How To Break Into Management Consulting At Bain

Bain has been named "#1 Management Consulting Firm to Work for" by Consulting Magazine for 11 years in a row. The firm is known as one of the "Big 3" management consulting firms. Bain was founded in 1973 and quickly became one of the most sought after management consulting firms in the business. They have a very results driven culture and pride themselves on "producing results for their clients, not just reports."

A unique Bain practice, not used by other top firms like AT Kearney, Booz, BCG, and McKinsey, is the consistent practice of forming mutual economic agreements with their clients. Bain's commitment to delivering results displays tremendous confidence in the Bain business strategy and practices. Since Bain only profits when their clients do, it adds a lot of pressure to deliver for the client. This innovative and bold business function is one reason many see Bain as the best management consulting firm on the planet.

The interview process differs somewhat depending on where you are at in your career. Bain focuses more on case interviews with college graduates and early career candidates while shifting to more of an experienced-based interview for mid and advanced-career professionals. The interview often consists of a blend of case study work and experience-based questions.

Bain management consulting has excellent resources on their website for interested applicants. They actually have an entirely different website and domain showcasing careers as the firm. Candidates would do themselves a favor if they spend some time thoroughly reviewing the entire Bain career website to prepare for their interview. They have several case studies on the site including a video case study. Candidates can find out a great deal about the firm's core values, culture, career paths and the its awards and recognition.

Although Bain hires people from a variety of academic disciplines and life experiences, there are common characteristics that can be found in Bain management consulting professionals. The Firm highly values complex problem solving skills, demonstrated thought leadership, passion, and a results-oriented mentality.

Bain recruits at top-tier colleges and universities all over the world. The firm generally prefers Ivy League graduates, but they also value a wide array of experience and educational backgrounds that hail from outside of the top-tier institutions.

Results are the backbone of the company and for Bain's clients, meaning that employees should be equally results-driven and illustrate tangibly the results they have produced in their own endeavors. Also, it is important that each candidate brand themselves by showing themselves as unique, but also keeping in mind with the qualities Bain looks for in their managing consulting professionals.

Many top consulting firms have a penchant for hiring MBAs, but Bain is very open to hiring people from non-MBA backgrounds. They hire people from a wide variety of disciplines and backgrounds as long as those people can show they have the skill set and characteristics that Bain is looking for.

Bain definitely has a work hard play hard mentality. The firm is dynamic and eschews stagnancy. Bain management consulting associates are very high energy, high performing people who excel at virtually everything they do. Bain encourages its people to be open-minded in their approaches to diversity and offers social groups for minority groups, such as "Blacks at Bain". Bain associates spend a lot of time with each other in and out of the office.

A career at Bain will provide you with the skill set and training you need to do virtually anything with your career. Follow these guidelines, work hard, and don't give up.