Bain & Co

Role: Internship (Bain Capability Network)

College: Not Specified (On-Campus recruitment)

Interview Date: October 2024

Interview Type: On-Campus, Internship

Result: Selected

Difficulty: Moderate to Hard (Online Assessment)

Rounds: 2 rounds (after Resume Shortlisting and Online Assessment)

Topics Asked: Mathematics, Data Interpretation, Decision Analytics, Guesstimates, Business Case Studies (Profitability, Market Entry), Situational Questions, Resume-related questions

Experience:

The recruitment process began with resume shortlisting, where candidates had to adhere strictly to Bain's provided format, highlighting PORs, projects, and internships. This was followed by an Online Assessment Round, a timed 60-minute test with moderate to hard difficulty questions. It assessed skills in Mathematics, Data Interpretation (including Chart Analysis and Venn Diagrams), and Decision Analytics (related to stocks), with 50% negative marking per incorrect answer. The test consisted of 5 cases, each with 4 questions, totaling 20 questions, and was conducted on the HirePro platform with proctoring. Out of 1,200 applicants, 177 were selected for the next round.

Before the interviews, BCN organized a 1.5-hour session for shortlisted candidates, covering approaches to guesstimates and business case studies, focusing on topics like Profitability and Market Entry.

Round 1: This round was conducted by managers from the Center of Excellence (CoE) preferred by the candidate. It started with ice-breaking questions, followed by queries on the candidate's resume, especially focusing on projects and internships. A guesstimate question was posed: to think of a business and determine its burn rate, top line, and bottom line, similar to a pitch on Shark Tank. The interview also included some situational questions and lasted approximately 1 hour. The tip given was to practice guesstimates thoroughly, as the approach matters more than just the numbers.

Round 2: This was another guesstimate-focused interview, where the candidate was also asked to explain their chosen CoE. Resume-related questions were not asked as they were covered in Round 1. The guesstimate question involved calculating the number of masks in Delhi from October 2019 to September 2020. The candidate explained their approach, and the interviewer (a senior manager with over 10 years of experience at Bain) provided guidance. This round also lasted approximately 1 hour. The verdict was "Selected".

General tips included being fluent, thinking before speaking, being prepared for resume questions, engaging interactively, and maintaining confidence.