Bain behavioral interview

Hi there,

Congratulations on securing an interview at Bain for an AC (Associate Consultant) role. The behavioral interview is an important part of the selection process, and preparing for it is crucial. While the specific questions can vary, here are some additional topics you might expect in a behavioral interview:

1. Problem-solving: You may be asked about a time when you encountered a complex problem and how you approached finding a solution. Prepare examples that highlight your analytical and critical thinking skills.

2. Adaptability: The interviewer may want to know how you handle change or unexpected situations. Be ready to share a time when you had to adapt quickly and how you managed it.

3. Communication: Expect questions about your communication skills, both written and verbal. Be prepared to discuss instances where you effectively conveyed information or dealt with a difficult communication challenge.

4. Time management: Bain values time management, so be prepared to talk about how you prioritize tasks, meet deadlines, and handle competing priorities.

5. Initiative and drive: You may be asked about instances when you took the initiative to go above and beyond what was expected of you or how you demonstrated a strong work ethic.

6. Client focus: Bain is a client-focused firm, so anticipate questions about your ability to build relationships with clients, understand their needs, and deliver exceptional service.

7. Conflict resolution: Prepare examples that demonstrate your ability to handle conflicts or disagreements within a team or with clients in a professional and constructive manner.

In addition to preparing your answers, it's important to have thoughtful questions to ask the interviewer. This shows your interest in the role and helps you gather information. Here are some questions you can consider:

1. Can you tell me more about the culture and values of Bain?

2. How does Bain support the professional development of its associates?

3. Can you describe the typical career progression for someone in the AC role?

4. What is the most exciting or challenging project that an AC has worked on recently?

5. How does Bain foster collaboration and teamwork among its employees?

6. Can you share some examples of how Bain has made a positive impact on its clients?

Remember to also research Bain and the specific industry or sector you're applying for to show your knowledge and interest during the interview.

This can be a helpful guide for preparing for behavioral interview questions. It offers a list of common behavioral questions and provides tips on how to approach them.

Hi there,

Bain is currently transitioning to a new interview format, both for the case and the fit interview.

With regards to your question about the fit interview, they are moving more towards a typical McKinsey PEI (more on that below), still keeping a couple of elements of more traditional elements of the fit in the mix.

Prepare for the typical fit questions

1. Tell me about yourself/Guide me through your resume
2. Why consulting
3. Why Bain
4. What qualities and skills could you add
5. Talk about situations where you displayed leadership, problem-solving, persuasion
6. Discuss a time when you faced a setback, had to overcome a challenge
7. Strengths and Weaknesses

Prober longer story format questions

Learn how to develop stories that are deep and insightful using a proper framework. While the article discusses the McKinsey-specific dimensions, the way content should be created, structured, and delivered would also be the same for the new Bain format: https://www.preplounge.com/mckinsey-pei

Bonus → prepare for the new case format

It makes sense then to become familiar with interviewer-led formats: https://preplounge.com/mckinsey-interview

Cheers,

Florian

Hi there, 

Congrats on approaching the interview!

There are three parts usually to these interviews:

1. Meet and greet. This is the beginning part of the discussion. It's your chance to make a good impression on the interview. Try to be relaxed and curious. Introduce yourself and ask about their experience. This point in the interview is critical because it gives you the chance to connect with the interviewer. 
2. Sharing impact stories. You will be asked 1-2 questions here to share impact stories from your experience. These can be from any area of your life and they test your communication skills, your structuring ability and your growth mindset (ability to learn from success or failure). You can expect to be asked about stories of you taking initiative, leading others, having an impact, pursuing a passion, failing or succeeding. I provide my candidates with a list of typical questions that are asked in MBB interviews and which they then use as a means of preparing for the interview.
3. Ending Q&A. A great candidate also has great questions, showing deep curiosity and interest in the role and the interviewer. One great question to ask is - ‘as a more senior consultant / Partner, what are the 1-2 things you would recommend someone like me who is just starting out in the industry to make sure I have a successful and rewarding career? People loves this question because it allows them to reminisce and share advice. 

Best of luck!
Cristian

Hi there,

1) What can I expect other than the main leadership/ convincing a group/ failure/ teamwork/ major success questions and what should I focus most on?

Common fit questions you may expect in a consulting interview are:

1. Tell me about yourself
2. Why consulting
3. Why us
4. Give me an example of when you led a team
5. Tell me about a time when you had to convince someone
6. What has been your major achievement so far
7. Tell me about a time when you failed
8. Why should we hire you

Questions about personal experience (4, 5 and 6) are standard at McKinsey, but other companies may ask them as well. 

2) Any tips on what questions to ask the interviewer?

Generally speaking, good questions I would recommend are related to:

1. Something you cannot easily find online that is interesting to you
2. The experience of the person and not generically the company only (“How did you find XYZ in your experience” instead of “How is XYZ at Bain”)
3. Positive experience putting them in a light of mentor/advisor (without being flattering) ("I saw you have done XYZ which is very interesting to me. I was wondering how do you see…")

In the first reply at the following link you can find some examples:

▶ Good Questions to Ask in an Interview

Good luck!

Francesco

Hi there,

I think this is an interesting question that may be relevant for many people. I would be happy to share my thoughts on it:

• In terms of preparation, it's important to have specific examples ready to share that demonstrate your experience. It's essential to focus on the following:
  • Problem-solving skills: The interviewer will be looking for evidence of your ability to analyze and solve problems.
  • Leadership: Bain values leadership and the ability to lead teams and projects effectively. Be prepared to share examples of how you have taken initiative and led others.
  • Communication and persuasion skills: Be ready to share examples of how you have effectively communicated and persuaded others to your point of view.
  • Adaptability and resilience: Be prepared to share examples of how you have handled difficult situations or challenges.
• When it comes to questions to ask the interviewer, it's a great opportunity to learn more about the role and the company culture. Some examples of good questions to ask include:
  • Can you tell me more about the day-to-day responsibilities of an AC at Bain?
  • How does Bain help its employees develop and grow in their roles?
  • How does Bain ensure that its employees are able to balance their work and personal lives?

If you would like a more detailed discussion on how to address your specific situation, please don't hesitate to contact me directly.

Best,

Hagen

Hi there,

Anything!

They might ask “Explain nuclear energy to my 7 year old daughter”

They might ask “where do you see yourself in 5 years”

Make sure you're not going in with a set view of what to expect….rather be flexible and adaptable coming in so that you're able to react to whatever happens.

Finally, you are missing your 3 Whys as well…make sure you've properly prepared these!

https://www.preplounge.com/en/articles/tell-me-about-yourself-interview-question

Hi there,

The Bain first round behavioural interview is indeed CV blind and you will not be asked any question such as “Tell me about yourself”, “Walk me through your CV”, “Why Bain”, etc.

The interview looks to assess specific behavioural characteristics and will ask you to share some stories from your past experience (academic or professional) or think on the go how you will behave in certain hypothetical situations the interviewer will describe.

There will also be some time reserved at the end for you to ask questions.

Good luck,

Lilit