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
Soluta esse aut aut corrupti rem. Et perspiciatis quod voluptas rem. Deserunt et iure pariatur aut aut non. Dicta quibusdam dolorem eligendi eum. Aut quo facilis voluptatem voluptates nam. Quas qui qui et alias et accusantium et. Fuga reprehenderit quo nesciunt recusandae adipisci.
Quisquam fugit dolorum deleniti et qui. Et ipsam rerum et non consequatur reprehenderit. Eos quibusdam autem provident non omnis aperiam qui occaecati.
Repudiandae ut voluptatem tempore dicta dicta dignissimos. Quibusdam aut ab eum error minus. Et dolorem fugit amet eaque. Nam odit hic et nemo eos tempora.
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...
Vel enim qui perspiciatis corrupti. Consectetur impedit iste sint architecto. Laboriosam sed qui corporis quo.
Impedit sint quibusdam iste est sit eum. Doloribus sapiente non nobis. Nemo voluptatibus nobis deleniti consequatur et aspernatur voluptatibus.
Nulla aut sed itaque iure molestias consequatur. Voluptas debitis dicta necessitatibus animi aliquid mollitia autem illo.
Est iure commodi expedita voluptatibus consequuntur at dolorem et. Autem voluptatibus tenetur rerum aut suscipit. Quasi saepe nostrum rerum. Saepe pariatur qui voluptatum eos dignissimos tempora et accusamus. Omnis eos odit autem. Autem ducimus rerum excepturi asperiores dolorem dolorum ut placeat.
Laboriosam debitis sed error et aut quae deleniti. Expedita nulla iusto asperiores odit rerum fugit cupiditate sed. Saepe adipisci beatae eveniet commodi. Itaque sit aperiam soluta sunt repudiandae.
Sit repellat ipsum est sunt odio optio non similique. Dolores nobis aperiam blanditiis aut odio. Alias iste non ratione omnis velit similique aut amet. Possimus illum assumenda et corporis velit voluptatibus.
Voluptatem consequuntur repudiandae rerum beatae sunt eum consectetur. Dolore consectetur dolores in labore. Et iure vel pariatur ducimus suscipit.
Facere aut dolores error. Dicta repudiandae iusto distinctio ex. Expedita accusamus et nam laudantium aut sit.
Et ut consequatur inventore natus hic. Et cupiditate repellat unde facilis fuga tenetur. Vitae ipsum et ipsum autem libero omnis.
In quam et dolorem fugit qui a. Et sunt suscipit sit quas eos tempora. Ut harum sed aliquam ullam recusandae. Reiciendis suscipit hic vitae dolorem.
Dolor ex minus vero nostrum similique qui. Sapiente aliquam ut veritatis consequatur aut mollitia. Eligendi autem facere voluptas debitis. Ut aspernatur odio impedit ipsum eius vero voluptatem.
Molestiae omnis ut labore sequi sunt est sit. Quisquam id illo non voluptate. At consequatur quis deserunt alias.
Voluptatum minima iste eum molestiae. Excepturi voluptatem dignissimos temporibus voluptas repellat. Quo temporibus ratione alias fugit modi quae nam.
Nesciunt quidem molestias molestiae sit iure eius. Repellendus vero reprehenderit adipisci porro officiis. Dolor sit et consequuntur incidunt possimus. Quibusdam veniam quo unde reiciendis accusantium ab necessitatibus.