I was interviewed by a partner in first round case interview at BCG, and I will be interviewed by a Project Leader in the second case interview. Is it common? Many people said that we would be interviewed by partners in the second round of case interview.

Hey!

Just to clarify, is the second round the final round? Typically, at BCG (and other MBB firms), the first round is conducted by Project Leaders (PLs) and Principals, while the final round is conducted by Partners and Senior Partners. However, there are exceptions based on office, interviewer availability, and staffing dynamics.

• The Partner was available earlier – Some offices have flexibility in scheduling, and partners might step in earlier depending on availability.
• Your second-round interview might still be influential – Even if it’s with a Project Leader, they still have significant say in the final decision.
• You might still have a Partner interview later – Some offices have three interviews in total, with the final one conducted by a Partner.

I wouldn’t read too much into it. Focus on preparing for the interview with the PL, as they will still evaluate you rigorously across case performance, structured thinking, and fit.

Best of luck and feel to follow up with any further questions!

Hi there, 

I can only share my experience from the German system here but would say that title as such does not always matter that much it is more about how much experience the person has as an interviewer. In Germany it works the following way: 

Round 1: You only have one interview incl. case and personal fit. This interviewer will, together with the Recruiting Director (but largely independently), decide about you advancing to the second round or not. Hence, these are more senior interviewers with a lot of experience under their belt. Can also be a Consultant but unlikely due to the amount of interviews they need to do to advance to that interviewer level which is why they are most often PL and above. Therefore, doesn't surprise me that it is a Partner (not MDP, that almost never happens). 

Round 2: You usually have two interviews here. Both will get taken into account regarding the final decision of giving you an offer or not. Since you have two points of view, interviewers in the second round might have a little less experience than the person in the first round. Fits to your description of this person being PL. 

Hopefully this was helpful to you! If you have any other questions, feel free to reach out anytime. 

Best, 
Sebastian

Hi there,

The interviewers at BCG change depending on the seniority of the role to which you apply. Here is how it is done at BCG:

Associate:

First round: Project Leaders, Principals and Partners. HR tries to avoid partners at the Associate level but depends on the agenda and interview load.

Second Round: Managing Directors and Partners (MDP)

Consultant:

First round:  Principals and Partners. Project leaders rarely interview here. 

Second Round: Managing Directors and Partners (MDP)

Project Leaders / Principals / Partners:

First round:  Managing Directors and Partners (MDP): Office leaders, node leaders

Second Round: Managing Directors and Senior Partners (MDSP) Practice leaders, system leaders

So, if you apply for entry-level roles, you may be interviewed by a Partner. This interview is similar to a Principal interview. 

Best,

Carlos

Hi there,

First of all, congratulations on the progress in the application process with BCG thus far!

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

• Although less common, some of my coachees have been interviewed by consultants below partner level in their final interview round. But since there is nothing you can do about it, I would advise you not to dwell on such matters.

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 for your upcoming BCG interviews, please don't hesitate to contact me directly.

Best,

Hagen

Is it Partner or MDP?

These are 2 different titles. 

If the title was Partner, then its normal. 

Partners are the new version of senior Principals, they are not equity partners yet - those are the MDPs

That sounds like a bit of an unusual order, but it’s not unheard of. While many candidates do get interviewed by partners in the second round, the specific structure can vary depending on the office, availability, or even the particular focus of your interview. A Project Leader is still a senior figure and will likely assess your problem-solving skills just as rigorously. If anything, it might mean a more structured and case-heavy discussion.

Hi there,

Q: I was interviewed by a partner in first round case interview at BCG, and I will be interviewed by a Project Leader in the second case interview. Is it common?

Not very common (usually you are interviewed by Project Leaders or Principals in the first round) but I saw this happening in the past. It is probably due to the availability of the team for interviews, so I would not worry about it.

Good luck!

Francesco

Hey there, 

So 2 reflections on this:

1. This is not common, but it does happen. Ultimately, scheduling of consultants can often come down to availability of Partners and Project Leads etc. This may be an issue of timetable availability etc. (
2. It doesn't matter whether if it's common or not, you were still going to have a Partner and Project Lead anyways and now you gotta deal with the cards you were dealt So no need for us to speculate further.... you know what you gotta do! :-) 

Wishing you all the best though!!

Hey there ?, it's quite common for BCG to vary the interview panel—sometimes a partner might interview you in the first round while a project leader handles the second round. This approach offers different perspectives on your fit and capabilities, so try not to worry too much about it. Feel free to reach out if you have any more questions. Best, Alessa ?

Hi there,

It’s not the usual setup, but it does happen occasionally when interviewer availability dictates it. 

Nothing to worry about - just approach it as you would any other case interview. The Project Leader will still assess you based on the same criteria, and your performance is what ultimately matters. Good luck!

Cheers,

Florian

Hi there,

I would assume that this was due to scheduling conflicts. Your interview partners typically get more senior the farther you advance in the recruitment process. So this was probably a case of "no other suitable person was available to interview you at that time".

Best of luck

It can happen, if the partner is available at that time.