How to Sound Less Corporate and More PE

If you're a seasoned executive looking to break into private equity—or advance within a PE-backed company—how you talk about your experience matters. A lot.

PE firms don’t just want experienced leaders. They want value creators who understand the investor mindset, move with urgency, and speak in terms of outcomes. Too often, strong candidates get passed over simply because they sound too “corporate.”

Here’s how to shift your language—and mindset—to sound more PE-ready.

Corporate vs. PE: What’s the Difference?

Corporate Speak

• “Led a global team across functions.”
• “Implemented a strategic initiative to improve engagement.”
• “Navigated complex matrixed environments.”

PE-Backed Speak

• “Built a lean, accountable team that drove 30% revenue growth.”
• “Launched a retention program that reduced churn by 15% and added $4M in LTV.”
• “Cut through complexity to accelerate decision-making and drive execution.”

Private equity is about results, not process. Your communication should reflect that.

5 Ways to Sound More PE-Ready

1. Talk in Dollars and Outcomes

Avoid vague statements like “drove efficiency” or “transformed culture.” Instead, speak in terms of:

• Revenue
• EBITDA
• Margin expansion
• Cash flow
• Working capital impact

Example:

“Consolidated vendors and improved gross margin by 220bps in 9 months.”

“Improved procurement efficiency through vendor relationships.”

2. Use the Language of Investors

Show you understand the investment lens by referencing:

• P&L ownership
• Value creation planning
• Trade-offs (growth vs. cash flow)
• Exit readiness

Example:

“Delivered pricing changes that improved top-line growth while protecting EBITDA.”

3. Cut the Bureaucratic Jargon

Lose terms like:

• “Stakeholder alignment”
• “Synergy realization”
• “Strategic governance”

Replace them with plain, actionable language that shows ownership.

Example:

“Set clear KPIs across teams to hit our 24-month growth targets.”

“Oversaw alignment of cross-functional priorities.”

4. Demonstrate Urgency and Accountability

PE timelines are fast. Use direct, active voice:

“I owned…”

“I delivered…”

“I restructured…”

Avoid soft phrases like:

“I was involved in…”

“I participated in…”

5. Tie Functional Work to Commercial Impact

Whatever your role—finance, ops, tech, HR—connect it to value.

Example:

“Revamped onboarding to cut time-to-value by 40%, reducing churn.”

“Implemented new onboarding workflows for team efficiency.”

Bonus: Use PE Vocabulary Where Appropriate

Drop in terms they use:

• Value creation plan
• Margin expansion
• Exit strategy
• Add-backs
• Operating cadence
• Pro forma bridge
• Capital efficiency
• Playbook execution

The right vocabulary signals you “get it.” If you’re not fluent yet, start learning.

Final Thought

You don’t need to erase your corporate background—you just need to translate it. In private equity, language isn’t about fluff. It’s about results, velocity, and ownership.

Be sharper.

Be more bottom-line.

Speak like a value creator.

For more information about this topic, check out our Guide on Shifting from Corporate.

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