Bain or BCG Southeast Asia?

Hi there,

First, congratulations and well done! Now, my biggest piece of advice is be happy/at peace with your final decision no matter what. You'd be ecstatic if you only had one of these offers, so recognize that you really can't go wrong here!

1. Is BCG really that superior when it comes to career/exit opportunities compared to Bain?

In SE Asia yes 100%. More exit opps, better reputation, more diverse projects, etc.

2. Is Bain's culture and sustainability really that much better compared to BCGs?

So, this really comes down to the individual. Both are known for caring more about sustainability. Culture depends on the individual here - they're for 2 somewhat different types of people! That said, you say the following:

"They seemed so much more fun and enjoyable to be around during the interview process, and it made me feel like working in that close-knit culture with these awesome people would be the best fit for me. "

Your decision: Ultimately, it seems you have to decide between prestige/ops and culture fit here. Both have their pros/cons...

Hi there,

Congratulations on the offers! I would consider the following to choose:

1. Where do you want to be in 5-10 years? Based on that, look for how many alumni are more present in that field. It is not relevant that BCG has more Alumni, if they are not related to what you really want to do in your life. If you still don't know, everything equal the BCG brand is stronger.
2. If you consider the average consultant/partner you talked to in each company, which one would you rather be? Quoting Jim Rohn, you are the average of the five people you spend the most time with. And you will spend a lot of time with your colleagues in the next years. Be sure you chose a company where people are close to the person you want to become.
3. What is your gut feeling telling you? Our gut feeling is able to catch elements we cannot rationalize. You may “feel” a company is better, but don’t know exactly why. Don’t base your decision on that only, but dig deeper on why you feel that way.

If you want to do extra due diligence, contact Alumni (not current consultants) that worked ideally for both. You will learn more in a 30min call with them than with any online research you may do.

Best,

Francesco

Congratulations! I heard that BCG has one of the strongest reputations in SEA with most alumnis working in world-class companies like the ones you mentioned. In terms of culture and people, I only know people from McK and BCG - I feel like BCG has more helpful and friendly people of the two. Overall, you cannot go wrong with either Bain or BCG, but personally I would probably take BCG for exit opps, growth opps, brand and people. 

Hi, congrats on the offers :) I confirm BCG has a better reputation, but they are both a great choice. I would also consider your personal experience during the interview process and all the interactions you have had with consultants

Best,
Antonello

Hi,

This is an old post, but I'm sharing a perspective having worked in SEA and having had friends at Bain (as well as McK).

Practically - there is no difference in prestige between Bain and BCG in SEA. MBB is recognized as Tier 1. 

The only difference is whether you want to exit into specific industries that BCG does more than Bain, but even then, for most corp strats as long as you don't exit too late they really aren't fussed about your relevant industry background.

I'd argue that if you are a top performer at Bain, there is no opportunity that you ‘cant’ get versus someone at BCG (assuming no industry requirement).

Hello!

Big congrats, well done! This is a great dilemma :)

Anwer to questions 1 and 2 is NO :) 

There is not a bad decision to be made here, both are truly fantastic chances, so really just go with your gut and you will be fine. 

Hope it helps!

Cheers, 

Clara