or an equity/stock role it can be a big difference.

One thing I like is that decisions on capital projects or good ROI projects seem to be easier in a PE company. When doing similar things in public companies the approval process has been onerous. I think PE is a bit more volatile than public when it comes to upsizing then downsizing but that can vary depending on the ownership group. If you can get in an equity position (stock in a public company) it can be a great benefit. But in PE make sure you get things in writing and keep those documents.

There is also a difference among PE firms. Working for American Securities was awesome. TPG was a bit more volatile. I also felt like American Securities came in with more realistic expectations and a more concrete plan to achieve them.