How to land a job in private equity, from top execs at Blackstone, KKR, Apollo, and more

• Private equity is a rewarding but challenging field to break into.
• Recent graduates compete with seasoned investment bankers for a precious few job openings.
• Insider lays out what firms like Blackstone, KKR, and others are looking for in new recruits.
• See more stories on Insider’s business page.

The world of private equity is full of high-stakes and pressure. But a job in PE also represents a trusted path to lucrative income and an attractive next step for young investment bankers.

As a result, jobs at PE firms represent some of the most sought-after opportunities on Wall Street.

From the headhunters to know to tips on nailing the grueling hiring process at firms like Blackstone and KKR, Insider has all the details on how to break into private equity.

Top private-equity headhunters

Traditionally, a small group of headhunters have held power over the private equity recruitment process. These gatekeepers are able to make or break candidates’ prospects before they can even interview with PE firms themselves.

Insider built a searchable database of top private-equity headhunters at leading firms, so you know exactly whom to get in touch with to send your latest resumé.

Access the database of more than 250 headhunters here.

How to land a job at Blackstone

We also spoke to Blackstone president Jon Gray, plus the firm’s global head of HR and two of its outside recruiters, to figure out exactly what it takes to land at the prestigious PE firm, which hired just 0.5% of applicants for 2020 analyst jobs.

They also outline what they’re looking for from standout candidates in job interviews.

See our interview with Gray here.

How to get hired at KKR

KKR looks for two main attributes when interviewing a potential investing team candidate: exceptional intellect and strong cultural alignment. The few going through KKR’s hiring process could expect 8 or more interviews to gauge just that.

Insider talked to Grace Koo, a top HR exec at the firm, about the hiring process for a junior investing role at the firm.

Read more here.

Tips from talent execs at Carlyle, Bain, and Apollo

Insider hosted an exclusive webinar featuring top private-equity recruiters to talk about what it takes to land a job at firms like Carlyle, Bain Capital, and Apollo.

The experts talked through what kinds of modeling exams to expect and the quantitative skills job seekers need to demonstrate, as well as how to stand out as someone who could become a future star PE dealmaker and investor.

You can watch our full webinar on private-equity recruiting here.