usernamed wrote:
JonAdmissionado wrote:
Lots of clients last year (and a few this year) are VERY excited about Private Equity (PE) and Venture Capital (VC). It is their short term goal, their long term goal…and everything in between. Well I am here to tell you that often times, this is a BAD idea. Lets avoid PE and VC.
Hi Jon, thanks for the above post, I stumbled upon it almost by accident.
I'm an Indian male working as an investment analyst in a boutique private equity fund (AUM <$500 mn) in southern India. I'm a Chartered Accountant and was extremely focused on working in this field since I was studying for CA, and got this job by months and months of grueling networking.
My question is, is the small AUM going to nullify the fact that I'm working in a bonafide PE fund and have good transaction experience?
Target schools: Fuqua, Ross, Darden, Johnson.
Post-MBA goal: Associate in a global PE fund, subsequently set up a fund in India.
Total work-ex: 2 years
Thanks a lot!
Good question. And I'm glad you dug up this old post, because as I was reading it, I was like "My god.. that is soooo true."
Now in your case since you DO work in a bonafide PE house, then sure, go for PE goals. I mean you have the experience, the career history. It all makes sense for you. You want to learn more and move to better positions/firms within your industry. It's just when I read the software programmer and biology student's irrelevant goals to go in to PE (read "my goal is to make loads of cash") that I start to roll my eyes.
In your case though, I'd watch out about one thing, your long term goals of setting up a fund in India. I think just about every single PE guy thinks he is gonna set up his own fund and be a billionaire. But it just doesn't happen. Instead "keep it real", like how about just moving up in a big PE firm. It's nice, it's traditional, it's believable, it's a fantastic job. And once you get into Bschool, do whatever you like
.
Oh yeah, and one last thing - don't apply till at least one more year. Then you'll have enough experience.
Good luck on all!
Best,
JF