Bain Final Round

Hi Anonymous,

the structure of the final round is the same as the first one (fit + case+ your questions); however, there is far more emphasis on communication and fit.

Specifically, the main difference you will find in a final round with partners is that at that stage they:

1. spend more time on fit questions and your alignment with the company
2. check more closely your communication (eg how you react to challenging questions)
3. may not have a “proper” structured case to present – during my final at BCG I had one interview which was made by two market sizing questions and a brainteaser, without any business case. That's because at the final they know you can structure and crack a case (you passed 1 or 2 rounds already) and are more interested in your logic, personality and fit with the company

So in order to prepare I would concentrate on:

• Review in details your fit stories – they will matter more than in the first round. In some finals I had almost exclusively behavioral questions
• Work on your communication (reaction under pressure, how to gain time when you do not have a structure ready, connect with the interviewer, etc). This is something you can test almost exclusively in p2p mocks with peers/experts.
• Prepare on cases as you did for the first round. More market sizing practice could be useful to think out of the box if you get unusual questions.

Cases may be different in terms of geography. My experience in Italy is that final rounds are often related to market sizing, profitability and M&A/Valuation questions. As for the feedback, sure, feel free to ask - as Guennael said, the worst that could happen is that it is not actionable.

Best,

Francesco

Hi,

Bain final round is very similar to the previous rounds. 

Fit part is very simple - why consulting, why Bain, Story about yourself, your questions to the interviewer. 

The approach to cases is even more demanding than in the previous rounds, so your cases should be perfect.

Yes please, ask for the feedback, it doesn't hurt.

Best!

You should ALWAYS ask for feedback. Worst case it is not actionable, there is no downside.

Types of case... it could be anything, even in the same office. 

Since it is a final round, there is a much higher weighting on the fit part. You may not even have full cases  in some of the interviews. Keep your casing skills sharp obviously, but focus on the rest more.

Good luck

Hello!

 Yes, there is great emphasis on FIT in the last round at Bain.

On top of the insights already shared in the post, the "Integrated FIT guide for MBB" has been recently published in PrepLounge´s shop (https://www.preplounge.com/en/shop/tests-2/integrated-fit-guide-for-mbb-34)

It provides an end-to-end preparation for all three MBB interviews, tackling each firms particularities and combining key concepts review and a hands-on methodology. Following the book, the candidate will prepare his/her stories by practicing with over 50 real questions and leveraging special frameworks and worksheets that guide step-by-step, developed by the author and her experience as a Master in Management professor and coach. Finally, as further guidance, the guide encompasses over 20 examples from real candidates.

Feel free to PM me for disccount codes, since we still have some left from the launch!

Hope you find it useful!

Best,

Clara

Dear A,

Specifically, the main difference you will find in a final round with partners is that at that stage they spend more time on fit questions and your alignment with the company.

Best,

André