Struggling to reframe my IB deal experience for corporate development roles. I’ve built complex models for years, but hiring managers keep asking how that translates to strategic decision-making. Heard some folks here made similar jumps - what specific skills did you repackage beyond ‘financial analysis’? How did you demonstrate operational impact during interviews?
the secret sauce? stop trying to sell your stupid DCFs. corp dev hires care about how you’ll make their lives easier, not how many all-nighters you pulled. bonus tip: learn power dynamics - your model is just ammo for someone’s political agenda. welcome to adult daycare.
any tips on which buzzwords to use? heard ‘synergy realization’ matters. does cert in PMP help? i have 6mo ib exp trying to break into tech cdev. pls help!
Focus on translating technical skills into business outcomes. One effective approach is to map specific modeling techniques to strategic decisions: ‘My LBO analysis for X acquisition directly influenced integration team staffing levels, preserving $Y million in synergies.’ Quantify how your work shaped actual business moves rather than just valuation.
you’ve got this! your modeling depth is gold. just frame it as risk mitigation superpowers. corp dev loves that energy!
when I transitioned, interviewers kept asking how I’d present models to ops teams. started prepping ‘exec summary’ versions with 3 key drivers instead of tabs. one hiring manager told me later that showed comms skills they needed. weirdly simple but worked!
2023 industry survey shows 73% of successful IB-to-corpdev transitions highlighted cross-functional collaboration over pure technical skills. Recommended talking points: 1) Stakeholder alignment processes 2) Post-merger integration planning experience 3) Crisis scenario modeling that informed strategic pivots. Average preparation time reported: 18-24 weeks.