Will be a second year this July and was wondering how it looks to firms and headhunters doing on-cycle for 2026. Did not participate in 2025 on-cycle. Wanted to hear thoughts from people who have done it / if it lowers your chances. Thanks!
| +30 | To all associates coming up on the 2 year mark, how bad is it to have no deals done? | 9 | 2h | |
| +27 | Easiest way to make about $2mm/y | 19 | 1d | |
| +26 | VP Level - when to follow up after final round | 10 | 1d | |
| +23 | Sr Asso / VP Unemployment Check-in | 5 | 3s | |
| +20 | Vista Lateral Associate | 12 | 2h | |
| +16 | IB/PE Lifers, Was It Worth It? | 5 | 18h | |
| +14 | Why is Blackstone so dominant? | 9 | 3d | |
| +14 | Anyone here work at 777? | 13 | 20h | |
| +14 | EBITDA walkdown to cash flow for debt service | 10 | 5d | |
| +14 | Boss says one thing and does another | 7 | 2h |
Career Resources
Get instant access to lessons taught by experienced private equity pros and bulge bracket investment bankers including financial statement modeling, DCF, M&A, LBO, Comps and Excel Modeling.
following
Bump
You’re actually better off (assuming you genuinely didn’t recruit as a first year). You’ll be notably more polished and have more experience to discuss than a first year weeks out of college (AKA you’ll be a differentiated candidate with potential to place better). Plus, ideally you’ll have a better sense of what you’re looking for having spent 12 months on the desk.
Good luck. I’d say you were smart to wait as it’s really hard for folks like me to discern the quality of a bunch of brand new first years.
Edit - if you dipped your toe in first year and just didn’t place, my feedback would be different as you may appear as more “damaged goods” but doesn’t sound like the case here.
For the “recruiting as a first year” point do you mean recruiting on-cycle or off cycle as a first year?
Doesn’t really matter (lines are blurring). I just mean as long as you didn’t strike out at a bunch of late stage interviews as an A1, you’re fine.
How would your advice change if someone didn't place as a first year?
Dolorum esse beatae qui odit molestias. Doloribus labore quia eum reiciendis nihil.
Voluptas esse quis quia laudantium autem. Repellendus voluptas eveniet nesciunt vel officia qui ratione. In in quam voluptate dolores laudantium voluptatem quia.
Numquam officia odio et esse. Minus officiis distinctio ratione. Eligendi recusandae consequatur consequatur sint. Sit velit voluptatem omnis veniam aut. Sunt corporis at adipisci aliquam.
Et voluptatibus quibusdam vel officia est atque quod. Labore repellendus ratione quo maxime quidem quia. Est et non et. Corporis architecto dignissimos sunt labore omnis aliquid. Blanditiis dolorum quod eveniet.
See All Comments - 100% Free
WSO depends on everyone being able to pitch in when they know something. Unlock with your email and get bonus: 6 financial modeling lessons free ($199 value)
or Unlock with your social account...