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Bain Madrid Office

Hello! I recently got connected with a consultant at the Madrid office for Bain. We had a great chat and he told me to send him my resume so he can upload it and see if a recruiter would reach out to me. I do not hold rights to work in Spain but I am a native speaker, have a bachelors and masters from a target U.S college for Bain, 3.6+ G.P.A, some consulting coursework and experience, as well, I have some family in Spain which gives me some ties there.  This brings it to my questions: 1) When he says he will upload my resume, is this kind of like a referral? 2) Does not holding the rights to work but matching everything else, really a deal breaker? 3) How does my profile look in terms of actually passing screening? Thanks!

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Top answer
Hagen
Coach
on Mar 11, 2024
#1 recommended coach | >95% success rate | 8+ years consulting, 8+ years coaching and 7+ years interviewing experience

Hi there,

I would be happy to share my thoughts on your questions:

  • First of all, while this does not seem to be the official process of providing a referral, you can most likely assume that “uploading your resume” has something to do with that. If in doubt, I would advise you to ask the Consultant directly.
  • Moreover, not holding the rights to work in Spain is a challenge but not necessarily a deal-breaker. Bain & Company, like many global consulting firms, has processes in place for sponsoring visas for successful candidates.
  • Lastly, while your profile seems strong based on the description and without a look on your actual application files, ultimately, only the recruiting team is able to tell you whether you will pass or not.

If you would like a more detailed discussion on how to best prepare for your (hopefully) upcoming Bain interviews, please don't hesitate to contact me directly.

Best,

Hagen

on Mar 11, 2024
#1 rated MBB & McKinsey Coach

That's great.

1) It does sound like a referral, though it's hard to tell whether it's officially a referral because every office has its own system. 

There's no reason to be shy about it. Just ask the guy if it's a referral or not. 

2) The question is rather whether you CAN get the right to work. And if it's possible, and if the office supports work visas, then there shouldn't be an issue. 

This is something to discuss with the recruiter.

3) Yes, your profile is fine. I would just recommend that you go broader than Bain. 

Have a look at this guide for some tips:

Best,
Cristian

Alberto
Coach
on Mar 13, 2024
Ex-McKinsey Partner | Most experienced coach (15 years exp, +2.000 real interviews) | 95% success rate

Hi there,

1) When he says he will upload my resume, is this kind of like a referral? 

This is exactly a referral. Just in case, double check with the consultant if he will refer you or just pass the CV to HR.

2) Does not holding the rights to work but matching everything else, really a deal breaker? 

Talk with a recruiter. MBB's are getting more strict with visa management but you might still have a chance.

3) How does my profile look in terms of actually passing screening?

Based on the limited information you shared, your profile looks good to pass the screening working on your application materials correctly (resume, cover letter, etc.).

Best,

Alberto

Check out my latest case based on a real MBB interview: Sierra Springs

Anonymous
on Mar 11, 2024

Bain Madrid office is quite small (smaller than BCG&Mkcinsey and on par with OW). To get an interview you really do need to network. And even in such a case, your odds are relatively low. As far as I know, they are very close to a hiring freeze this year. (FYI: Bain Iberia is very very very PE focused) Having said that, best of luck (and maybe apply to the other Spanish firms too!)

12
Anonymous A
on Mar 12, 2024
Hello! Thanks for the message, after my chat with the consultant from the Madrid office, he did told me that they delayed his starting date for over a year but he started in January instead of June due that they are short staffed. I am of course networking more and applying to other firms, thank you for the advice!
Udayan
Coach
on Mar 11, 2024
Top rated Case & PEI coach/Multiple real offers/McKinsey EM in New York /12 years recruiting experience

Hey,

 

Quick answers to your question below. Feel free to DM

  1. You are often asked to upload a resume as part of a referral so yes it is very likely a referral. For it to be really helpful he should ideally have a chat with the recruiting team and some partners who are responsible for hiring
  2. In this economy I think not having the right to work in Spain can be a deal breaker. If there are good reasons why you are a very strong candidate then this can be overcome
  3. If you go to an Ivy League and have a good GPA then you definitely meet the requirements for them to at least have conversations with you to see if you would be a good fit.

All the best,

Udayan

Anonymous B
on Mar 11, 2024
Bain Madrid office is quite small (smaller than BCG&Mkcinsey and on par with OW). To get an interview you really do need to network. And even in such a case, your odds are relatively low. As far as I know, they are very close to a hiring freeze this year. (FYI: Bain Iberia is very very very PE focused) Having said that, best of luck (and maybe apply to the other Spanish firms too!)
Ian
Coach
on Mar 12, 2024
#1 BCG coach | MBB | Tier 2 | Digital, Tech, Platinion | 100% personal success rate (8/8) | 95% candidate success rate

Hi there,

Nice job networking!

1) When he says he will upload my resume, is this kind of like a referral? 

Essentially yes. He's sending it to HR and telling them to have a look - that's basically a referral!

2) Does not holding the rights to work but matching everything else, really a deal breaker? 

Not a dealbreaker but never ideal. You ideally always want to apply where your whole profile matches. This doesn't just mean working rights but also work/study experience.

Again, not a dealbreaker, but your odds would be higher elsewhere (all things equal).

 

3) How does my profile look in terms of actually passing screening? 

Just see where this goes…

You'll find out.

And keep networking + applying to lots of other firms.

on Mar 12, 2024
#1 Coach for Sessions (4.500+) | 1.500+ 5-Star Reviews | Proven Success: ➡ interviewoffers.com | Ex BCG | 10Y+ Coaching

Hi there, 

1) When he says he will upload my resume, is this kind of like a referral?

Yes, it seems like a referral from what you shared.

2) Does not holding the rights to work but matching everything else, really a deal breaker?

It could be a dealbreaker. It depends on whether they are able to provide a visa or not. You can ask the person referring you if not done so already.

3) How does my profile look in terms of actually passing screening? 

Just from what you shared, the profile looks ok. If they can provide a visa, you should have a chance to receive an invitation.

Good luck!

Francesco

Florian
Coach
on Mar 11, 2024
1400 5-star reviews across platforms | 600+ offers | Highest-rated case book on Amazon | Uni lecturer in US, Asia, EU

Hi there,

Great effort!

1. This sounds like a referral!

2. Not necessarily but in the current environment with recruiting slowdowns it is definitely harder to make them engage in visa sponsorship activities. 

3. Profile looks good for MBB and Bain specifically.

Keep us updated!

All the best,

Florian

Pedro
Coach
on Mar 12, 2024
Bain | EY-Parthenon | Private Equity | Market Estimates | Fit Interview

When I was in Madrid, there were people from outside Europe in there.

I don't see anything wrong with your profile - but a more complete review would be necessary.

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