Private equity firms look for analysts who have M&A and LBO deal experience. They are, after all, in the business of buying companies. So your capital markets or IPO experience isn’t as important to them.
To prepare both your resume and for the interview, you’ll need to make a list of all the deals you’ve worked on and carefully decide which ones to feature, and why they mattered. Go back and review the details of these deals so they’re fresh in your mind.
It’s best to pick unusual deals or ones in which you contributed something significant, or learned something significant. LBO deals are a good choice because you can describe why the deal worked and demonstrate your knowledge of the process.
When talking about a deal, give a brief overview of the company, industry and major deal points, and then describe what was significant about that deal.
In addition, do your homework and be prepared to talk about portfolio of the firm you’re interviewing with. Spend time researching the firm’s major competitors. Ask a few pointed questions. Asking about things such as their business model, revenue model or other strategic questions about a portfolio company is also good way to show you understand their business.
If you don’t have any M&A or LBO deal experience, then you need to find projects that demonstrate similar skills, such as work that improves the
operation of a company, due diligence or in-depth equity research.
You can get more details about finding private equity jobs and nailing the interview by reading Job Search Digest’s Private Equity & Venture Capital Careers Guide.
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