How to setup efficient timeline of interviews

Hi there,

Well done in getting so many invites! 

You might have some flexibility to discuss with the recruiting teams regarding the interview date / time, within the windows they can accommodate. So, if possible, you might want to schedule your Bain and BCG interviews to a later timeline, when you've already get a bit more practice with the others. E.g., S&, OC&C, RB in August to early Sep, then Bain and BCG in mid to late Sep. 

Best,

Emily

Worth checking with recruiters as to how you can schedule your interviews, as Emily said.

It may make sense to put your priority interviews towards the middle or a bit later of the period, to make sure you have some 'live' interview experience beforehand

You should absolutely use the fact that you’re interviewing at multiple firms to your advantage.

All the firms you listed expect top candidates to be in parallel processes. Mentioning it casually when scheduling can help you buy time, pace yourself, and subtly signal that you're in demand. Just don’t overplay it or use it as a threat.

Try to schedule your least-preferred interviews first as warm-ups. Save Bain (your top choice) for when you're sharpest, ideally after 2–3 live reps. Be proactive about managing timelines, I'm sure they'll accommodate if you communicate early.

Go with Emily’s approach, scheduled it with Bain first for the latest date possible and then continue scheduling from the ones you like the most to the least liked ones, scheduling from late to early in the reverse order. Does that sound confusing? I guess, but you’ve got the point right? 😜

Best,

Mari

Hi there,

Great job securing so many invites—clearly your prep and experience are paying off!

Since you're aiming for Bain and already have a T3 return offer as a fallback, you’re in a strong position to strategically stagger your interviews. Here's a smart way to approach it:

1. Schedule lower-priority interviews first (e.g., OC&C, Roland Berger). These are perfect for getting back into the rhythm of real interviews and sharpening your live performance without the pressure.
2. Target your top choices (Bain, BCG) for 2–3 weeks later, once you’ve had a few live runs and refined your approach based on feedback.
3. Leave some buffer between interviews—avoid packing them all into a single week. Spread them across August and early/mid-September so you can adjust based on how each round goes.
4. Stay in touch with recruiters and don’t hesitate to politely request timeline adjustments if needed—firms are usually flexible within reason.

By building momentum and learning as you go, you’ll be in peak form when it counts most.

Happy to help you prep – feel free to reach out.
 

Best,
Evelina

Hi there,

First of all, congratulations on the invitations!

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

• First of all, I would strongly advise you to consider doing a case interview diagnostic with an experienced coach like me to understand your current level of readiness. The last thing you want is to create and coordinate an interview plan with the recruiting departments, only to find out later that you're not yet ready for the interviews.
• Moreover, with only five consulting firms, I would advise you to save your top consulting firms for last and work your way backwards. Here as well, working with an experienced coach like me who has developed numerous interview plans for coachees may help you lay out your plan realistically, so that overlaps are minimized.

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 your interview plan and/or for your interviews, please don't hesitate to contact me directly.

Best,

Hagen