Hello,
I am currently getting prepared for a summer internship interview at Bain, and I am at the final round.
Also, I got a feedback after the first round of interviews. They pointed out some weaknesses on the structuring.
So, I want to ask whether I am enough for case part of the interview since I passed the first round or should I focus on doing more exercises on cases OR should I focus on fit part of the interview?
Thanks!
Hi there, I would focus on the feedback and practice structuring cases. A poor structure sets you back from the start and can make it very difficult to solve a case.
One common mistake most people do is trying to memorise standard frameworks for structuring cases. This leads to panic when the actual case in an interview doesn't fit with any of the standard case types.
Fit questions are also important though so you shouldn't ignore that part. Bain particularly puts a lot of emphasis on personal fit.
If you need some support with either part of the interview please let me know, and best of luck!
Hi there,
The Bain interviewers gave you the feedback for a reason, so I would carefully utilize it to guide your further preparation.
First, you need to understand where the problem truly lies. Is it a bad framework, a lack of drive with regards to connecting insights, or unstructured responses to brainstorming questions? Or all of the above or something different?
Then, you need to 1. utilize targeted drills to improve that aspect and 2. get feedback specifically on these points in your mock cases to track your progress.
For 1. (drills), assuming your framework is the problem (which is often the case when receiving the “unstructured” feedback), you must built your frameworking muscle on diverse case prompts using isolated structuring drills. Take all the time in the world to create a framework, then self-criticize and revise, then repeat.
Make sure:
Hope that helps!
Best,
Gero
Hi there,
First of all, congratulations on the progress in the application process with Bain thus far!
I would be happy to share my thoughts on your questions:
You can find more on this topic here: How to succeed in the final interview round.
If you would like a more detailed discussion on how to best prepare for your upcoming interviews, please don't hesitate to contact me directly.
Best,
Hagen
You can find the consulting salaries report 2024 here!
Hi there,
Q: I want to ask whether I am enough for case part of the interview since I passed the first round or should I focus on doing more exercises on cases OR should I focus on fit part of the interview?
There could be more than one area to improve, but without a mock, we can only provide feedback on what you shared. Based on that, I would recommend working on improving your structure, as they mentioned there are possible improvements there.
There might be several reasons why your approach might not be optimal. Some possible reasons include:
Each reason has a different solution to fix the problem, so as a first step, I would try to identify what is the actual problem.
Regarding the fit, you normally have a fit section as part of the final round. You might or might not need to improve your fit part, depending on your current level.
Good luck!
Francesco
Hi there,
congratulations on making it this far in the process.
In terms of case prep, you should prepare the same as you prepared for the other rounds. Structuring is usually something that many people find hardest to master. It just takes practice.
Some partners will give you a case, others will just figure that you have been tested on casing sufficiently enough in the prior rounds that they rather focus on something else. However, there is no guarantee - partners pretty much can do whatever they feel like when it comes to them interviewing candidates.
In addition to your previous rounds, I would prepare with respect to the specific industries the partners you are talking to are active in. They might be more inclined to talk with you about that and pick your brain on trends etc than giving you a formal case.
Ultimately, a partner will try to determine the answers to three main questions during the interview:
So keep that in mind when you get asked personal fit questions.
Best of luck
You definitely need to focus on the feedback they gave you.
That's one of the things they test from one round to the next.
They want to understand whether you are able to improve on the feedback they provided.
So if structuring is one of them, then you need to be very targeted in addressing it.
Make sure you have clarity on both what they suggested to improve (and work on it individually or with some help) and what they thought was great (so you can show more of it in the second round).
All the best,
Cristian
Hi there,
Focus on the feedback you have received. If your fit stories were weak, you would have received feedback on that part.
I suggest you work with a coach if you are in a tight schedule before your final interview. The reward will compensate the effort.
Best,
Alberto
—
Check out my latest case based on a real MBB interview: Sierra Springs
If you are consistently weak on a specific part of the case, you will probably not get the offer. This means that you have to focus on the feedback you got.
Although, to be honest, you also have to be prepared for the fit questions. I don't think this is binary, in terms of “do I prepare for one or the other?”. You have to be prepared for both.
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