Interview process and format for BCG Project Leader position

Hi there,

Well, if this isn't the definition of good news and bad news in one!

Look, good news is that if you get the job you're get paid a boatload more and your career earnings are going to be far great over your lifetime (area under the curve shifted right 2 years).

1) do you think this suggestion to apply for the PL role is genuine, or could it be a subtle indication of a hiring freeze or other unspoken reasons for halting the process?

At face value it seems genuine. Otherwise they would just say “apply in 6 months” OR decline your application.

2) do you have any insights into the interview process and format at BCG’s European offices for the PL position, especially for candidates transitioning from non-consulting backgrounds?

Generally you should expect both a fit and case interview. Also generally you should expect more “fluid” cases and more brainstorming, deep-diving into knowledge etc. They don't care about your non-consulting background. Their interview is agnostic to who you are!

Here's some more reading to help you better understand what to expect:

The Most Common Pitfalls in Case Interview Preparation
 

Candidate-Led Cases: What to Expect With Example Cases

Dos and Don'ts in a Case Interview
 

How to Shift Your Mindset to Ace the Case
 

Hi there,

This is interesting feedback! As an experienced hire, you're not “overqualified” and even if you were, firms typically hire you in a PM-1 role so you get the hang of it before advancing rapidly to PM.

As for your questions:

1) do you think this suggestion to apply for the PL role is genuine, or could it be a subtle indication of a hiring freeze or other unspoken reasons for halting the process? I think it's genuine but it may not be the most promising course of action. Whether or not you want to take the risk depends on your prior experience. Generally speaking, moving from industry to consulting is tougher the more years you have under your belt, and leading teams from the get-go may cause you to crash and burn quickly. However, if you're done something similar before i.e. lead project teams, you could be fine.

2) do you have any insights into the interview process and format at BCG’s European offices for the PL position, especially for candidates transitioning from non-consulting backgrounds? Honestly, it's very much the same as for PM-1 positions. At least at McKinsey we didn't make much of a difference because the scoring criteria simply don't change with the role.

Hope this helps a bit. Best of luck!

Moritz

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Hi there,

First of all, congratulations on the invitation from BCG!

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

• First of all, it is common for consulting firms to recommend positions that align better with a candidate's experience. Given your extensive background, it's plausible that they see you fitting better in a Project Leader role.
• Moreover, the interview process will most likely be standard but with a stronger emphasis on leadership and project management skills. Given your non-consulting background, you should prepare to demonstrate how your experience translates effectively into consulting, focusing on your strategic thinking, problem-solving abilities, and leadership experiences.
• Lastly, I would advise you to use this waiting period to thoroughly prepare for your upcoming interviews, at best with an experienced coach.

If you would like a more detailed discussion on how to best prepare for your upcoming interviews, please don't hesitate to contact me directly.

Best,

Hagen

Hi there,

that is interesting feedback. I could understand if they would recommend a lower entry level into consulting for people but not a higher one. 

To be frank, entering as a project leader without prior experience in the consulting sector, based on my experience, is baptism by fire. Most lateral hires from industry who I have witnessed entering on that level left the respective firms again within a year. As a PL, you have to be able to not only navigate the client, the partner(s), the subject matter of the project as well as the team, you also have to be able to potentially compensate for a team member who is not pulling their full weight (e.g. because they are very junior and just started). So you essentially have to have the skillset of the prior consultant levels at your disposal to properly deal with such scenarios. You likely won't have these “consulting skills” fully developed yet at the start of your personal consulting career.

Some people might argue “Wait a second, PLs are not supposed to do content work, they need to delegate and manage the process and the client relationship!" - that's certainly true but cannot always be enforced just like that in real life setups. So if you are at the level of PL, you are going to get staffed in the capacity of a PL and you need to deliver what is expected of a PL (based on the firm's standards).

Now if you do have prior consulting experience, this concern does not so much apply to you and given your overall seniority in terms of work experience, it might make sense for you to pursue this role right away. If you do, I don't expect the interview process to be much different compared to what you would face for the consulting position.

In all other cases, I would recommend to start at the level below PL so you can first get some time to learn the ropes, observe how the acting PL does the job, take some PL responsibility on smaller assignments down the line to familiarize yourself with the situation before then being put in that role full time.

I realize that this might be a conservative view but I just wanted to mention it. A crash-and-burn consulting experience is of course not a pleasant one.

Given that BCG put your application on hold, you might as well apply to other firms in the meantime rather than wait for 6 months.

All the best

Hi there,

1) do you think this suggestion to apply for the PL role is genuine, or could it be a subtle indication of a hiring freeze or other unspoken reasons for halting the process?

I seems quite honest and professional to me, saving you some frustration joining in a position much lower than your experience and qualifications.

2) do you have any insights into the interview process and format at BCG’s European offices for the PL position, especially for candidates transitioning from non-consulting backgrounds?

The process is the same. You can check how it works internally here:

MBB Hiring Hacks - Behind the Curtain Secrets

Best,

Alberto

—

Check out my latest case based on a real MBB interview: Sierra Springs

Hi there!

Thanks for the overview. 

First of all, it doesn't really make a difference whether it's a genuine suggestion or it has to do with the hiring freeze - you still can't apply for now :) 

But knowing the firms and how they operate, I'm confident it has to do with where your level of experience is. And it's great to have this confirmed before you even apply - otherwise, you'd get a rejection without even knowing why. 

So I'd advise you to wait until you send the application and use the time in between to ramp up on your interview skills.

Also, most importantly, make sure that you apply to other firms as well if you're planning on transitioning into consulting. Here is a guide that explains the core principles to have in mind when developing an application strategy:

• Expert Guide: Build A Winning Application Strategy

Good luck!
Cristian

Hi there,

1) Do you think this suggestion to apply for the PL role is genuine, or could it be a subtle indication of a hiring freeze or other unspoken reasons for halting the process?

Most likely it is genuine. If it was due to a hiring freeze, they would have simply recommended postponing the process or rejected your application.

2) Do you have any insights into the interview process and format at BCG’s European offices for the PL position, especially for candidates transitioning from non-consulting backgrounds?

I helped a few candidates for Manager/Principal positions, including BCG Project Leader ones. In their case, compared to a standard case interview, they got:

• Questions about their specific industry
• Questions about managing a project (eg how to organize team/proposals/first meetings)
• Not necessarily a case in every interview

For other questions please feel free to reach out, happy to help.

Best, 

Francesco 

Hi,

I went through the ranks from Associate to Principal at BCG - so sharing my perspective based on that as well as observations of lateral hires / people I knew

1. Is the suggestion to apply genuine

• I think yes it would be genuine, very little reason for the firm to not be genuine
• However I would caution against applying in the PL role. Although you do have significant industry experience, the PL role is really the toughest, most difficult role in BCG
• My strong suggestion is that you come in as a Consultant, or at least Consultant 2 (year 2) 

2. Insights into the interview process/format

• The interview format and process is no different from an Associate or Consultant (assuming you are coming in as a generalist and not Practice Area aligned)
• The difference is in the expectations of your performance - you are expected to be a lot more mature, insightful and robust in your answers given you are interviewing for the PL role
• Lastly, sometimes, they may ask 1 or 2 additional angles that are not asked to A/Cs - e.g. on project planning, managing a project etc

Happy to have a more detailed chat - just drop me a dm. 

Hi,

I would take their feedback at face value. One of my students applied for a Consultant position but ended up receiving a Project Leader offer from BCG a couple years ago. The Partners who made the decision cited her seniority level as the dealbreaker (she had just received a Senior Manager promotion at the Big4 firm she had been working at the time and her work experience was very relevant for BCG).

This could be the case with you as well, but the higher the position, the less openings there are for it and the harder to get it for somebody not coming from within the firm.

I suggest reapplying in 6 months, but you should also keep applying to other places in the meantime 100%.

Good luck!
Nick