The field of private equity may seem complex, but with a little investigation, you’ll quickly be able to learn the basics of the industry. An excellent place to start is the Private Equity Minute, a six-part video series featuring Dartmouth College’s Tuck School of Business Professor Colin Blaydon. The series provides an overview of private equity models and details how value is created for private equity-backed companies. The videos are available on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cmeYlJJq9JM.
Take business and finance classes in high school, and ask your teacher to recommend books and Web sites about private equity. One useful book is Introduction to Private Equity: Venture, Growth, LBO and Turn-Around Capital (John Wiley & Sons, 2013). Some colleges have private equity, venture capital, and general finance clubs. For example, the University of Pennsylvania offers an Undergraduate Private Equity & Venture Capital Club (https://www.whartonugpevc.com). Some clubs compete in regional or national investment competitions, which will give you a good opportunity to test your skills against others and make networking contacts.
- Investment Underwriters
- Private Equity Accountants and Auditors
- Private Equity Business Development Directors
- Private Equity Chief Dealmakers
- Private Equity Compliance Professionals
- Private Equity Financial Managers
- Private Equity Investor Relations Specialists
- Private Equity Lawyers
- Private Equity Marketing Specialists
- Private Equity Risk Managers