Bain - Summer Intern/Asscociate - Middle East - HIRING PROCESS

Question

I have a question regarding the current hiring process for Summer Intern/Associate positions and other entry-level roles at Bain in the Middle East.

Context: I completed the screening process in January and took the SOVA test over 7 weeks ago. I believe I performed quite well. However, I have not received any response to date - neither rejection nor invitation. Interestingly, I know several people who took the test within the last 7 weeks and received rejection notices almost exactly 2 weeks later.

On one hand, the fact that I haven't received a rejection after 7 weeks seems like a positive sign. On the other hand, I'm tired of this uncertainty. I've reached out to recruiters, but haven't received a response. I'm hesitant to reach out again.

Does anyone have insights into the current hiring process at Bain in the Middle East?

Thank you.

Answer 1

Hi Zhan!

Sorry to hear about the wait.

I have candidates who are applying in the ME, and they heard back much earlier from their applications.

7 weeks is definitely too long.

If you haven't heard back yet, even after following up, I would give it another couple of weeks before following up again OR try to find somebody else to follow up with within a week from now.

Aside from this, I'd recommend that you spend the time in between applying to other firms as well to diversify your risk. You want to have as many leads open as possible.

Sharing with you a guide that discusses this strategy to applying:

Expert Guide: Build A Winning Application Strategy

Good luck!
Cristian

Answer 2

Hi there,

Recruiting in Middle East is working. I have a coachee who is currently interviewing with Bain in Middle East.

Sometimes recruiters are just under the water with dozens of cases like yours. Don't take any assumption on the test results based on the lack of response and keep following up with recruiters every 1-2 weeks.

Finally, you can check how the recruiting process works from an internal Bain perspective here:

MBB Hiring Hacks - Behind the Curtain Secrets

Best,

Alberto

—

Check out my latest case based on a real MBB interview: Sierra Springs

Answer 3

Hi Zhan,

First of all, I am sorry to hear about your negative experience with Bain in the Middle East!

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

First of all, it's not uncommon for consulting firms to have varied timelines for their recruitment processes, even if 7 weeks definitely is quite long.
Moreover, the absence of a rejection is neither a positive nor a negative sign. As such, I would highly advise you to reach out to the recruiter again to inquire about the situation of your application. While you might hesitate to seem pushy, a polite follow-up call after a reasonable waiting period shows your continued interest and enthusiasm for the role.

You can find more on this topic here: How to deal with a rejection from a consulting company.

If you would like a more detailed discussion on your specific situation, please don't hesitate to contact me directly.

Best,

Hagen

Answer 4

Hi Zhan,

To be honest you probably are not going to be interviewed. 7 weeks is a long time and they get flooded with applications.

While it's possible I'm wrong, you should never hang all hopes on one firm.

Assume it's a no so that you can free up mental capacity and energy to keep networking with applying to the 40+ firms you should be applying to!

Answer 5

7 weeks is way too long (more so considering that other candidates already got an answer). You have to reach out to HR as soon as possible.