This is my fourth year applying to Bain’s Associate Consultant (for working professionals) role. San Francisco is my first office preference, followed by New York and Chicago. A senior partner in the San Francisco office referred me.
Last year, I received an assessment shortly after applying. This year, I didn’t receive an assessment, but after the application closed about two weeks ago, I received a supplementary questionnaire. The recruiter had said candidates would hear back around this time.
The questionnaire asks, “If hired, would you require immigration sponsorship now or in the future?” It offers two answers: “Yes, I require sponsorship to work in the US” and “No, I do not require sponsorship to work in the US.”
I’m currently authorized to work in the US without sponsorship until the end of next year, but I would need sponsorship to keep working here after that. With the H-1B changes and current uncertainty, I’m unsure how this could affect my chances. Could answering “Yes” lead to an immediate rejection, or might Bain still consider my application and invite me to interview? I understand Bain has sponsored employees in the past, but I don’t know how recruiters are handling this now.
How would you interpret the question? Should I answer “Yes” and clarify my current work authorization in the comments, or is “No” accurate because I don’t need sponsorship to start working?
The questionnaire also lists start dates of January 25 and March 22, 2027, and says the role starts at the first-year level. Any advice on those questions would be helpful too.
