Clear definition of CV Blind Interview

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.

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!

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