WSO Weekly Wrap-up

March 21, 2026

Hey WSO Monkey,

If you’re currently staring at a model and feeling absolutely nothing for the deal, you’re not alone. This week we’re ranking top PE funds to lateral into, hearing from a Quant HF heavy-hitter, and mapping the jump from IB to Infra. Whether you're chasing an EB offer or just trying to survive the weekend, we’ve got you. Stay hungry.

-Patrick

Top Discussions

  1. My Journey in Infrastructure Investing - "I started in Investment Banking within an Infrastructure & Power team. I initially had an opportunity at a hedge fund in London but chose IB for the broader skillset and flexibility it offers early on. The start was rough—long hours, challenging team dynamics, and a steep learning curve. I nearly quit within the first 2-3 months. What made the difference was support from three team mates (out of a ~15 people team) and my cohort peers spread across the floor, which helped me push through that initial phase. Within 4 months, I had worked on my first buyside deal (involving KKR), which gave me real momentum in the team..."

  2. PE Funds w/ >$10B Funds - "Curious which ones you guys think are the best to join as a junior vs. the worst. Mostly considering path upwards vs. exits. Which ones to avoid like the plague, too lol. I'm at one of these funds and want to lateral to a similar caliber firm. Also, would really, really appreciate any names that are $1B-10B that you think have a really high likelihood of getting to >$10B."

  3. Can You Actually Gain an Edge from Insider Trading Communities? - "There’s no shortage of groups promising ‘insights’ and early information, but very few people talk about how they really work. We went straight to the source and asked an admin to explain the structure, the strategies, and the reality of outcomes for members. Curious if this is something worth paying attention to, or just another rabbit hole?"

New Due Diligence Insights for an M&A Edge

As the M&A landscape continues to evolve, so do best practices in due diligence. SRS Acquiom keeps a close eye on that evolution in our latest study done in partnership with Mergermarket.

Our 2026 Best Practices in M&A Due Diligence study provides exclusive insights into the latest due diligence dynamics, uncovered through a survey of 150 senior executives at boutique, mid-market, and bulge-bracket U.S. investment banks.

What’s driving increasing complexity and timelines, the shifts in cyber security and tech due diligence, how much VDRs really cost, and more—it’s all here, all ready to help you sharpen your M&A edge.

Top Discussions (contd.)

  1. Q&A: COO & Head of Trading @ Systematic Quant Hedge Fund - "Based in Australia. 15+ years on the buy side. Mix of Portfolio Manager and Head of Business / Executive experience. Experience across a range of proprietary trading / hedge fund firms. Broad global markets experience & technical knowledge. Specialise in equities and futures trading, particularly Relative Value / StatArb / Delta Neutral. Focus on Systematic / Semi Systematic and Quantitative approaches. Deep experience applying AI / ML to production trading systems."

  2. Raise your hand if you are still manually calculating DSCR in Excel. Stop it. - "Your portfolio is too complex for manual data entry. LoanBoss doesn't just store loan docs; it automates them. One-click covenant testing. Live forward curves. Instant cash flow forecasting. Stop the manual repetition. Modernize your debt management today."

  3. Struggling With Caring About Deals We Do - "Struggled with this a lot as an associate as well and for me a lot of it was feeling detached from the deals being tied to my comp given no carry at that level. In retrospect, I would have tried to reframe it as needing to make sure I did a deal for the sake of my career trajectory, as having closed a platform really impacts you significantly if you're going to have to lateral or go to MBA and recruit afterwards back to PE. I think it's less impactful internally if the firm just isn't that active during your associate years / they will understand more clearly if you did good work but just got unlucky on actually closing a deal, but even still it is easier to promote you if you did a deal. Try to use that framing to incentivize yourself and feel less detached."

  4. Investment Banking Recruiting Q&A - "I was an Investment Banking Associate at Moelis New York for 2 years after getting my MBA from University of Michigan Ross. I had superdays from GS, MS, Evercore, Moelis, BOA, Citi, Barclays, Citi. Got offers from all of them. During my MBA, I also coached other students in my second year to help them get full time offers. Prior to business school, I did strategy and analytics at Walmart Ecomm and Finance at Intel."

  5. Q&A: Data Center Powered Land Acqs - "I work in powered land acquisitions at one of the largest data center developers, owners, and operators in the U.S..."

New Podcasts Coming in Hot 🔥

  • Zero Finance Background to JP Morgan: The Ultimate MBA Career Pivot

  • How to Break Into Investment Banking | Finance Career Advice

  • From Non-Target to Rothschild: How She Landed UBS & Lazard Offers

Hot Jobs 💼

RE Credit Analyst - "The Analyst will assist with loan underwriting and portfolio management functions, working closely with senior originators and management..."

Senior Analyst, Private Equity Operations - "The Senior Analyst, Private Equity Operations leads the operational management of private deals, from approval and settlement through ongoing lifecycle events such as IPOs, restrictions, corporate actions, and liquidity events..."

Investment Banking Vice President - "This involves reviewing AI outputs for correctness, methodological rigour, and commercial relevance—then building evaluation criteria and model answers that reflect how things are actually done at top-tier banks.."

Private Equity Expert - "Mercor is recruiting U.S./UK/Canada/Europe/Australia-based Private Equity Experts for a research project with a leading foundational model AI lab."

Financial Modeling Expert - "In this highly visible role, you will deploy your deep expertise in financial modeling, valuation, and deal structuring to support major investment decisions across diverse sectors..."

WSO Mentor - "Are you an experienced professional with a background in investment banking, private equity, hedge funds, S&T, venture capital, asset management, equity research, quant finance, corporate dev, real estate finance, or top-tier consulting? Passionate about mentoring the next generation of leaders? Wall Street Oasis (WSO) is expanding its Mentorship Program, and we're looking for outstanding professionals to join our mentor roster—an elite network supporting students and young professionals as they prepare for high-stakes careers. Whether you’re looking to give back, stay connected to rising talent, or sharpen your coaching skills, this role offers you the chance to make a meaningful impact, remotely and on your schedule..."

On Deck - Training 🎓

All in Eastern Standard Time

Stay Strong,
Patrick Curtis
CEO and Founder, WallStreetOasis.com

WSO Mobile App: iOS | Android

PS - We're also always looking to add resume reviewers and WSO Mentors to our team. Set your own pay (from $40/hr to up to $400/hr) to increase or decrease mentee flow. To submit an application, go here.

PPS - Think you have an interesting story? Want to share it with our podcast listeners? Hit reply and let me know!




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