These are some of the most coveted brands and companies that everyone wants to break in. So in order to get in, do you need to be an IBanker or you can move right in after some networking, straight out of undergrad or MBA or after having work ex in Top Investment/Asset Management(Fidelity, AXA, Blackrock) companies ? It would be awesome if any of you guys could share your experiences.
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Are you a high school student?
You're not getting into a MF in PE like KKR without being a star at your job in IB - thats the pre -req and an MBA from a top school doesn't hurt either AFTER having a run in IB.
There is no direct path into VC let alone Sequoia or Accel - There is no structure to recruiting.
If you want to have a shot at a top tier venture fund, found a company and have a monster exit with them as investors. OR work at a breakout company in their portfolio as an exec and network your ass off. You'll see some Ibankers and consultants in the mix of a lot of these firms but no venture fund is giving anyone a seat unless they can provide a tremendous amount of value. All associates have incredible deal flow which increases the surface map of their potential investment universe.
Bottom line: be a Star in whatever you do
Thanks for the response, am currently pursuing my MBA from a Top 25 B-School in India.
No one give a shit about India, better off going to China lol.
You're too damn late to the race man. Ace that back-office job at the IB you can get into. Then jump to front-office by kicking ass at your earlier role and by doing a tremendous amount of networking. You might even have to go from a back-office BB to a front-office small boutique IB outside Mumbai. If you can't make the jump from BO to FO - forget getting into any of these firms, or any other elite firms in high finance in India.
To give yourself a reality check, just read the minimum requirements the Michael Page recruiters keep posting on LinkedIn. So here's the plan - BO at BB > FO at any IB that will hire you > Maybe, just maybe, get into a PE fund/asset manager that would be willing to interview you. Do this over the next half-a-decade and you might have a chance.
Alternate course - go through SEBI's website and have a look at the close to 600 AIFs that are mushrooming across the country. They give contact details of most of these AIFs; so, for the summers, try acing an internship at one of these places and you might be able to start early at a boutique shop right out of b-school; that is assuming - you are able to cold mail/call them, get an internship and ace the internship.
It goes without saying that staying in the top 1% of your class, being the head of the finance club and being a member of the placement committee will help you. Also, think about the CFA/CMA qualifications you can take up.
Also, some brutal honesty here, it's not that bad to work in a back-office role and making a comfortable life. I know a ton of people in Mumbai who started at the back office, jumped to front office and then came back to back office because the FO life was not for them. Since you'r so late to the run, it tells me, it might require a crazy amount of motivation for you to make it in this area in the long run.
May randomness be on your side.
P.S. I request you, urge you - please conduct thorough research before posting open-ended questions on these forums. You are only feeding fodder to the cycle of stereotypical opinions people have about Indians entering finance. More often than not, I have hit the wall only because some guy I am trying to network with had a really bad experience with some Indian dude who had no clue about what he was doing and yet kept spamming. Cheers.