While the job market in the private equity industry remains tight, recruiters and industry professionals claim that smaller firms are providing an opening for those seeking to develop a career in private equity.
This trend appears to be resulting from a slowdown in hiring at larger firms, where most job applicants have historically sought to work. According to industry experts, buyout firms are faced with financing challenges that discourage them from introducing new job openings.
“The resumes that I’m seeing — and the quality of them — are better than what I’ve seen in a long time,” Robert Covington, managing partner of Braemont Capital Management LLC remarked. “It used to be really hard to leave one of the bigger firms because of what they are being paid or the opportunity and that’s just not there right now.”
New York-based recruiting firm Eastward Partners surveyed 15 U.S. private equity firms, finding that hiring had fallen at 12 of them in the six months ending May.