Day to day
As an associate consultant, you will be able to work with your case teams in different types of companies, solving a variety of business problems, across a wide range of industries. Your experience will be very, very broad. On each case, ACs find the right information, create and interpret analyses, and present their findings to case teams and clients. Their work becomes the basis of the team's strategic recommendations.

Your specific responsibilities as an associate consultant will span a wide range of activities. Any AC will tell you is that no two days are alike… and describing a "typical day in the life of an AC" is quite challenging. To give you a sense, on a typical case, ACs will spend about half their time on analysis and customer interviews. They will also spend a significant amount of time in team meetings and client visits.

As associate consultants become stronger contributors to their teams, they gain more client contact and broader strategic development responsibilities. More than just "analysts" who report data and analysis "up-the-line," ACs are core to how Bain generates results for clients.

At the end of two or three years, you will look back and it will be hard to believe the diversity of your experience. We believe that no other job out of college prepares you as well to achieve your full potential.

Bain supports you
It's a demanding job, and Bain backs you up. We invest heavily in your training and development throughout your career with us. You'll get real training in strategic thinking, analysis, data-interpretation and working with clients.

You'll also learn as you work directly with managers and other senior consultants every day in an open, collaborative manner which maximizes learning and promotes mentoring relationships. We expect and prepare all ACs to gain the confidence to solve any business problem, in any industry, in any country.

Bain opens doors for associate consultants. Some progress within Bain, by being promoted directly to consultant. As consultants, they continue to sharpen their business skill sets. Others leave Bain after two or three years. Some associate consultants choose to enter business school or other advanced degree programs. Their Bain experience helps them succeed at the most elite graduate schools in the world. Many of those who earn MBAs return to Bain with an offer that includes full tuition reimbursement. Other associate consultants pursue their career goals, either in business or in endeavors in the arts, education or the public sector.

Senior associate consultant

Senior associate consultants (SACs) are often outstanding associate consultants who are promoted after about two years as an AC. The SAC position is also open to candidates with up to three years successful professional experience. We are not looking for any specific industry background, as Bain hires and trains generalists. But we are looking for outstanding analytical and interpersonal skills. Your professional achievements and the quality of your academic background would typically demonstrate these.

The mission and work of a senior associate consultant (SAC) is very similar to that of an associate consultant, but the extra experience and maturity allow him/her to be involved in deeper and higher level client interactions. SACs learn to construct complex strategic solutions and also take on greater leadership within their case teams.

Those joining Bain as senior associate consultants will benefit from the same training programs as out-of-school university graduates, plus they will attend sessions targeted at their specific needs. As with all our consulting staff, performance and progress is formally evaluated every six months, leading to tailor made development advice.