Hi there,

First of all, congratulations on the offer from Bain!

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

• First of all, I would consider Bain and BCG case studies to be the most similar, especially in comparison to McKinsey. As such, if you have been successful with Bain, I would highly advise you not to change anything about your overall approach.
• From the experience of my coachees, with BCG, you might encounter case studies that have a semi/non-professional context and might be considered "out of the box". Moreover, BCG case studies tend to be shorter and more restricted with time. While all of these aspects might be meaningful to keep in mind, they should still have no impact on your overall approach.

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

(edited)

Hi there,

I honestly try to avoid fundamentally changing a style - the most important is that you are exhibiting the consulting traits required (critical thinking, structured thinking, business acumen, clear/concise communication, etc. etc.).

That said, BCG does tend to prefer more “Creative” and out of the box thinking. They have a strong aversion to canned/memorized frameworks. And they do tend to be more flexible/brainstorm-y. Additionally, Bain is more known for wanting (and providing clues for) hypotheses and also known for more charts/exhibits.

That said, every interviewer as an individual is different - the best thing you can do is not go in with a pre-conception/expectation, because it is likely to be wrong!

Bain and BCG are fairly similar - both are interviewee led cases with shortish fit questions. To be honest the style really depends on the office location and the interviewer. I've seen very out of the box Bain and BCG cases, and very standard ones. The main thing is to feel comfortable with the case format and to be able to adapt your responses to what is required in the particular situation that you are given. 

Good luck!

Hi there,

Q: I would like to know, if there are any differences I should be aware of/change my prep/casing style for BCG, compared to Bain.

It would be useful if you could share your geography, as there could be local differences. In some countries (eg Italy) Bain does a lot more market sizing than the other MBB, so it’s less likely you will find that at BCG compared to Bain, however that’s office dependent.

Good luck!

Francesco

No major differences in case preparation.

One watch out: I understand that being relatively new has higher risk, but also means that the room for growth is much higher (and also a threat to BCG risk, as they may lose a few clients). 

If you plan staying a few years only, BCG is better, you'll have access to a larger network of alumni. If you consider having a career in consulting, Bain has a clear advantage in this situation.

Hi there,

If you were successful with Bain, you can expect a similar format with BCG. 

You can network with existing consultants in your target office for BCG to check for differences as well. It should make for an interesting discussion. 

Here is a guide on how to approach these chats:

• Free Guide: How To Handle Networking Calls and Get Referrals

Best,
Cristian