Kaitlyn Yu

Share your journey to Bain.

When I first started college, I knew two things about myself: I loved math and problem solving. Naturally, this led me to major in Mechanical Engineering at Purdue University. At Purdue, my eagerness to gain experience in anything and everything I could brought me to joining a consulting club on campus. Through that club, I was introduced to the consulting industry. I loved the premise of tackling varying business challenges, continuously learning, and using some of the more analytical pieces I loved about engineering.

My sophomore year, after I attended a Bain info session on campus, I knew this was the place I wanted to start my career. Throughout their visit, every person I met had a contagious energy and ambition that was unique to Bain. That summer I applied for the Associate Consultant Internship.

Do you feel like you can do impactful work at Bain? What opportunities excite you?

Over my time at Bain, I’ve been able to see the tangible impact we have on companies firsthand. At Bain, you have the unique opportunity to help shape how organizations face their most pressing challenges. Whether that’s mapping out a five-year M&A plan or rethinking how to optimize their daily operations, every project tackles some of the toughest problems in the business world today.

What excites me the most is the breadth of work at Bain. Throughout your time here, you get the chance to engage with a wide range of critical issues across industries. That variety and the opportunity to drive real impact is what makes this role so exciting.

“Build Your Own Bain” means creating a thriving career on your own terms. How have you been able to “Build Your Own Bain?”

Since joining Bain, I've grow not only in my professional skill set but also as an individual.

Professionally, I've had the opportunity to work on cases that excite me either in terms of industry or capability involved. From tech and consumer goods, to growth strategy and procurement, each project has challenged me in new ways and helped me build a versatile toolkit.

Individually, Bain has helped me build a community in Chicago. I've developed lasting relationships with mentors from previous cases and extra 10s, deepened my involvement in Women at Bain by helping out plan our WAB dine arounds, and connected with students with similar journeys as mine as a school team lead. I've also had the chance to engage with my own cohort, planning events from kickball games to cohort dinners.

These unique experiences and relationships holistically have shaped my time at Bain helping me "Build my own Bain"