Clear definition of CV Blind Interview

That's a very sharp question. Understanding the parameters of a CV-blind interview is critical, especially at a firm like Bain, which uses it primarily to eliminate selection bias and ensure a pure assessment of problem-solving skills and communication.

Here is the mechanical reality: Your interviewer has not seen your resume or application. The goal is to evaluate you solely on your structured thinking, poise, and ability to handle the case. This means the rules around proper nouns are strict. You absolutely cannot reference specific university names (e.g., "when I was at Stanford...") or specific company names (e.g., "at Goldman Sachs, we handled..."). If you list your degree or GPA, that is also a violation of the spirit of the rule.

The strategic way to handle this is to focus entirely on transferable skills and experiences, using generic placeholders. If you worked at a major bank, say "during my time at a large financial institution." If you studied engineering at a top school, say "in my university coursework, I focused on quantitative analysis and modeling." You are encouraged to describe the type of work, the complexity of the problem, and, most importantly, the impact you generated, but never the institution that housed the experience.

This structure puts huge pressure on your opening "walk me through your background" question. Since they have no frame of reference for your credibility, you must be extremely structured and clearly articulate how your past roles—described generically—have prepared you for consulting. Your performance is purely based on how well you communicate and structure the case, not the impressive logos on your resume.

Good luck with the interview!

CV blind means the interviewer has not seen your resume. They walk in knowing nothing about you.

The purpose is to level the playing field. They judge you on how you perform in the room, not where you went to school or where you worked.

What this means for you: do not assume they know anything. If a behavioral question comes up and your answer involves your background, that is fine. You can mention your experience naturally. You are not forbidden from talking about yourself. You just should not expect them to already know it.

One tip: keep your intro short if they ask for one. They are not looking for a resume walkthrough. A few sentences on who you are and why consulting is enough. Then let your case performance and answers do the talking.

You will be fine. Just focus on thinking clearly and communicating well. That is what they are testing.

Hi there great question!

The blind interview is more-so that the interviewers themselves will not be reading your CV before the interview (so that they are not going in with a bias - whether positive or negative). 

What does this mean for you?

To be honest - I wouldn't overthink it! When the question comes - "tell me about yourself" you don't have to hide company names or where you went to school. Tell your story seamlessly in a way that you feel comfortable. In my time interviewing at Bain I can't imagine anyone expecting you to 'code name' the places you worked. 

Bottom line

It is fine to share your schools/company experience in the interview - the blind aspect is more so for how the interviewer prepares.

Good luck! - Happy to chat more if helpful.

Hi there,

the interviewers will not have seen your CV prior to interviewing you. So it's up to you to showcase your skills and abilities that qualify you for the role you are interviewing for. I have personally not heard of situations in which you are supposed to use code names are redactions when you want to reference your academic background or professional experiences. This is not a meeting among spies and secret agents after all. It is just supposed to level the playing field and remove (or reduce) potential interviewer biases.

Best of luck

In simple words, CV blind interview in Bain means that the interviewer would not have received / read your CV beforehand, and they would not have your CV during the interview either. This is the remove potential bias in the process. 

You don't need to volunteer any background information. Just focus on the case and/or the questions asked. 

Best,

Emily

Hi there,

A CV-blind interview means the interviewer does not see your résumé and evaluates you only based on what you demonstrate during the interview. You are allowed to reference your experiences when answering questions, but you should do so only when relevant and without relying on the interviewer having prior context.

It’s best to briefly set context when you mention an experience, avoid listing credentials unnecessarily, and focus on your actions, thinking, and impact rather than titles or brand names. If the interviewer wants more background, they will ask.

Best,
Evelina

hey there :)

A CV blind interview means the interviewer has not seen your CV and you should not proactively reference your university, grades, employer names or brand signals unless they explicitly ask. You can still talk about your experiences in a neutral way focusing on what you did, how you thought and the impact you had. I have coached many candidates who went through CV blind interviews at Bain and similar firms, and once you understand the logic behind it, it becomes very straightforward. Feel free to reach out if you want to discuss specifics.

best,
Alessa :)

Hi there,

This means the interviewer would not have seen your CV, and the assessment will be entirely dependent on your performance in the interview.

A CV blind interview means the interviewers don't read your CV before they meet you. 

So they don't come with any expectations. 

You, however, are free to share whatever you want with them during the course of the interview.

Best,
Cristian