BCG specificity vs other MBBs

Hi there,

First of all, congratulations on the invitation from BCG Paris!

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

• First of all, what was the actual reason for your application to BCG? Unless you were asked to leave your current employer, this can be the foundation for your answer.
• Moreover, since most factual aspects at McKinsey, BCG and Bain are very similar, if not the same, answering the question from a personal/cultural perspective is typically a meaningful way to differentiate the firms. Since you have already spoken to current consultants at BCG Paris, you may already have enough information to give a convincing answer on this foundation.

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

Hello,

When tackling the question "Why BCG?" for your interview, I recommend approaching it from two perspectives: personal fit and content.

Personal Fit:

• Culture and People: Emphasize that you find the culture at BCG Paris to be welcoming and supportive. Mention how the people you have spoken to have been inspirational, and that you feel a personal connection with the company's culture.
• Enthusiasm and Resonance: Highlight how the enthusiasm of the BCG team members resonates with you. Explain that you are looking forward to being part of a team where you feel genuinely motivated and connected (but ofcourse only if this is truely the case for you)

Remember, leverage the fact that you have been actively engaging with BCG consultants to explore the company and its culture.

Content Perspective:

• Industry Focus: Compare the industries BCG Paris serves with those covered by other MBB firms. Explain why you want to serve these specific industries, and why BCG Paris is uniquely positioned in that respect.
• Depth and Breadth: I think that BCG Paris is the largest MBB firm in France (don't quote me on it though), allowing for deeper and broader industry expertise. This can be particularly appealing if you have a strong interest in working in industries that BCG leads in.
• Specific Projects: Mention any specific projects or case studies from BCG Paris that you find compelling. This shows you have done your homework and have a clear understanding of the firm's work and impact.

Best of luck with your interview!

Hi there! Congrats on your upcoming interview. 

I would be happy to share my personal “Why BCG” - which then proved to be spot on after working there for 5 years, but as you also mentioned, that needs to be personal to you to be valuable. 

The approach I can recommend coming up with something that is honest and personal would be: 

1. Make a long, honest list, just for yourself, of truly why think you like BCG better. It can be small, trivial things, it can be things that you would not share out loud and so on. But I think it's important to start from a kernel of truth for you. 

It's a brainstorming exercise at this point, really try to get as many ideas as possible in and don't yet judge them. 

2. See if there are any themes in your list - some would be about your own preferences and potential fit with the company, some others would be more about the company. 

3. Build on those themes and start turning them into arguments (just like in a structuring of a case). Judge of you have enough proof for them (hypothesis is fine); if not you do a bit of extra research like “are other people believing this as well?” or “what would need to be true for this to be true?”. 

4. Polish them in interview ready answers. 

For example you would not say “I hate how I've been treated at my current firm and I just want to get away. I hope BCG is better”. But could be something (along the lines of) “I really like how BCG is invested in their people development, as I've seen from the examples of fellow BCG consultants [give 1-2 examples].”

Bonus point: whatever anyone else will tell you, your intuition is correct that the differences between the consultancies, in the grand scheme of things, are rather small. The core of the work, of the business model is so similar. This is not to say there are not any of course (especially in some geographies, these differences can be larger), but I'm sharing this last point so that you don't feel bad you can't come up with something groundbreaking on why one is better than the other. 

Hope this helps, 

Ariadna 

Sorry to hear that you're having trouble with it. 

I suggest two sources of insight. 

One - genuinely think why you are actually attracted to BCG and less so with your current MBB. You might surprise yourself with already having the answer.

Two - keep having chats with people from BCG, ideally from your target office, ideally at different levels of seniority. It would be great if you find somebody who was in other MBBs aside from BCG to get a comparative perspective. You are right in that sense that the best answer you can come up with is actually from these conversations.

Good luck!
Cristian

Hi there,

I would always make this question about the personal experience and connections you have with current and former consultants of the firm and how they have impressed and inspired you, especially in your case where you move between MBBs.

Drop some names, concrete experiences, and what you have learned from them.

Cheers,

Florian

This question is not about BCG. It is about YOU.

It is about why YOU would be a good fit with BCG.

But please address the elephant in the room, which is Why are you applying to a different MBB. What is it that is not working at the current / previous firm and why will BCG be a better fit?

Then why would you fit well with BCG - with their industry focus, their culture, their policies (e.g. staffing), the people you know, etc.