PE recruiting guides

Last updated Oct 2026.

• PE Headhunters List (2026)

  A list of 31 private equity headhunters grouped by focus (mega-fund, middle market, Europe, executive search), with HQ, levels recruited and reported fund coverage.

• On-Cycle Recruiting 2026: Timeline & What to Expect

  What happened in private equity on-cycle recruiting from 2024 to 2026, including the 2025 pause, the Jan 2026 restart and Apollo's Oct 15, 2026 pause for the 2028 class. Sourced.

• How PE Headhunters Work: A Guide for Bankers

  How private equity headhunters work for investment bankers: how they get paid, intro meetings, paper LBOs, modeling tests, the on-cycle process and etiquette.

• CPI vs Henkel vs SG Partners

  CPI vs Henkel Search Partners vs SG Partners compared: founding, offices, levels, placements and reported fund coverage (with as-of dates), from public sources.