I am fresher who wants to apply for the position of associate consultant at Bain & Co. but I am not sure if they will accept Freshers with Non-MBA background from a tier-2 college ( I am a Mechanical Engineer Major). I am thinking of trying nonetheless. Can someone please tell me if I should apply directly or should I go through referrals or something !
Hi,
You should definitely apply via a referral to increase your chances.
There are certain criteria for the referral:
The conversion will be higher among consultant / manager level people who are still interested in the referral bonus. The basic idea is to ask these people for a mock interview.
Here are some tips on how you can do that:
1) Leverage your own network - find friends or friends of friends who can practice cases with you or make you a reference.
2) Attend company events. Consulting companies do a lot of events both for graduates and experienced hires. Find the social network groups related to consulting or websites, subscribe to newsletters and stay tuned. Also, check if they have events in your University since you are a PHD.
While some of the events will be open to everyone, others will require a resume and a cover letter, so make sure to prep.
3) Talk to people at the events and send Thank You notes. After each event, there is a Q&A session where you can talk to consultants 1 on 1 or in a group. Ask for contact info or send a thank you note after the event ("I just wanted to thank you for visiting our University... It was especially interesting to hear about... Would be happy to keep in touch and apply in the nearest future.). Alternatively, you may use linkedin for that. If you are an experienced hire I strongly suggest to ask for a 1 on 1 meeting in a thank you note.
4) 1 on 1 meetings. All people like giving an advice. So don't hesitate to ask consultants for a career advice. Tell your story and ask how consulting fits into it
5) Mock interview Depending on where you are in your prep process you may ask a consultant for a mock interview. Consultants are very much opened to help even if it is a cold call e-mail. The main problem is a lack of time on their side. So don't be afraid to remind about yourself if the consultant has already committed but finds it hard to find the time
6) Talking to partners If you are an experienced hire I suggest to talk directly to the partners in your industry or the partner responsible for experienced hires (in consulting partners also have additional roles). Get an intro from the HR or from your friends working there. Partners care a lot about experienced hires with relevant industry expertise. Chances to get referral are much lower though. They also will not be interested in giving mock interviews.
7) If you are an MBA graduate Just talk to your section mates and ask for a reference or a mock interview - they will be happy to help. Make sure you attend all the consulting events.
Good luck!
Hi there,
Regardless of your situation, you should absolutely try to network your way in. This is all the more true when you're coming from a low-odds background. Now, in terms of improving your odds + obtaining referrals, I have the following advice:
How do you improve your screening chances?
1) Gain experience (internships, bootcamps, classes, stratups, extracirriculars, etc).
2) Network - speak to multiple people across offices and aim to get a referral
3) Optimizing your resume and cover letter - make sure your formatting is sharp/consistent, key words/experiences pop, and your experience bullets are properly written.
In regards to networking tips:
a) Reach out to people in your network
b) Reach out to people once removed from your network
c) Reach out to people with a similar backgorund to you (i.e. same alma mater, same historically underrepresented demographic i.e. gender, orientation, ethnicity, etc., same career switch, etc.)
d) Tailor a message to them specifically both showing interest in them and their journey and demonstrating that you have done your research and could be a valuable hire
e) Play "tag" across calls you get so that you can work your way towards the company/office/role you want
f) Never directly ask for a referral, but "hint" at needing one (this is nuanced and important...happy to talk through wording)
I would strongly encourage you to apply through a referral esp. if you have connects within Bain India at senior levels - though this may not guarantee an interview, this would ensure your CV gets reviewed vs getting lost in a 'black box'.
Happy to connect if you need more help. Feel free to DM me.
Hello!
Network would always help, but it´s not the only way.
Furthermore, if you apply to the Bain entry level positions, you are fine, don´t need experience of MBA for those.
Hope it helps!
Cheers,
Clara
Hi, I confirm no problem in applying directly without an MBA. A referral will help you in achieving quicker an invitation for interviews (especially in this competitive period)
Best
Antonello
Hi there,
Referrals always help to improve the chances to be invited. You can find more on how to get them at the link below:
https://www.preplounge.com/en/consulting-forum/hey-everyonehope-all-is-well-3176
Best,
Francesco
Referrals are definitely helpful, especially in your situation. Competition is fierce in India and even more so if you're coming from a tier-2 college.
Hi there!
You don`t need your MBA for the entry position so you really can try to do it!
You definitely need referrals. This will significantly increase your chances!
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