i’ve seen endless career maps—some optimistic, some doom-laden—but few grounded in what actually happens on desks. veterans told me the truth: the first two years are about technical credibility; years 3–5 are network-building and niche deal exposure; after 5–7 years you either tilt into operational roles, move laterally with a pivot plan, or stay climbing the IB ladder. exits depend on signals: owning a deal process, building repeatable client relationships, and demonstrable product or operating experience for tech roles. i’m mapping my next 36 months—what milestones should i lock in to keep exit options open?
milestones? get used to a few truths: nobody hands you exits; you need leverage. own pieces of deals, make sponsors like your work, and log every measurable contribution. if you want PE, aim for modelling + deal sourcing exposure. for PM, show product thinking—build stuff out of hours. most people think an exit is a promo; it’s not. it’s a network + a story + evidence. do the boring work that builds that evidence.
also, learn to tell a clean exit story by year three. recruiters don’t care about your feelings; they want a concise arc showing skills transferrable to PE or PM. craft that early and collect proof.
i started tracking deals i touched and lessons learned weekly. small list but already helps me in interviews. any tips to make it better?
i worry switching to pm later will be hard. how do ppl show product experience from banking?
A realistic roadmap balances capabilities, relationships, and timing. Early (years 0–2): master technical fundamentals and document quantifiable outputs—model accuracy, speed, and specific contributions to memo sections. Mid (years 2–4): diversify exposure—work on at least two deal types and start owning client-facing elements such as data requests or meeting follow-ups; begin building external networks—recruiters, alumni, operating partners. Late (years 4–7): translate banking achievements into role-specific narratives—PE hires for deal execution and sourcing; PM hires for user/customer-oriented problem solving and cross-functional leadership. Parallel moves increase optionality: take a secondment, lead a pro bono project with measurable outcomes, or co-author a thought piece. Set quarterly milestones tied to evidence you can show in interviews. Which exit are you leaning toward and what skills do you already have that map to it?
great question—keep documenting wins and building relationships. with consistent steps, you can pivot successfully!
i left after year four because i had a neat story: i led three carve-outs, owned the model, and introduced a buyer. recruiters loved the narrative because it showed ownership and outcomes. the exit wasn’t sudden; it was the product of small, consistent proofs collected over years. i’d advise logging every tiny win—those pile up into a convincing exit story.
a friend transitioned to PM by doing a side analytics project for a portfolio company and presenting results. it wasn’t glamorous, but it showed product thinking and got him interviews.
analyzing 50 successful exits from my network, common predictors emerge: documented deal ownership (80% of PE hires), repeat client interaction (65%), and demonstrable product/ops projects (75% for PM transfers). Timelines: median banking tenure before PE = 3.5 years; before PM = 4.2 years. My recommendation: create a 12-month evidence plan with four quarterly goals—each goal must produce one piece of tangible evidence (model, memo section you authored, client email thread showing responsibility, or a product analytics deliverable). Quantify outcomes where possible: % savings, revenue impact, or process time reduced. Recruiters respond to numbers and ownership, not feelings.