XLRI

Frequently Asked Questions

• How does Bain’s office/generalist model work?

  1. The ‘Home’ office model: Bain is focused on helping you build a strong connection to your ‘home’ office – most Bainies in India are therefore staffed on Indian cases and we work from home offices on Fridays as a means of ensuring you build your Bain community around you.

  2. Generalist: New Bainies join as generalists and are placed in the thick of the action working across a variety of industries and capabilities.

• What flexibility options (e.g. externships) does Bain offer?

  Bainies have a broad range of opportunities for career flexibility and mobility, including externships in other organizations, short-and-long term transfers to other Bain offices and opportunities to unplug for 2 to 6 months through Take 2, LOA etc.

• What makes Bain’s culture unique?

  Bain India’s culture is a reflection of its people (we proudly call ourselves ‘Bainies’). We are a team of highly committed people who have a passion for delivering results for our clients and helping each other succeed. The best way to see what makes Bain’s culture unique is to experience it first-hand at one of our in-person events!  

• What type of industries and capabilities does Bain India work with?

  Bain India works with a highly diverse set of client types across industries, including Technology (Consumer Tech, Enterprise Tech, Tech Services), Consumer Products & Retail, Alternative Investors, Infrastructure & Real Estate, Healthcare, Financial Services, Energy & Natural Resources, Transportation and Telecommunications.

  We help our clients, who are leaders in their industries, solve their most pressing problems across capabilities including Digital, Strategy, M&A, Customer Experience, Cost Transformation, Operations and Sustainability.

• I am pursuing the HRM program at XLRI. Will I be the right fit for a consulting role at Bain?

  Definitely! We provide you the ecosystem to learn and gain the right skills for the role, through formal and informal trainings (some global) which allow you to gain the necessary toolkit to get started and deliver value for our clients

• What kind of cases does Bain generally use in interviews?

  We use a wide range of case types in our interviews – we do not have a single standardized case that is used and our interviewers will often use cases they have developed based on real-life problems that Bain has worked on (and solved!).

  These range from market entry strategy, to profitability/performance improvement to diligencing a company for a financial investor – but can also include more abstract problems. Following standard case preparation and practicing across a number of case types will set you up well.

• How many people should I take in my case prep group?

  We suggest having a diverse set of case partners to get a range of different perspectives on your case approach and delivery. However, don’t feel that more is always better. What is important is that you are doing high quality prep with case partners who will give you honest feedback and help you improve.

  Remember, you can always do cases outside of your case prep groups, and shortlisted candidates will have the chance to case with your buddy at Bain before the interviews.

• How can I ensure I’m on-track with my case prep?

  In addition to resources available online and the materials shared as part of our pre-placement talk, shortlisted candidates have all been paired with 2 ‘buddies’ who are XLRI alum and have been in your shoes in the last 1-2 years. They are a great sounding board for your case-related questions.

• What additional resources I can refer to?

  Please check our Case Interview materials linked here and learn more.

• Top 3 things that Bain looks for in a candidate

  We look for people who are problem-solvers, leaders and team players.

• Is the buddy process or informal event evaluative?

  As has been through the years, the informal and buddy process are just ways for you to get to know us better. It is and has always been non-evaluative.

• I am pursuing the HRM program. Would that affect my candidature in any way?

  We do not differentiate between the 2 programs -- we look for people who excel in problem solving, have demonstrated leadership and can work in teams. We have XLers from both programs in Bain and we are looking to onboard even more!

• I am a fresher candidate with zero experience. Would that affect my candidature in any way?

  We do not differentiate basic work experience - all we look for is adept problem solving, good teamwork and clear communication as skills. 

• Is expertise required in a particular industry for my candidature?

  We do not differentiate basis industry of prior work experience - all we look for is adept problem solving, good teamwork and clear communication as skills.