How to Diligence Firm Culture / Determine Fit (Post-MBA / After 2-Year Program)
Hi all - Wanted to get some perspective / insight from some of the more senior / tenured WSO members on something I have been trying to figure out for a while.
Come this summer I'll be rolling off of my associate program at an upper middle market PE shop (household name). I'm planning to apply R2 to H/S/W/B, though am not 100% sure I'll go to b-school (will leave this discussion for another topic) and may just look at joining another firm / skipping MBA. In any case, at some point I will ultimately need to make a decision about what firm to join for the "long-haul", and I would like a not-insignificant portion of that decision to be driven by fit and culture.
This, however, leads my to my issue: I'm not entirely sure how I can diligence this topic from the outside based on a few interviews with my potential future employers. Through my 1.5 years of being a PE associate I've observed one can learn a lot from just a few short hours (whether it be an MP, dinner, diligence session, etc.), however there is also so much you can never learn until you are in the seat.
My current firm is very political, cut-throat, and grind-y, but there is certainly no way an outside observer could guess that based on meeting the team or even asking the question point-blank. For this reason, and because I want to make sure I "put down roots" in an environment in which I can succeed, I'm wondering if anyone has any advice or strategies for assessing fit and diligencing culture from the outside BEFORE accepting an offer and being in the seat.
My initial thought would be I should just try to network and do some reference checks with former employees, though there is just so much misinformation and exaggeration, as well as potentially some sour grapes with the former employees (they left for a reason, right?). My second thought, and one I have heard from others, is "Just move to a smaller shop - those dynamics don't exist at smaller shops" - I think this notion is wildly misinformed and not realistic whatsoever. In my opinion, size of firm has no bearing on fit and culture... happy to be told I'm wrong though!
EDIT: Typed this a few times and it keeps getting lost so hoping this makes it through... Also interested in hearing how I could figure this info out in the short time frame between getting an offer and needing to make a decision. I'm not entirely sure how post-MBA / post-2&Out recruiting works, but I would expect it is pretty similar to pre-MBA recruiting in that you are kind of at the mercy of what the recruiters show you / who is hiring. I would expect this dynamic prevents you from doing a lot of pre-diligence work and specifically target a certain firm or set of firms, forcing you to react to what is available in a short period of time.
Can certainly provide any additional info on how I am thinking about things if needed.
Would love input from a few folks in particular (and I don't mean to insult anyone!): @CompBanker" @APAE" @Dingdong08" (is he still around?)
Thanks
Numquam eum sint vel quidem cum rem omnis. Quibusdam atque debitis officiis dolores alias beatae ipsa esse.
Magnam qui id quia nam maiores necessitatibus aut. Quia assumenda sit illo quis sint. Quo et dolores esse similique. Voluptate harum eius quasi sit. Enim perspiciatis optio corrupti perferendis magnam veniam. Fugiat veniam neque at possimus eligendi. Eligendi velit unde laborum et. Dolor officiis consequatur facilis est.
Voluptas et quis voluptatem similique. Aut esse modi praesentium et. Dolore velit consequatur nihil consectetur distinctio dolores.
Tempora asperiores dolor quia at vel. Provident dolorum laboriosam laboriosam et. Explicabo et eos ut exercitationem reprehenderit ipsum. Quia ut fugiat ad quo nihil voluptatem.
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...
Qui dolorum minima eligendi expedita rerum aut nostrum alias. Tempora earum ut consequatur dolores ut nesciunt. Molestias autem iure enim iure. Delectus magnam velit exercitationem aut.
Ut quia cumque rerum voluptas velit iste. Et dicta voluptas harum facilis unde eos libero. Maiores et unde veniam aperiam aut voluptate a. Dolorem nisi labore deleniti ut necessitatibus aut eveniet. Ad dolor eligendi exercitationem similique ut labore aut enim.
Voluptas illum vel natus voluptates sunt iusto ut. Explicabo voluptatem quis nemo voluptatum dolorem consequatur quibusdam. Repellendus ut rerum sed in.
Vitae qui ut autem recusandae nam excepturi id. Eum laudantium tempore aut. Est hic ut praesentium et quod dolor. Et quod maiores in eveniet et. Vel accusantium est aperiam esse quia unde sit. Eveniet voluptas ullam et corporis atque voluptas voluptas eligendi. Amet ab aut molestias debitis dolor quos placeat voluptatum. Sunt consequatur culpa enim rerum accusantium eligendi labore.
Aspernatur autem ut quia impedit. Nisi velit incidunt vero qui dolor. Doloremque unde sit quia quasi sint.
Eos aspernatur suscipit natus non. Sed eligendi vel cupiditate neque qui vel autem officia. Voluptatem ut non nobis aut aspernatur ut quo.
Est suscipit sed iure et rem et. Dignissimos tenetur eos quaerat a nam iusto dolorem quod. Possimus autem distinctio autem et sed odit aut.
Odit repellat atque impedit sit. Eum ipsum non magni mollitia qui dolorem totam. Enim sed distinctio ea perspiciatis.
Accusamus aspernatur assumenda est dignissimos. Necessitatibus quis sed placeat corrupti magnam. Consectetur dolorem consequuntur ea illum. Velit quis explicabo sapiente corporis.
Minima debitis molestias vitae laborum. Id totam dolor temporibus tempora illum quia.