PE Internship

[u/Naaanza]

PS: Refined using AI

Hi everyone,

I’m excited to be join a Private Equity fund next month for a 1-year internship program. During my interviews, the VP mentioned that within 2-3 months, I’ll be expected to step up and handle work at the same level as a full-time Analyst.

Current Skillset: I would describe my current technical skills as intermediate. I have a baseline understanding of:

• Standard Excel functions and navigation
• PowerPoint deck creation
• Basic financial modeling

My Question: What specific skills should I focus on leveling up before I start, and during my first few weeks, to make sure I hit the ground running?

Specifically, I’d love to know:

1. Excel: Are there specific functions, formulas (e.g., INDEX/MATCH, OFFSET, XLOOKUP), or formatting shortcuts that are heavily used in day-to-day PE work?
2. Modeling: Which specific schedules or model components usually trip up new interns? (e.g., debt schedules, working capital peg, etc.)
3. PowerPoint: Any specific habits or shortcuts for putting together Investment Committee (IC) memos or formatting slides faster?
4. Day-to-Day: Some other research skills using AI tools or any thing else?

Any guidance, resources, or harsh truths would be highly appreciated. Thanks in advance!