BCG first round

Hey,

First of all congrats on making it to the interviews!

Now to your question, it doesn’t sound weird they only asked 2 questions. In the end the point of the Fit section is to understand, well, your fit to the org, and that can come across pretty strongly in the case. So I wouldn’t worry about the amount of questions they ask, as long as you felt you had a good conversation and good chemistry.

Regarding the case performance, as other people mentioned, it’s hard to know based just on the information you provided, but it is possible after making a small mistake.

This is also dependent on the performance of other interviewees on the round as some rounds are more competitive than other.

In any case, you should hear back after about a week, not much longer than that. 

Good luck, hope you pass the round and go on to the final round!

Best,

Yuval

Hi there,

To your Q about fit: That’s totally normal given the short time for the fit part of the interview. No reason to worry!

To your Q about the case: Impossible to evaluate since we do not know what role the cost factor played within the overall case. I wouldn’t worry and just wait for the outcome.

Good luck!

Best,

Gero

“This exact thing that I expected didn't happen, is that weird?"

It's like going on a date, expecting the guy/girl to ask you “So, what are your hobbies” and then it doesn't happen and you're surprised.

I'm surprised you haven't seen all of my prior Q&As where I say stop trying to predict the interview.

ANYTHING you expect is MORE likely NOT to happen than to happen. Period.

This isn't weird at all. Totally “normal”!

Sounds like you did just fine. Fingers crossed for you! In the meantime, always prepare as if you have the second round (i.e. case prep) AND as if you don't have the second round (i.e. keep applying to other roles).

The Most Common Pitfalls in Case Interview Preparation
 

Dos and Don'ts in a Case Interview
 

How to Shift Your Mindset to Ace the Case

I have absolutely no idea whether you'll pass. But it certainly doesn't sound like a disastrous experience. 

First, it's absolutely normal for them to get right to the meat of things i.e., asking for stories from your past which show those skills. They don't always do the upfront chit-chat. Most firms don't even assess for this ‘motivation’ aspect. 

Second, no interview goes perfectly on the case part. I made mistakes in all my interviews and still passed. Most candidates have the same experience. What matters more is how you recover from these situations. 

To manage risk, I would recommend that you keep on applying for other roles. Here's a guide that explains how to build a diversified application strategy:

• Expert Guide: Build A Winning Application Strategy

Best,
Cristian

Hi there,

First of all, congratulations on the progress in the application process with BCG thus far!

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

• First of all, it's not unusual for interviewers to vary in their approach to the behavioral part of the interview. Some may focus on specific experiences that reveal your competencies and skills rather than a broad "tell me about yourself" question. This doesn't necessarily reflect negatively on your performance.
• Moreover, missing one cost factor in the case study part can be a minor issue if you showcased your problem-solving skills throughout the rest of the case, but ultimately, only the interviewers can properly assess your performance.
• Lastly, I would advise you to just wait for the decision. Recruitment processes have their own timelines, and while waiting can be anxiety-inducing, it's important to remember that this time frame is part of the company's standard procedure.

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 final round interviews, please don't hesitate to contact me directly.

Best,

Hagen

While no one apart from your interviewer can tell you if you passed the interview or not, based on your description it sounds like you did a good job and the interview went about as well as it could have.

Hey there,

From the outside, it is always super tricky to tell someone if they have passed for a myriad of reasons, e.g.,

• You have blindspots about your performance
• You don't actually know what dimensions the interviewer evaluates and how
• The interviewer did not correct every mistake you made in the interest of time/keeping the interview going

As regards the fit part, there are around 200 questions that could come up so I would always be wary to expect a definite set of questions to come up in a 10-15 minute time window but rather prepare how to answer fit questions in general.

That being said, fingers crossed for a positive outcome!

Cheers,

Florian

Hi there,

1) He only asked me two "tell me about a time..." questions but never asked "tell me about yourself." Is that weird?

This is not particularly strange. They don’t always ask the “tell me about yourself” question.

2) Do you think I'll pass? Also, do you know when should I hear back about the decision? 

We don’t know your overall performance, so unfortunately, we cannot judge. If the question is whether you could pass if you make one mistake, the answer is yes. In most cases, you should hear back within 1 week.

Good luck!

Francesco 

Hey,

It's really hard to tell if you've gotten a pass without seeing your actual performance. The interviewer evaluates you in a holistic way (structuring, analysis, calculations etc.).

Also, the fit part may vary, so you should really be prepared for everything.

Good luck!
Nick