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BCG First Round Behavioral

Hello, I have a BCG first round interview coming up. I was wondering if anyone had any guidance on the behavioral interview- i.e typical questions, themes to highlight? 

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Lorenzo
Coach
edited on Aug 06, 2024
IESE MBA | Bain&Co | OC&C | Private Equity | Consumer Goods

Hello, in addition to what's already been said, I would recommend to highlight stories and present yourself as a people person, trying to emphasize your ability to work in a team. Remember to smile when you tell your stories and answer their questions. In the end, what they want to know is if they would like to work with you, so be sure to make an human connection with your interviewer (of course, sometimes is not that easy, but generally at BCG everyone tends to be quite nice). All the best!!

Florian
Coach
on Aug 06, 2024
1400 5-star reviews across platforms | 500+ offers | Highest-rated case book on Amazon | Uni lecturer in US, Asia, EU

Hi there,

BCG fit interviews are quite freestyle and there is no predefined set of questions to be asked (unlike for instance at McKinsey).

However, you should definitely prepare for a couple of standard questions and themes:

  • The 3 Whys (Why you = introduce yourself or guide me through your resume, Why consulting, Why BCG)
  • Targeted questions related to specific points on your resume
  • Questions related to personality traits and experiences (leadership, successes, losses, and failures), sometimes challenging (e.g., would you consider yourself a typical business student, tell me about a time you failed,…)

Generally, make sure to have a strong framework for every answer since you cannot prepare for every potential question. Rather focus on the right habits:

  • Structured communication
  • Authenticity
  • Examples to prove your points and make the answers richer

Cheers,

Florian

Oliver
Coach
on Aug 06, 2024
Former BCG interviewer (75+ interviews for associates, consultants and MBA hires) | I will make your practice perfect

Hi,

To add to Florian's answer - make sure to use real life examples in answering the questions. In your answer, focus on YOUR role within that specific example. Too often candidates focus on general achievements of for instance a team they have been part of, instead of explaining what THEIR role was in the success of the team.

 

Best,

Oliver

on Aug 06, 2024
#1 Coach for Sessions (4.500+) | 1.500+ 5-Star Reviews | Proven Success (➡ interviewoffers.com) | Ex BCG | 10Y+ Coaching

Hi there,

Q: Wondering if anyone had any guidance on the behavioral interview- i.e typical questions

There might be some differences based on the office, but in general, based on recent candidates I helped, the following are some of the most common:

  1. Tell me about yourself
  2. Why consulting
  3. Why BCG
  4. Give me an example of when you led a team
  5. Tell me about a time when you had to convince someone
  6. What has been your major achievement so far
  7. Tell me about a time when you failed/ a weakness

Good luck!

Francesco

on Aug 25, 2024
Ex-BCG Principal | 8+ years consulting experience in SEA | BCG top interviewer & top performer

Hi,

The common themes are the ones mentioned on consulting firm websites - there really isnt any ‘secret list’ of questions that only BCG asks. 

What is more important is that your stories are structured, compelling and insightful. 

Take the time to really craft strong stories and get quality feedback on them!

All the best!

Hagen
Coach
on Sep 06, 2024
#1 recommended coach | >95% success rate | most experience in consulting, interviewing, and coaching

Hi there,

First of all, congratulations on the invitation from BCG!

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

  • BCG does not seem to use a pre-defined set of personal fit questions. As such, I would highly advise you to prepare both general and behavioral personal fit questions rather broadly.

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

Best,

Hagen

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