Hi, I made it to the final round for an expert consultant role at Bain - however, they mentioned I'll need to do a take-home case, but will be conducted in the office. They will send me the pre-work 48 hours beforehand and I will need to have it ready. Not sure what to expect in terms of format or content, so any tips are welcomed!
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Nice, congrats — that’s a great sign.
For these take-home cases at Bain & Company, you can expect something quite practical and close to real project work.
Typically:
- you receive a pack (slides, data, maybe some exhibits)
- you have ~48h to analyze it
- you prepare a short output (usually slides)
- then you present and discuss it in the office
Content-wise, it’s often:
- market assessment / growth
- commercial due diligence
- or a specific business problem with data
A few practical tips:
1. Keep it simple and structured
Don’t try to be overly creative.
Clear storyline > complex analysis.
2. Be hypothesis-driven
Don’t just “analyze everything.”
Have a point of view and use the data to support it.
3. Slides matter
Make sure they are:
- clean
- easy to read
- with clear takeaways (title = message)
4. Focus on insights, not just analysis
They care about:
- what does it mean
- what should the client do
5. Be ready to defend your choices
In the discussion, they’ll likely challenge:
- assumptions
- prioritization
- conclusions
So be ready to explain your reasoning.
Think of it less as a “test” and more as a mini project simulation.
If you want, happy to help you, please feel free to DM :)
Congrats for getting this far! Building on Mauro's great answer, my short suggestion is making sure that you come in with:
1. A strong hypothesis that is backed by both quantitative and qualitative elements. E.g., in a market sizing, saying "The market for South Korean tractors is $23B" is not enough, you want to aim for something like "The client should enter the $23B market for South Korean tractors because x, y, and z"
2. A clear plan for your client that involves a quantifiable target and pragmatic next steps to execute.
The perception on experienced hires is that they are great for depth of analysis, but are not as hypothesis-driven and action-oriented as career consultants
Good luck for your final round!
Tom
Hi there,
Congrats on making it to the final round!
A few things to keep in mind:
1. Most casing principles still apply. Be crystal clear on the objective. Ruthlessly cut out information that doesn't help you meet the objective. Think and communicate in a structured way throughout.
2. Lead with your recommendation. Don't bury it at the end. State your view upfront... hypothesis driven... and use the analysis to support it. Your slides should have clear action oriented titles where the takeaway comes from the title itself.
3. Be ready to defend your choices. In the office presentation they'll challenge your assumptions and conclusions. Have a rationale for everything. Strong opinion, lightly held.
4. Practice and simulate this beforehand. Getting a coach to help you run through scenarios and how to react in inevitably challenging moments will do a world of good.
I actually have 30+ real written cases from MBB and beyond... happy to share some and/or run you through one. Shoot me a message.
Other helpful Q&As:
Scenario interview presentation prep
How to practice written case interviews
And to properly simulate this before the real thing: book a session here.
Good luck!
Yes, I've worked on this sort of case format with multiple other candidates. So do reach out if you need help.
It is similar to a live case, only that it is more complex and you are provided with a lot more information. They will also put more emphasis on evaluating your presentation skills, not only the analytical ones.
Best,
Cristian
Congrats on the final round. I've been on the interviewer side of these at Bain, so here's the quick version.
You'll get a prompt with some data 48 hours before. Build an analysis, make a short deck (5-8 slides), and present it in the office. The Q&A after is where they push hardest.
The case will be in your area of expertise. That's the whole point of a take-home for expert hires. Expect something commercial in your sector.
Here's how I'd use the 48 hours.
Day 1 is for analysis. Read the prompt twice before you open Excel. Write your hypothesis on a blank page first. Then build a clean model. Don't over-engineer it. They care about clear thinking, not a huge spreadsheet.
Day 2 is for the story. Build a tight deck. One message per slide. Your first slide is your recommendation, not an agenda. Leave the last few hours to rehearse out loud. Aim for a 15-20 minute walkthrough.
Few things that matter at this level.
- Start with the answer. Don't build up to it.
- Show judgment, not just math. They want to see you make a call with incomplete data.
- Prepare for pushback. They will challenge your numbers and assumptions. Have answers ready.
- Bring printed copies. Small thing, matters in the room.
At expert hire level, Bain is buying judgment. Speak like you're already the senior person in the room.
