| Topic Name: |
Entry-Level |
| Message Name: |
wrong way to look at it |
| Date Posted: |
10/05/2000 |
| In Reply To: |
I was previously employed as a strategy consultant prior to joining a private equity firm. I think most private equity firms will agree that strategic thinking is useful, but they will also agree that strategic thinking is more easily derived than modeling (albeit this is monkey business) or structuring. If you are a strategy consultant and are thinking about private equity, try to get as much due diligence and valuation experience as possible. You may also want to apply to firms that favor strategy consultants (e.g. AEA, Bain Capital). |
| Message: |
It really is bizarro to hear about people saying that consulting is poor preparation for VC. It shows you're looking at skills like an accounting major from Dipshit U or an EE, for god's sake.
VC firms don't give a fuck if you can analyze or build a business or anything. They care about a few things (when hiring below the partner level):
1. Did you have a prestigious eductional pedigree?
2. Can you schmooze like a mother-fuck?
3. Are you good-looking?
4. Can you wheel and deal?
5. Do you know lots of players?
6. Does your work pedigree sound prestigious?
7. Can you talk bullshit like nobody's business?
8. Are you arrogant and pretentious enough?
They don't care whether you worked for Bain or Goldman or Microsoft or Wilson Sonsini. Makes no difference. Same shit to them. Do any of those jobs and get an MBA from Stanford or Harvard (or a JD or PHD) and you're ready to rock and roll.
If you're getting caught up in "whether my experience is right to become a VC", you're clearly not ready to become a VC - you lack the arrogance and brutality necessary.
The VC biz is not a what you know business. It's a who you know business.
|
|
