Finalizing offers from two MM private equity firms. Both are playing hardball on carry structure - ‘standard for first-time associates.’ But I know my MBB deal experience brings more value than typical MBA hires. For those who negotiated successfully: What levers actually worked? Did anyone get accelerated vesting or fee-share components? How hard can you push before they rescind offers?
leverage? you have none. PE shops have 100 hungry ex-bankers waiting. take the 1.5x consulting salary and pray for carry that never materializes
got told ‘this is non-negotiable’ on bonus % - should i still counter?
Three actionable strategies: 1) Negotiate deal sourcing bonuses for proprietary opportunities 2) Request quarterly vs annual performance evaluations for faster title progression 3) Push for consulting-style vacation policies (most PE shops use banking PTO systems). Best time to negotiate is after the first closed deal.
Managed to get 10% fee interest on deals I sourced by showing my consulting pipeline metrics. But be warned - PE firms are masters at creative dilution. That 10% became 2% after three funding rounds.