Every quarter we bring together top PE HR and talent executives to discuss current industry topics and to offer leaders in PE Human Capital the chance to gather, share intel, and decompress with one another. In our most recent event, we discussed many topics and listed our top takeaways below.
These forums are invite-only and follow Chatham House Rules, so listed below are high-level takeaways only. Are you in private equity and interested in joining fellow leading PE professionals during our next Human Capital Forum? Please contact us at events@bluwave.net.
Hiring Portco Execs
- Hiring the “perfect fit” executive for portcos is taking much longer, and many search firms and recruiters are tapped out. Firms are getting more proactive—even engaging specialist recruiters before the deal closes.
- Many shared tips including focusing on the journey of a candidate—ensuring every interaction involves selling the value of your company and assessing the skill set of the candidate. And when they find the right person, they are moving quickly.
Attracting and retaining internal PE talent
- To find people (particularly at the senior associate and VP levels), funds are considering hiring off-cycle and considering non-traditional (non-banking) backgrounds, and committing to onboarding and training. Firms are offering mentorship opportunities with VPs or MDs and regular check-ins—proactively soliciting feedback from junior team members to unearth previously un-voiced concerns and providing them a “safe place” in which to do it.
- Many are leaning into the culture within the firm. Branding has become even more important for both fundraising and attracting talent.
- Some firms are leaning into further defining career paths for juniors versus the historical opacity. Junior talent will get poached if you are not clearly communicating how they stand within the fund.
Lessons learned from hybrid and remote arrangements
- Hybrid flexibility varies by firm—some are full-time in-person, some are requiring in-person on certain days, others offering full hybrid with the expectation of in-person during a prescribed number of times per month. Flexibility is the current perk du jour. Try the best model for your office, and regularly reflect on whether it is working. It is ok to revisit your model and make changes if needed.
We appreciated this latest session bringing together leaders in PE Human Capital, enabling peer-to-peer discussions on current industry hot topics. During our last quarter, Human Capital projects comprised 40% of our overall project mix, so we are well equipped and ready to help you with those needs.
Interested in learning about how we can help you instantly access PE-grade specialized recruiters, organizational effectiveness advisors, compensation study providers, interim talent, and other custom fit human capital resources you may need? Check out our case studies here. If you have an immediate need, contact us here and one of our team members will be in touch shortly, we’ll be happy to help.
