A day in the life of an associate consultant at Bain
A day in the life of an associate consultant at Bain
What it’s really like to spend a day tackling data, solving problems, and collaborating across teams
Rachna Kumar, an associate consultant at Bain & Company’s Seattle office, shares how she drives impact on client projects while developing her own skills. Here are three key insights from her daily routine and the experiences that come with her role at Bain.
The highlight of my day comes when we present our work to partners and clients, delivering a polished slide deck that captures the depth of our analysis.
Rachna
Associate Consultant
What does a typical morning look like for you and your team at Bain?
Our mornings kick off with a team huddle, where we align on key priorities for the day. We also love to start the day with a fun activity to get our energy up – competitive drawing games and trivia are a couple of our recent favorites! After aligning on priorities with the full team, I connect with my supervisor separately for a more detailed discussion on how we’ll tackle the day’s work and divide responsibilities.
As an associate consultant (AC), I take ownership of building analytical models and slide output. Post-huddle, I dive into building those materials. Sometimes this involves addressing comments on my slides from my supervisor, other times it involves processing new data and building the initial data cuts for the model.
What type of data do you usually receive from clients, and how do you approach processing it?
In a recent project, which involved integrating two companies, we handled data from both companies — meaning double the data and double the complexity! The data ranged from qualitative inputs like internal policy documents to highly detailed financial reports. Our first step was to understand what data we received and how it fit into our existing analysis.
We then analyzed and “sliced” the data by building an Excel model to uncover trends and insights. These models were key inputs into arriving at and quantifying opportunities for our client!
Rachna's team has a morning sync to align on deliverables and plan upcoming client calls.
Quick outfit check with another associate consultant!
What’s been the most rewarding part of your day?
The highlight of my day comes when we present our work to partners and clients. There's a real sense of accomplishment in delivering a polished slide deck that captures the depth of our analysis and recommendations. It's especially exciting to see clients engage with our insights and value the collaboration.
As an AC, I’ve had the privilege of sitting in on meetings with senior executives and contributing to high-level discussions. These moments are not only incredibly rewarding but also serve as invaluable learning experiences.
