Blackstone president Jon Gray shares how to make the most out of working at a big firm

"“One of the problems with smaller firms is, there's not a space. That smaller tree can't get sunlight,” he said in an interview with Bloomberg that aired on Monday. Gray would know. He started at the firm at just 22 and said he was taken seriously from the start. Gray, who made more than $96 million last year, has spent more than 34 years at the private-markets giant, which manages more than $1.3 trillion in assets and employed more than 5,200 people at the end of last year."

"Now, he said, leaders make a point of calling out innovative, creative efforts in group meetings and rewarding the people behind them. Promoting employees who take strategic risks and exemplify the firm's culture provides younger people with a clear model for climbing the corporate ladder, he added. Ultimately, he said, people want to work somewhere where they have responsibility, are well-paid, and like their colleagues."

"“People often think, 'How do I get an organization to head in a certain direction?' It's not by putting plaques up on the wall with mottos. Who you hire, who you fire, who you promote.” Getting hired at Blackstone as a younger person is no easy feat, though, especially recently. Gray said during a September presentation that the firm's acceptance rate for the 2025 analyst class fell to 0.2% around 57,000 people applied for only 138 entry-level roles."

Large companies can give ambitious employees more runway to rise because growth ceilings are less defined. Smaller firms may limit advancement opportunities, since there is less space for development. Leaders can reinforce culture by recognizing innovative efforts in group meetings and rewarding people who take strategic risks. Clear promotion models help younger employees understand how to climb. People often want responsibility, strong pay, and good colleagues. Organizational direction is shaped by hiring, firing, and promotions rather than slogans. Entry-level access can be extremely competitive, with very low acceptance rates and many roles filled by former summer interns.

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