Why Bain?
As a recruit, what struck me most about Bain was the quality of its people. Bainees are very talented, motivated and fun-loving individuals. I continue to be impressed by the ability of my colleagues to take their work seriously but not take themselves too seriously. This is a cornerstone of Bain's culture and contributes to a fun work environment. I was also attracted by Bain's results-orientation and its leadership position in private equity. The combination of these factors gave me full confidence that Bain was the right the place to start my career.
My favorite (recent) case
In the summer of 2010 I worked with an asset management firm to develop a new pricing strategy for affluent investors. I built a detailed model to help the client evaluate the economics of various pricing scenarios. I also worked closely with a more junior member of the team to investigate the market opportunity for a new product which was included in the final recommendation to the client. This case was excellent from a professional development perspective. In addition to benefitting from great client exposure, both the senior consultant and manager on the team provided excellent feedback that helped me develop my skill-set and raise my performance to the next level. The lessons I learned on this case have contributed to my success on more recent projects and I continue to learn more each day.
My personal results story
Over the last year, I have faced complex business problems and challenging analytical tasks that often seemed intimidating at first glance. However, in each case Bain has set me up for success by providing great training and surrounding me with exceptional colleagues. These experiences have helped me develop strong analytical skills, improved my business judgment, and taught me to interact with team members and clients more effectively. I continue to develop these skills every day and am confident that they will serve me well throughout my career.
A final thought
My advice to a recruit has three components:
- Invest in preparation: Think about the attributes your interviewer is looking to test (analytical ability, structured thought process, strong communication skills) and practice demonstrating these in a case interview format. This will dramatically improve your odds of success.
- Ask lots of questions: You should think of interviews as a two-way street. Your interviewer will be asking you a lot of questions, so come prepared with some of your own. Take advantage of the opportunity to learn about your interviewer's experiences and get a sense for the firm's culture.
- Be yourself: Your unique skills and experiences are valuable, so don't be afraid to share them. There is no single "profile" that makes a successful consultant.
