Industry and finance focused round

Question

Hi everyone! Today I completed by Bain R2 and I just got a call back. Basically they couldn't decide, as I was very strong on the downstream focused case, but weaker on the upstream/finance focused case. So now they want me to come back for a third interview, which will be specifically focused on this.

I would love some advice on resources and how to start with this. He specifically mentioned things like market dynamics, value creation etc. I think he wants me to understand more about the raw materials industries all that heavy stuff. I just don't know where to begin, and how to really nail this. The finance I understand will probably come with practice, but any tips on that also appreciated. But if you have any advice for resources to consult or frameworks to use, that would be appreciated.

Thank you!

Answer 1

The fact that they called you back is a very strong signal. Bain does not do this unless they genuinely want to hire you. They are giving you a chance to prove you can handle this area. That is good news.

How to prepare:

Read three to four free industry primers from McKinsey or Bain on mining, oil and gas, industrials. You are building intuition, not expertise.
Practice two to three cases in upstream or industrial settings. Force yourself to think about asset utilization, commodity exposure, and capital allocation.
Practice narrating value creation out loud. "In this type of business, value is driven by X, Y, Z." That framing at the start of a case immediately signals you understand the industry.

On "finance focused" cases. They will not quiz you on accounting. They want to see if you can look at financial data, spot the real issue, and connect it to operational drivers. Practice reading P&L statements and asking, "What is the story here?"

You are closer than you think. They already believe you can do the job. This round is just about proving you are not one dimensional.

Feel free to reach out if you want to do a focused practice session on upstream cases before your interview.

Answer 2

Great that you got feedback from the previous round!

And don't worry, it's absolutely normal for them to organise extra rounds in such borderline cases.

Honestly, what you need to show is progress from the previous round.

So you need to be clear on the feedback and then work on it in a targeted way.

Feel free to reach out and I can explain how I work with my own candidates on in-between rounds feedback.

Best,
Cristian