No decision 2 months since last interview

Question

Last December I have had my final rounds at one of the Bain offices in the SEA region for the Associate Consultant Role. For the first one I did pretty well but was unable to find a hard insight at one of the interviews but the interviewer and I really connected well and they even prolonged the interview time. For the other one it was more of a mixed bag, primarily that I got stuck in the maths part trying to solve what equation/formula do I have to use but we had a good conversation afterwards and they even asked me more questions that's irrelevant to the interview. I have received a phone call two weeks after with my feedback that was generally positive minus the maths part with a strong commendation on the width of my structure. However, I was unable to get a decision on my application as they are still ongoing with the process which is competitive with an update on January.

At the end of January I sent an email to the recruiter stating my interest as well as hoping to get an update on my status but they only replied back that they will get back to me hopefully by mid of February. I also know that they aren't accepting applications because I heard from someone interested in applying in the office saying that they are not able to apply anymore.

Given the situation and the long wait, I have gotten interviews for other firms as well but feeling a bit burned out on all the casing that I have been doing for a year. Furthermore I still feel more aligned towards Bain's cultures and values but have given up on the prospects because I did not do perfectly during the cases and that I am only a fresh graduate compared to the competition who may have more working experience than I do.

Looking forward on the expert's opinions on the matter here as getting that job offer would mean a lot to me.

Answer 1

Hello there,

If Bain has not explicitly rejected you, it means you still have a chance. That being said, usually performances such as the one you described do not end with a proposal. I see three possibilities: (1) you may have done better than you interpreted and will get the offer, (2) you’ll receive a very late “no” response, which is unusual, (3) you’ll be called for a third interview (at least at McKinsey, this is the case sometimes).

I totally understand the feeling of being tired of the entire process of studying. It can be indeed exhausting mentally and emotionally. So wait until mid February (we’re almost there) and if the answer is negative, then you evaluate the need to take a short break or to get right back into studying.

I hope you get the Bain offer! 🍀 Keep us posted.

Best,

Mari