BCG Interview Process: Coffee Chat

Hi,

I would also expect the emphasis to be on the behavioral / team fit component here. Definitely take it seriously and treat it like an interview but also be open to the “human element" that might be looking for the “chat” and the “coffee”. So read the room a bit in terms of how casual it can be.

Best of luck

Hi there,

I agree with Francesco here - this should definitely be behavioral.

That said, that doesn't mean they can't/work ask brainstorming or knowledge-based questions!

Make sure to prepare/practice talking through your experiences on your resume, your background, interest in the firm, stories, etc.

Here's some more reading to help: https://www.preplounge.com/en/articles/tell-me-about-yourself-interview-question

Hi there,

Q: What should I prepare for/expect from these interviews? I understand these would be “buy-ins"?

Since they called them "coffee chats," I would expect them to be behavioral interviews to assess your fit with the team, with questions about your background, motivations and interests.

I would prepare the standard fit questions that you probably prepared for the HR round. Some of the most common are the following:

1. Tell me about yourself
2. Why consulting
3. Why BCG
4. Why should we hire you

If you prefer, you can also clarify with HR what will be covered in the interviews, to be sure they will focus only on fit.

I would also recommend studying the profiles of the interviewers and their publications, if any, to ask better questions at the end.

Good luck!

Francesco

Congrats!

That's amazing to hear. Well done. 

Here are a few things to keep in mind for last round interviews:

1. Work on the feedback provided in the previous rounds. Most firms communicate the feedback from the previous rounds to the final interviewer. It's important then to show the final interviewer that you have a growth mindset and are reactive to feedback. This matters immensely. Make sure you are clear on your development areas and that you get the right support to polish them before the final interview.
2. Expect less structure. Senior interviewers already have the confidence that you are a decent candidate, your skills having been already vetted by their younger colleagues. They are rather more interested in your as a person and your way of thinking. So they might present you with an unusual case, or one that is created on the spot or no case altogether. Expect anything.
3. Focus on excellent communication. Senior interviewers care a lot about how clearly you communicate and how you manage to forge a connection with the interviewer. It's important to be top-down and concise as much as possible with your answers, while allowing the conversation to flow in a natural way.
4. Put yourself in their shoes. The one question senior interviewers are asking themselves throughout the interview is what will happen when they'll put you in front of a client they've groomed for years? Make sure that even based on this first impression you seem somebody who can be trusted and who can work with any client regardless of how difficult they might be.

Good luck!
Cristian

———————————————

Practicing for interviews? Check out my latest case based on a first-round MBB interview >>> CodeWave  

This is a fit interview, and may have a relevant behavioral / experience base questions.

Hi,

You've passed the formal assessment criteria and now they want to determine your general eligibility for the firm / practice on a personal level.

Good luck!
Nick