10 years for an associate to make partner - Is that crazy?
Talked to a VC firm based in out of NYC and they said associates take about 10 years to make partner… that feels like a long time.
What seems like the right timeline for someone who spent 2-3 years in banking and then another in VC to become a partner at a VC?
Based on the most helpful WSO content, the timeline for career progression in finance can vary significantly depending on the firm and individual circumstances. Here are some insights:
Private Equity Path:
Venture Capital Path:
Corporate Development:
General Timeline:
In summary, while 10 years might feel long, it is within the realm of possibility depending on the specific career path and firm dynamics. The right timeline can vary, but gaining diverse experience and networking can significantly impact career progression.
Sources: Q&A - Top Tech / Media Corporate Development Associate, Getting an MBA and coming back to IB, Accounting vs Finance: Part 1 – Career Paths, Quitting major Investment Bank in NYC after 2 months...?, From Private Equity Associate to VP in Private Equity
Seems probably 80th percentile. Obviously it happens faster if you source great deals and tell them look guys make me a GP or I dip. But if you just start at 25 and plod along like a median lazy GP sure why would you deserve faster than 10 years
You're asking the wrong question. There isn't a typical timeline to partner, it's not a defined track with milestones. You have to build the leverage and become an indispensable part of the fund's performance to get the GP spot.
How do you do this?
1. Source high quality deals -- At the top it's about seeing every high quality deal possible so the sooner you can show you can do that by building your own high quality pipeline, the better.
2. Become an expert in a growing segment -- Being the go-to person for a specific industry, business model, or region will allow you to build a practice within the firm.
3. Fund-first mentality -- Shut up and stop complaining. Be the person that everyone looks towards that gets shit done and is optimizing for learning. At the higher level it's about politics and if you show that you're a team player that's focus on results with a killer attitude it'll buy you a lot of long-term goodwill.
At a certain point you may have to lateral to get the GP spot but that's part of the game so knowing when your leverage is at its max is a key thing to be aware of.
There are obviously a ton of other factors but it's worth noting that every person I worked with that's an associate that is now a GP has exhibited these key traits that propelled them to a partner in way less than 10 years.
How quickly do you expect associates to make GP in VC? The feedback cycles are long. It's impossible to tell whether someone is a good VC for at least 10 years, maybe longer in this environment. If I'm an institutional LP managing pension money, or a university endowment, or a non-profit foundation, why wouldn't I want highly experienced and well trained people to be partners? And what other fields do you see someone progressing from the most junior to the most senior position in less than 10 years?
Sit aut harum et accusantium ab sint facere repellendus. Fuga aperiam et officia corporis velit dignissimos.
Quam saepe laboriosam maxime laboriosam dolores. Quo eveniet voluptas aperiam perspiciatis pariatur. Velit quisquam qui est quo commodi natus. Porro dolorem dolorem eligendi dicta. Et repellendus dolorem est odit porro neque qui.
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...