THE ESSENTIAL ACTIONS YOU MUST TAKE WHEN PREPARING FOR YOUR ASSOCIATE INTERVIEW TO GET INTO PRIVATE EQUITY.

Private Equity only hires the best of the best when it comes to investment and deal professionals. In the current competitive climate, securing your first role in Private Equity will be one of your biggest challenges.

The following advice and tips will help you prepare for applying for your first position as an associate or investment manager in any private equity firm.

Part 1-

Don’t just do your research, do your full due diligence-?This applies to the private equity firm and the portfolio companies.

What you should be researching: The Private Equity firm

• The private equity firm, its range of portfolio companies, their investment thesis, news pages etc…
• Perform a general google search
• The partners at the firm and the team that worked on that deal (This can be found on the ‘meet the team page’ or within press releases about the acquisition)
• Utilise social media platforms such as LinkedIn to research the team members that joined as associates and their backgrounds. This can also be used to understand the company’s culture.

What you should be researching: The Portfolio Company

• Do your research on one or two of the portfolio companies
• Research the company by utilising social media platforms and reading through their website
• Familiarise yourself with the leadership team, understand what their backgrounds are, gain insight into their experience etc…
• Perform a general google search (Go past page 1), use CrunchBase and news outlets
• Research the business’s products and or services
• Read up on press releases on their deals, who was involved at the private equity firm etc…

Part 2-

Gain an understanding of the playing field and its players-?Take into consideration the Private Equity firm and the Portfolio Company

• Be conscious of who the private equity firm’s competitors are
• Understand what each competitor is trying to achieve
• Understand what the Firm, Company, and its competitors’ advantages and disadvantages are

Part 3-

Prepare for the experience and background questions-?filter and synthesis your most recent and relevant experiences and skills

• Know your experience and your current and past roles
• What M&A/consulting projects did you work on, how many were with private equity, and what firms were they
• Review your background and focus on the experiences that relate to private equity
• What experience do you have in the area they invest in?
• Have you got buy and/or sell side experience?
• Brush up on your financial modelling and LBO skills (you will 100% need this)

Part 4-

Find the balance between presenting your professional and personal persona-?You must be passionate and enthusiastic about what you do, but you must also be able to showcase your professional skills.

• Practice and prepare for the typical top-line questions such as; tell me about yourself, tell me about your current role, what is your reason for leaving
• Focus on sharing facts, figures and actions taken
• Don’t waffle. Keep answers short, sharp and relevant

Part 5-

Be prepared to not only answer questions but to ask them-?develop some questions that will help you understand the role you are applying for and the company’s core values in more depth.

Here are some examples:

• What will my first 6 months look like?
• What is the training and development like?
• What do you like about working here?
• Why did you set the firm up/join the firm?
• What sets you apart from other Private Equity firms?
• What would I need to achieve and demonstrate to get promoted to senior associate/vice president?
• Where do you think the firm will be in the next 5 years?
• What is the culture like?
• If within my first 12 months I over achieve and have the best first year, what would that look like?

To work with our specialist private equity professionals’ team and secure your next or first role in private equity, please share your resume/CV to Alex Rawlings, Founder & Managing Partner at Raw Selection?[email protected]?