Corp Dev. Hypothetically if he were to get into an M7 program, would Corp Dev experience still allow him to recruit for PE shops even if he was never an investment banker?

Please leave your thoughts below. Interested in all insights.

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

Even if you have just IB experience and get into an M7 program, it's very unlikely you'll get a PE job. Firstly PE recruiting has a drop off after H/S, and a major drop off after W, so you need top 3, not just M7. Next, the overwhelming majority of PE seats get filled by people who did PE pre-MBA. So even the IB people don't have a huge chance. With just corp dev it'll be really tough. What I'd recommend is looking into niche LMM funds. So, for example, if you did corp dev in healthcare, look for a LMM healthcare PE fund and you may have a chance there.

 
Most Helpful

Illum soluta et cupiditate fugit non. Molestiae neque a incidunt voluptas beatae autem. Sed temporibus aut est saepe officia eum non repellat. Laborum amet earum temporibus assumenda sapiente.

Career Advancement Opportunities

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.8%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.2%
  • Guggenheim Partners 01 97.7%
  • Morgan Stanley 07 97.1%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.4%
  • Morgan Stanley 02 98.8%
  • Evercore 01 98.2%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.6%
  • Banco Santander 01 97.1%

Professional Growth Opportunities

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.8%
  • Morgan Stanley 05 98.2%
  • JPMorgan No 97.7%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.1%

Total Avg Compensation

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (14) $434
  • Associates (43) $259
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (22) $179
  • Intern/Summer Associate (13) $156
  • 1st Year Analyst (75) $151
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (68) $101
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...”