Banking or GE Out of Undergrad?

Hey everyone. Seeking advice on whether to join middle market IB role after undergrad (no modeling at AN level) or GE at a top shop (80% of time spent sourcing). I am quite technical and love modeling although also enjoy learning about new businesses and networking. I have never done sourcing before and worry it gets repetitive and becomes something I may not like relative to the complexity and rigor of LBO modeling (at least at the junior level). 

For those who started out in GE, how did your exit opportunities look like into buyout roles? Growth buyout? Late-stage growth? Do headhunters still consider you?

Is it best to start out in banking even at a mid/lower-tier bank to keep my options open (maybe lateral if needed)? 

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Love modeling?  Might want to check out that “Am I a Hardo” thread. 


Couple questions:

Do you have offers or is this purely hypothetical? 

Are you more excited by deal execution or deal sourcing? 

Are you more geared toward process management or networking?

When you not driving a car are you the backseat driver or are you a hitch hiker? 

The last one isn’t that serious but the middle two can help you determine which path is better suited to your learning style and personality. 

 

Would it be hard to start in growth and then move to MM PE say a year or two in? Especially if most of your experience is sourcing, but you develop the modeling chops on your own time. 

 

Not a common transition especially if you didn’t work on deal execution and diligence. Modeling on your own time isn’t a replacement for learning on the job. 

 

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