Rejection at Bain

Hi there,

First of all, I am sorry to hear about the rejection from Bain!

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

• First of all, unless otherwise stated, the ban period is typically 12-18 months. Please make sure that you continue to develop your profile, as it is very likely that your current profile was not strong enough to be invited to the interviews.
• Moreover, while I'd be happy to take a quick look at your application files, I'm quite certain that it is your overall profile, not the level of adaptation to Bain, that was not strong enough.
• Lastly, as you will have to wait 12-18 months either way, I do not see the need to secure a referral at this stage. However, consultants tend to be quite open, thus I would advise you to reach out to some of them on LinkedIn and have (virtual) coffee chats with them.

You can find more on this topic here: How to deal with a rejection from a consulting company.

If you would like a more detailed discussion on your specific situation, please don't hesitate to contact me directly.

Best,

Hagen

Hi there and sorry to hear about your rejection at Bain. 

To answer your questions specifically: 

(1) Time before applying again - this will depend from office to office and is a totally legit thing to directly ask the recruiting team. General guideline is along the lines of "sufficient time to have gained new relevant experience". In practice this would mean anytime from 6 months (though less common) to 1year+. 

(2) Taking a look at your CV / Cover letter - yes, there are a lot of coaches that offer this as a services, look them up :) Alternatively, if you do know someone that works at Bain ME or has recently been accepted, you could also ask them to do this for you as a favour. 

(3) Getting a contact / referral - ok to ask on such a forum, but just bear in mind that it might not be the most efficient way to actually get one. People don't just share their contacts online, which if you think about it it's quite fair. I would suggest you try the networking route, try to find in your own network people that have these contacts and / or do cold calling on Linkedin on profiles with which you have sufficient things in common. Unfortunately there is no "easy way in" with this one.  

(4) Background school and experience - MBBs definitely hire outside of top B schools! I don't think your background "hurt" you by itself, it is just one of the points that could give a slight advantage (all other things being perfectly equal, which they never are in real life). In any case, this is nothing you can change now with regards to your school - just need to focus on positioning the experience you do have in the best light possible and, if needed, getting more relevant experience before applying again!  

Hope this helps, 

Ariadna 

Hi there,

Sorry to hear about the Bain rejection. Regarding your questions:

1) First of all, I want to know how much should I give before applying again?

Usually, 12-18 months. You might ask HR if you have doubts.

2) Second, is there anyone who can actually take a look at my resume and cover letter and let me know if that was actually fit for Bain?

Most coaches offer the option for CV/cover letter review, you can check it on their profile here: https://www.preplounge.com/en/case-coach. Alternatively, if you know any current consultants, you might ask them.

3) Third, anyone specifically working at Bain middle east or can anyone help me get in touch with some from there so that I can get a referral or some guidance to the minimum?

Some coaches also help to find referrals (I do). You can check that on the coach's profile as well.

4) Would it be possible that my educational or professional experience would have not built a case for me, since I heard MBB firms hire people from top B schools?

Possibly, we would need to have a look at your CV for a proper assessment.

Hope this helps,

Francesco

Hi there,

Sorry to hear!

Bain ME is hiring very few people at the moment so it could be a simple supply/demand issue as many applicants opt for the ME currently as well.

1. I'd wait at least 12 months -> You need to demonstrate significant improvements on your resume before re-applying, e.g., more work experiences, additional education, etc.
2. Sure, send it over for a quick check!
3. Try LinkedIn to connect with current active consultants there
4. Yes, that could definitely be. Check who is working at Bain ME by going on LinkedIn and filtering for the right location. See how their resumes compare to yours

All the best,

Florian

Hi, 

I'm sorry to hear Bain didn't work out, but it's definitely not the end of the world. There are other great consulting firms in the Middle East and hence plenty of excellent opportunities beyond Bain.

I recommend giving Bain HR a call to ask for feedback before you apply somewhere else. A direct conversation might be more insightful as usually they just provide standard answers. 

As already mentioned in prior comments, based on the typical recruitment cycle, it’s a good idea to wait at least 12 months before reapplying, giving you time to strengthen your profile.

If you'd like, feel free to send me your CV, and I’d be happy to take a look and provide feedback.

In terms of referrals, connect with current consultants. You can reach out via LinkedIn or attend consulting events to build connections and gain insights into the industry.

Have a great rest of the day,
Kairavee