Hi Everyone!
Anyone else who has given the SOVA Assessment already as an experienced hire for the consultant position in Dubai Bain? The email stated that they would get back in two weeks from the deadline (12th November, 2025) and that would be today (25th November, 2025).
That waiting period is tough, especially when they miss the internal deadline they set. It's completely understandable why you're checking the forums.
Here is the reality of the Experienced Hire recruiting machine, particularly for a high-demand, regional hub like Bain Dubai: the two-week deadline is almost always an aspirational target set by recruiting staff, but the actual review process for candidates who passed the assessment (the complex files) often requires manual Partner oversight. Experienced Hire profiles need to be matched not just against a general score threshold, but against highly specific headcount needs in the Middle East office, and that capacity review is often driven by Partners or Principals who are simultaneously traveling and running projects.
A delay in communication is very rarely a bad sign. If you had been screened out automatically based purely on your SOVA score, that email would have been automated and sent exactly on time. A slow response means your profile is currently sitting in a manual review stack and is awaiting ranking approval against the current roster of open slots. That process is governed by the bandwidth of senior leadership, not the efficiency of the HR system.
Do not wait for the confirmation email before acting. Assume you passed the initial hurdle and use this extra time to aggressively dial in your case prep and fit stories relevant to the GCC market. Refreshing your inbox won't make the Partner review your file any faster, but being razor-sharp for the upcoming interviews absolutely will.
All the best.
I haven’t heard back either. I applied for the same role but for the Riyadh office. I imagine things are a bit slow with year-end approaching, so comms from the recruiting team might take longer than usual. Hopefully, we’ll hear back later this year or early next year. Best of luck!
Hi there,
First of all, congratulations on the progress in the application process with Bain thus far!
I would be happy to share my thoughts on your situation:
You can find more on this topic here: How to succeed in the final interview round.
If you would like a more detailed discussion on how to best prepare for your upcoming Bain final-round interviews, please don’t hesitate to contact me directly.
Best,
Hagen
Sorry to hear that you haven't heard back, but try not to read too much into it.
That's rather normal. Sometimes it just takes longer, or they batch the responses. It doesn't mean anything about your application per se.
Best,
Cristian
The candidate I have for Bain Dubai is still waiting on the result.
This is what the body said - "We hope this email finds you well. We wanted to share the upcoming Spotlight on Middle East: Navigating AC & CON Interview Journey exclusive webinar event, organized by Bain & Company. This insightful session will highlight behind-the-scenes look at the AC and CON interview journey in our Middle East offices. This isn’t your typical info session. You’ll hear straight from Bainies who’ve been through the interview process, and from the recruiter who helps run it. Expect candid advice, real prep tips, and a clearer picture of what success looks like. Come with questions, leave with insights. To attend this 45min session, please register HERE. After entering your name and email address, you will receive a confirmation email with the Zoom link to access the session. We hope you can join us and look forward to your participation. Best regards, Middle East Recruiting" - is this something special/not? because I have attended other Bain seminars but the emails were generic and did not have "invitation" marked on them. Am I looking too into it?