PE recruiting at Wharton

Question

I'm a PE associate (bb bank to large cap pe) who applied to hsw round 1. Looks like w is the only option. What is PE recruiting like at the school for those with prior experience? There's not much info on WSO so posting here. I looked at profiles of people at top mm funds like Madison Dearborn and Berkshire partners. Everyone is from h/s or is a lateral (literally). So do half the funds not even recruit at Wharton? Asking because might make sense for me to just recruit laterally and forgo an MBA in that case. Appreciate any insight.

Thanks in advance.

Posted from my mobile device

Thanks in advance.

Posted from my mobile device

Prices · Answer

I'm at a MM PE firm and applied R1. I'm expecting to do my own networking and recruiting. It may be different for mega-funds, but from what I've heard most MM firms do not recruit on campus.

miscer · Answer

Thanks. I agree that we will have to network on our own. I think the issue i'm grappling with is that there are no Wharton associates at the two I mentioned and several other solid MM funds. Hard to imagine people aren't networking with them already.

XIRR · Answer

Not an expert, but I think there's just soooo few post-MBA PE jobs (particularly large cap) that they are all filled by kids who worked at mega funds in PE prior to MBA and then go to HBS (primarily) or GSB (secondarily). Some big funds also sponsor candidates. It's just an impossibly small sample size.

mbaapplicant222 · Answer

Jesus this thread, look at the statistics 9% of Wharton students go into PE/VC after graduation. While not HBS high, it is still a significant figure. So you will have a good shot. Most current students told me that provided you have some PE experience you will definitely get an interview and the rest is left to you, however, if you do not have pre-MBA PE experience you're screwed.

As for recruiting, Most PE firms recruit at Wharton and follow what's called enterprise recruiting, i.e. less structured. That is not to say there is not a lot of job posts, there are, it just means that they don't have a highly detailed process like the consulting and IBanking firms who are the only ones that really follow that structured process. Similar to undergrad, this is done to scoop up candidates that are feeling overwhelmed by the $$$, and would like some certainty to the process.

bb · Answer

PE recruiting at Wharton

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