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2026 PE Recruiting Playbook

Private equity recruiting has reached an inflection point. This comprehensive 42-page, 15-chapter guide synthesizes 2023-2026 data from headhunter sources, industry practitioners, and proprietary research to give you actionable intelligence that contradicts or goes beyond mainstream advice. From the 7 headhunter firms that control megafund access to compensation data by level, from paper LBO frameworks to the contrarian insights that give you edge—this is everything you need to navigate on-cycle chaos, off-cycle opportunities, and everything in between.

$67

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Who This Is For

IB analysts preparing for on-cycle or off-cycle PE recruiting

Undergrads targeting direct-to-PE analyst programs

Consultants (MBB, Big 4) exploring PE paths

Anyone who wants insider knowledge, not generic advice

What You Get

Chapter 1: 2026 Market Landscape — Recruiting timeline forecast, market structure analysis, on-cycle vs. off-cycle dynamics, and how the 2026 cycle differs from prior years
Chapter 2: The Headhunter Ecosystem — The 7 firms that control PE access (CPI, Henkel, SG Partners, Ratio, Amity, DSP, Oxbridge), their specialties, and how to approach each
Chapter 3: Bank-to-Fund Pipeline — Which banks and groups place into which funds, placement data by group, and how to position yourself within your bank's pipeline
Chapter 4: Non-Traditional Paths — MBB consulting, Big 4 TAS, corporate development, veterans, and other paths into PE with realistic timelines and requirements
Chapter 5: Undergrad Direct Programs — Blackstone, KKR, Warburg Pincus, Apollo, Carlyle analyst programs, application timelines, and what makes candidates stand out
Chapter 6: LBO Mechanics — Sources & uses from first principles, debt schedules, cash flow waterfall, returns analysis, and the intuition behind every calculation
Chapter 7: Paper LBO Framework — The 10-minute method with full worked example, mental math shortcuts, and the presentation format that impresses interviewers
Chapter 8: Modeling Tests — Time management framework, fatal errors to avoid, and how to handle the 3-hour take-home vs. 1-hour in-office format
Chapter 9: Technical Deep Dive — Accounting, credit concepts, EV/equity bridge, and the follow-up questions that separate offers from dings
Chapter 10: Behavioral & Fit — The 'Why PE' framework, deal discussion structure (60-second walkthrough), and culture signals for megafund vs. middle-market
Chapter 11: Firm Selection — Megafund profiles (BX, KKR, Apollo, TPG, Carlyle, H&F), practitioner rankings, and optimizing for learning, comp, exits, or work-life balance
Chapter 12: Compensation Data — 2025-2026 comp by level (Associate through Partner), megafund to LMM, base, bonus, carry, and co-invest breakdowns
Chapter 13: Career Progression — Promotion rates, what distinguishes people who make Partner, and exit opportunities at each level
Chapter 14: Networking & Applications — Email templates with high response rates, resume tailoring for PE, and the channel-by-channel effectiveness data
Chapter 15: Contrarian Insights — 5 myths debunked (megafund obsession, on-cycle panic, technical overemphasis) with data showing why conventional wisdom fails
Appendix: Mental math rules, IRR approximation tables, common LBO assumptions by sector, and quick-reference cheat sheets

Sample Excerpt

"The conventional 'megafund or bust' mentality is counterproductive for most candidates. 70% of PE buyouts occur in the $25M-$1B range, yet most recruiting advice ignores this reality. Middle-market firms offer superior learning, faster advancement, and comparable long-term outcomes. This guide maps both paths with data, not conventional wisdom."

Full content available after purchase

Frequently Asked Questions

What Readers Say

"The headhunter section alone was worth it. I had no idea CPI asks paper LBOs in their initial calls. This intel saved me from bombing my first impression."

— GS TMT Analyst, Class of 2024

"Finally, advice that isn't 'network and grind technicals.' The bank-to-fund pipeline data helped me target the right groups for lateral moves."

— MM IB Associate → UMM PE

"Coming from MBB, I thought I knew how to prep. The 'Why PE' framework completely changed my story. Got offers from two megafunds."

— Ex-McKinsey → Megafund Associate

100% Money-Back Guarantee

If this playbook doesn't meaningfully improve your PE recruiting prep within 30 days, email us for a full refund. No questions asked. We've helped hundreds of candidates—we're confident this will help you too.

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2026 PE Recruiting Playbook

What You Get

Chapter 1: 2026 Market Landscape — Recruiting timeline forecast, market structure analysis, on-cycle vs. off-cycle dynamics, and how the 2026 cycle differs from prior years

Chapter 2: The Headhunter Ecosystem — The 7 firms that control PE access (CPI, Henkel, SG Partners, Ratio, Amity, DSP, Oxbridge), their specialties, and how to approach each

Chapter 3: Bank-to-Fund Pipeline — Which banks and groups place into which funds, placement data by group, and how to position yourself within your bank's pipeline

Chapter 4: Non-Traditional Paths — MBB consulting, Big 4 TAS, corporate development, veterans, and other paths into PE with realistic timelines and requirements

Chapter 5: Undergrad Direct Programs — Blackstone, KKR, Warburg Pincus, Apollo, Carlyle analyst programs, application timelines, and what makes candidates stand out

Chapter 6: LBO Mechanics — Sources & uses from first principles, debt schedules, cash flow waterfall, returns analysis, and the intuition behind every calculation

Chapter 7: Paper LBO Framework — The 10-minute method with full worked example, mental math shortcuts, and the presentation format that impresses interviewers

Chapter 8: Modeling Tests — Time management framework, fatal errors to avoid, and how to handle the 3-hour take-home vs. 1-hour in-office format

Chapter 9: Technical Deep Dive — Accounting, credit concepts, EV/equity bridge, and the follow-up questions that separate offers from dings

Chapter 10: Behavioral & Fit — The 'Why PE' framework, deal discussion structure (60-second walkthrough), and culture signals for megafund vs. middle-market

Chapter 11: Firm Selection — Megafund profiles (BX, KKR, Apollo, TPG, Carlyle, H&F), practitioner rankings, and optimizing for learning, comp, exits, or work-life balance

Chapter 12: Compensation Data — 2025-2026 comp by level (Associate through Partner), megafund to LMM, base, bonus, carry, and co-invest breakdowns

Chapter 13: Career Progression — Promotion rates, what distinguishes people who make Partner, and exit opportunities at each level

Chapter 14: Networking & Applications — Email templates with high response rates, resume tailoring for PE, and the channel-by-channel effectiveness data

Chapter 15: Contrarian Insights — 5 myths debunked (megafund obsession, on-cycle panic, technical overemphasis) with data showing why conventional wisdom fails

Appendix: Mental math rules, IRR approximation tables, common LBO assumptions by sector, and quick-reference cheat sheets

Sample Excerpt

Full content available after purchase