Bain 1st round format

Hi,

I would still prepare for the fit portion.

When Bain says interviewers will not have access to your CV or application, it usually means they will not ask detailed questions about your specific experiences. It does not mean the interview will be purely case-based.

In most Bain offices, fit is assessed separately and typically covers:

• Motivation: Why consulting / Why Bain / Why this office
• Behavioral questions (leadership, teamwork, challenges, etc.)
• Situational questions

This is a great opportunity to showcase who you are and your genuine motivation for Bain. Bain tends to place significant emphasis on fit and culture, so make sure you have a clear and authentic story.

Good luck!

Hi,

Some Bain offices now run their case interviews CV-blind (interviewers don't see your CV) and keep the fit out of the case session entirely, which is likely why they told you there'll be no CV-specific questions.

That said I'd still be prepared to discuss a couple of things, in case they pop up at any point in the process, or even during side talks: (i) a short overview of yourself and (ii) a clear why consulting, why Bain, and why this office

I'd also double-check the exact format directly with HR, so you know precisely what to expect.

Hope it helps and best of luck with the process!

Federico

Hi there,

First of all, congratulations on the invitation from Bain!

I would be happy to share my thoughts on your question:

• First of all, contrary to what other coaches have said, almost all Bain offices except for the US and a few Asian offices conduct CV-blind first interview rounds. Thus, this is rather the norm than an exception.
• Moreover, contrary to what other coaches have said, you will therefore have exactly three interviews in the first interview round: two case study interviews and the Behavioral Interview, a Bain-specific personal fit interview without any case study part. The Behavioral Interview is quite different to regular personal fit parts at BCG and Tier 2 consulting firms, and I would strongly advise you to prepare for it thoroughly. 

If you would like a more detailed discussion on how to best prepare for your upcoming Bain first-round interviews, please don't hesitate to contact me directly.

Best,

Hagen

Hi, I worked at Bain and this is intentional. The idea is to reduce unconscious bias in the interview process.

If interviewers don't have access to your CV/application, they can evaluate your performance without being influenced by your university, previous employers, grades, nationality, etc. So in these interviews, you should expect the assessment to be primarily focused on the case rather than your personal background.

I wouldn't expect classic CV-based fit questions in this format. You may still have some introductory conversation, of course, but nothing specifically related to your personal history.

This changes later in the process. In the (eventual) final round with Partners, and separately in conversations with HR, your background, motivations and experiences can become much more relevant.

So for R1, given what they've explicitly told you, I would put the vast majority of your preparation time into casing.

Hi there,

Nothing should really change your preparation in terms of preparing for both case readiness and fit/behaviorals. No matter what order/style they come in you're going to be prepared!

Put differently: Does focusing on this question change your odds of success?

Be ready for both. The email tells you not to expect detailed CV questions, but it does not give you a reason to skip fit preparation.

Given this is an internship interview covering both areas, I would recommend my Full Interview Mastery Bundle.

hi!

Yes, this is a blind recruiting format, meaning the interviewers intentionally don’t see your CV or application. That doesn’t necessarily mean it will be pure casing, though. I’d still prepare the standard fit and motivation questions, particularly Why Bain and Why consulting, as these can still come up without relying on your CV.

I’d put most of your preparation into cases, but definitely don’t skip fit preparation altogether. If you want, feel free to reach out and we can practise the Bain blind recruiting format together - I already prepped many ppl for it!

Best, Alessa :)

Hi there - congratulations on being invited to interview. Yes this is intentional as others have stated to reduce unconscious bias in our interviewers. You should be prepared for case interviews and behavioural interviews. I offer both of these as part of my coaching service and can go into great length on both for you (as I very recently left and have done loads of these interviews myself)! Let me know if I can be a coach for you!