Each project arrives with its purpose, milestones and first tasks written out. Here is how the first three read.
Honest readiness check for a move into private equity
Most failed PE processes are decided before the first interview, by thin deal experience, a story that does not hang together or a candidate who started preparing the week headhunters called. Scoring yourself now on deal exposure, modelling confidence, fit story and available time tells you whether to aim for this on-cycle wave, the off-cycle market or a later year, and what to fix first.
First tasks
- List every deal you have staffed on, with stage reached and your role
- Score yourself one to five on deal exposure, modelling, story and time
- Ask a friend already in private equity to challenge your scores
- Write down the recruiting window you are aiming for and why
Fund strategy map from mega-cap buyout to growth
Private equity is not one job: a large-cap buyout fund, an upper middle market sponsor, a lower middle market shop, a growth equity investor and an infrastructure or credit fund hire differently and expect different deal stories. Mapping the strategies against your experience and the life you want stops you spraying applications at funds whose work you would not enjoy and whose interviews you have not prepared for.
First tasks
- Write down six strategies, from large-cap buyout to growth and credit
- Note typical deal size and associate workload for each one
- Ask two contacts in different strategies what their weeks look like
- Choose two or three primary strategies and record why
Target list of forty funds in tiers
When the on-cycle process starts, headhunters ask within minutes which funds you want, and a vague answer gets you routed to whatever they are filling. A tiered list of around forty funds, with strategy, size, sector focus and the headhunter each uses, lets you answer precisely and spot gaps in your coverage before the wave begins.
First tasks
- Start a sheet with columns for strategy, fund size, sector, office and headhunter
- Add funds from deal announcements your group worked alongside
- Ask senior colleagues which sponsors they rate and why
- Tier every fund as reach, core or safety
- Mark the funds where you already know someone
