Assuming you have the right background, there are a number of strategies and resources you can leverage to help secure a private equity job.
Private Equity Resumes
Just like any other professional role, your resume is your main “first impression” document. PE hiring managers are insanely busy and if they don’t see what they’re looking for within 30 seconds, your resume will be overlooked. The ideal PE resume should:
- Primarily focus on relevant investment banking and deal experience.
- Mention previous internships and jobs briefly and only if relevant
- Briefly include educational credentials (University, GPA, SAT scores)
- Very briefly mention Skills / Activities / Interests – don’t overdo it.
Refer to our full article on Private Equity Resumes (with Downloadable Templates and Examples) for more information.
Private Equity Interviews and What To Expect
In most cases, getting into the interview is actually harder than the interview itself. And the process will be somewhat different depending if it’s an on-cycle or off-cycle process.
That being said, almost all PE interviews have the following characteristics in common:
- Multiple Rounds: 2-3 rounds minimum (and sometimes many more!) where you speak with professionals at different levels of the firm.
- Topics Tested:
- Fit/background questions
- Technical questions
- Deal/client experience questions
- Questions about the firm’s strategies and portfolio
- Market/industry questions
- Plus undergo case study and modeling tests
Interviews will naturally include common questions, such as Why Private Equity? and Can you walk me through your resume?. You can also expect questions about your strengths and weaknesses.
For a deeper coverage of this topic, see our article on Private Equity Interviews 101: How To Win Offers.
Starting As A Private Equity Analyst
Up until relatively recently, Private Equity Analyst positions did not exist.
Banks hired the top students out of undergrad for Investment Banking Analyst roles, then the big PE firms swooped in to hire away trained bankers after a couple of years.
But then someone in private equity wondered why PE firms don’t just hire their own analysts and groom them themselves.
And just like that, Private Equity Analyst positions were born.
So, should you start as an Investment Banking Analyst and transition over to PE, or should you go straight into Private Equity? This article on Investment Banking vs Private Equity will help answer that question.
