Crafting a Resume That Stands Out for a Private Equity Portfolio Company Finance Leadership Role 

Private equity sponsors seek executives who can drive growth, boost EBIDTA margins, and maximize the PE firm’s investments. 

How can your resume effectively showcase this experience to capture the attention of the right audience?

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Provide key company information

Include the specific PE Sponsor and details like revenue and industry – including links is a bonus. Going further, you should specify any growth of the company during your tenure using specific numbers like 2x or 3x versus vague terms like "period of high growth" or "fast expansion." Demonstrating your ability to work for a scaling business is particularly appealing to private equity firms, signaling your potential to contribute not just in the current role but also as the company expands.

Specify your contributions

Even in roles like Controller where direct revenue growth might not be your responsibility, you should still emphasize meaningful contributions to the company's growth. Did you streamline processes, implement cost-saving tools, or negotiate better terms with vendors and lenders? Quantify these accomplishments to showcase your impact. Use specific numbers and percentages to highlight the impact to the bottom line, e.g. “renegotiated services fees saving $500k”, “reduced month end close by 50%”, “improved forecasting accuracy by 20%”, “implemented new ERP system saving 20 hours of manual entries”, or “integrated acquisitions providing seamless support to the executives and operational leaders.”

Spotlight Successful Private Equity Exits

If you have led a company through a successful sale, clearly mention it on your resume. Many CEOs and HR leaders are specifically scanning resumes for these terms. Clarify the nature of the exit—whether it was a strategic sale, IPO, acquisition by another PE firm, or another type of exit. Having experience with successful exits is highly attractive to PE firms as it demonstrates your ability to navigate key milestones and mitigate risks.

In the world of private equity, achieving a profitable exit is the ultimate goal. Having the right talent in place is crucial to reaching this goal. An accomplishment-driven resume that highlights relevant private equity experience can significantly enhance your chances of landing these coveted opportunities.

About Ascension Search Partners

Boasting more than 50 years of combined recruitment experience, we know what it takes to deliver the right talent. Ascension Search Partners was founded on the belief that talent acquisition is a true business partnership, and we believe search partners should offer extensive market and functional knowledge, with an in-depth, consultative approach.

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Working with an executive recruiter can be a rewarding and time-saving experience. It gives you access to job opportunities and candidates that you would not ordinarily be able to connect with. Recruiters spend their days networking, developing relationships, and honing their knowledge of the market; additionally they are seasoned negotiators. Therefore, when you are ready to make a hire or search for a new job, you get the benefit of that 50 hours+ a week of up to date market insight, combined with years of recruitment expertise, so you can focus on what is going on in your day to day. To get the most out of the relationship, here are three tips for working effectively with recruiters:
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To be truly effective, recruiters need to be specialists

Find someone who works in your specific niche, whether you are looking to hire talent or find a new opportunity. They will have access to candidates and jobs that are tailored for your requirements and background. The smaller the niche, the more likely they are to spend extensive time in that area. Recruiters can specialize in function, industry and geography – find one that truly can add value to your search immediately, not someone that will need to start from scratch and develop a network in a new function/industry/region.

Not all recruiters are created equal.

There are good and poor players in all industries. Just because someone has been doing recruitment a long time does not necessarily make them a good resource; there are C players in all organizations. Look to see if you can find reviews for their services. Ask them for examples of specific successes relevant to your search. What is their retention rate? Have they been promoted where they have been, if a large organization? When you are deciding to work with a recruiter, do your homework. Then, once you have made the decision to use their services….

Recruiters are experts – use their advice.

You have hired them as a consultant, so treat them as such. Recruiters do more than just supply resumes or provide job descriptions; they give you valuable information beyond that. If you are looking to hire, they can give you advice on what salary you need to pay to be competitive, how flexible you will need to be on your requirements based on the talent pool available, etc. If you are seeking a new opportunity, they will be able to share with you what options will be available to you given your experience, and provide information on opportunities beyond just the specifications and requirements listed. Partner with your recruiter to help you truly find the right fit beyond a resume or job description. Their advice and insight will be able to help you reach your goal.
For more information on how Ascension Search Partners may be able to help you with your career goals or hiring needs, please email info@ascensionsp.com or call 214-401-1040.