SWE to PE/GE internship path?
Current junior at a target school studying CS and Econ. Did a Software Engineering internship at a Big Tech company last summer but want to pivot and try finance, specifically PE/growth equity focused on tech investments.
Obviously, I'm past the traditional period for IB summer analyst recruiting and mainly want to do something off-cycle (spring or fall).
Can I realistically land a PE/GE internship off-cycle without prior finance experience, and how would I go about doing that? Hoping my tech background might be relevant for tech-focused funds.
Take it from someone who did this exact path. Don't do it. Stay in SWE, you will make far more money with better exit opportunities and better WLB. Real value is being created in AI startups these days, not another over-crowded PE firm with no differentiation. If you found your big tech job boring, go work at a startup or late-stage private company. You are wasting your skills by going to finance
There appears to be a lot more guaranteed upside in finance roles while SWE gets capped before 7 figures. Such a large percentage of the successful people from top schools seem to have gone the finance route.
Guaranteed upside is an oxymoron
What are your thoughts on still working in finance but instead of PE you’re part of GE/VC? Would you not be participating in a growing industry (tech and AI) this way too? Or are you all for becoming a SWE and doing your own silicon valley startup, since in that case you’re the one actually building or creating value? Is that the only route you’d deem as advantageous, or is a finance route in GE good too?
Lol I did a FAANG SWE internship into a 'prestigious' IB role - don't do it please. Echoing advice above, I'm eyeing an exit to ops/PM at a scaling startup and trying to GTFO from this outdated ass industry
Are private equity and hedge funds not more lucrative exists than working as a PM?
Equity in booming AI versus 100 hour weeks in PE
Hi OP, just managed to do similar what you’re trying to do (FAANG SWE last summer into BB IB this summer) - when I realised a month into the SWE job that I hated it, I just hustled for any finance experience at all from everyone in my network and landed an internship at a super small boutique.
Was able to then tell a compelling story in my BB interviews about how I found the work super interesting and would be keen to work in the BB’s TMT team. Good luck!
Is IB recruiting for this upcoming summer not already finished? Or at least finished well before even this past summer started?
Am outside the US so different recruiting cycle, but same advice still applies around trying to get experience, you’d just then have to go for grad analyst programs or delay your degree a year and try for summers again if you want to break into BB/EB IB
Necessitatibus et excepturi iusto alias accusantium illum. In aspernatur voluptatem maxime totam et saepe omnis consequuntur. Molestiae dolorum inventore porro sed nobis possimus. Qui quidem sit illo. Placeat accusamus porro aperiam saepe corporis corrupti.
Enim quos laudantium illum rerum distinctio libero. At velit facere praesentium cupiditate minima sint. Aspernatur natus reprehenderit vero enim.
Eligendi omnis rerum fugiat. Quo consequatur molestiae quaerat voluptatum. Nam expedita ullam iste velit minus voluptatem.
Enim qui enim consequatur ea quae illo ullam officiis. Ab facilis quaerat asperiores modi.
See All Comments - 100% Free
WSO depends on everyone being able to pitch in when they know something. Unlock with your email and get bonus: 6 financial modeling lessons free ($199 value)
or Unlock with your social account...