BCG - Join BCG - Interview Tips

Become comfortable structuring a problem quickly and developing a framework to identify and prioritize the issues.

Mark
Project Leader, Chicago

A Personal Story

The best case interview doesn’t feel like an interview at all. Instead, it’s more like a fast-paced conversation between an executive and a trusted advisor about a challenging—and often ambiguous—strategic or operations problem. Because case interviews are a new skill for many people, preparation is critical. Don’t worry about counting the number of practice cases you’ve done—there is no magic number. What’s most important is that you become comfortable structuring a problem quickly and developing a framework to identify and prioritize the issues with the highest impact. Typically there is no single right answer. And, finally, don’t forget to take the time to synthesize your thoughts and develop a compelling, fact-based conclusion.

Background

Mark joined BCG in 2006, after spending four years at an import-management consulting firm and three years at Compaq. He earned a BA in international studies from The College of William and Mary, and he also holds an MBA from the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business.

The cases you discuss are pulled from work that someone has done at BCG. It’s a great way to learn about what we do.

Meghan
Associate, Atlanta

A Personal Story

When I went in for my interviews, I was really interested when I found out that the case I had just done was actually a real case that my interviewer had been a part of. After going through my own thought process with my interviewer, I was able to imagine what it would be like to face those kinds of problems every day, and it got me excited. Through the case interview process, I was able to see that my insights and assumptions are valuable tools in helping to solve complex client issues, even without a deep business background.

Entering into this kind of discussion with my interviewers was also a great way to get to know BCGers personally. The conversations I had and the connections I made was one of the reasons I decided to join BCG.

Background

Meghan joined BCG in 2006. She has worked in a variety of industries, including industrial goods, private equity, energy, and intellectual property. Meghan holds a BA in economics from Yale University.

It's all about applying a little structure to creativity and intuition.

Jesper
Principal, Copenhagen

A Personal Story

I often hear people claim that consulting is all about using your common sense. That may well be true, but in this case we are talking about a type of common sense that is not all that common. Most business problems are really not that complex when you attack them in the right way. You do not need to know all the details of an industry to come up with insights. What you do need is the ability to identify the right underlying problem and then deconstruct in a logical way. With that structure in mind, it's now time to go look for answers—almost like a "business investigator"—using your inherent intuition, creativity, and analytical skills. Some people master this better than others. In the interview process, we are looking to identify those that excel.

Background

Jesper holds an MBA from INSEAD in France and an LLM from the University of Copenhagen. He also studied at Copenhagen Business School and is a trained attorney-at-law and investment banker. Jesper joined BCG's Copenhagen office in 2006 as a lateral hire. He works mainly in the area of corporate development.

Always structure the problem, but don't force-fit any standard frameworks unless they really apply.

Alan
Principal, New York

A Personal Story

My goal for an interview is to have an interesting conversation about a real business problem. It will be based on something I worked on for months, so of course it's hard to compress into a short time—but it's a great way for you to get a sense of what we do, in addition to our getting a sense of how you approach problems. It's a two-way street—if you leave having enjoyed an interesting conversation, then it probably went well. Just be sure to listen and communicate concisely. Always structure the problem, but don't force-fit any standard frameworks unless they really apply. Try to think as expansively as possible and then prioritize to show your business judgment. There are a lot of possible right answers, and I'm keen to see the way you think.

Background

Alan joined BCG in 2003 and has worked in the firm’s Social Impact Practice Network, as well as the Organization and Health Care practice areas. Before BCG, Alan spent two years as manager of the Montreal Chamber Music Festival and of Les Jeunes Virtuoses, a chamber orchestra. Alan holds an MBA in management and social enterprise from Columbia Business School and a BS in mathematics from McGill University.

The case interviews are certainly challenging, but they are by no means impossible.

AJ
Associate, Boston

A Personal Story

The portion of the interview about the case study can be intimidating, but it is important to remember that there is no single right answer to these cases. Rather, the interviewer is simply assessing how you would attack a real-life business problem and evaluating how well you organize and structure your reasoning.

As such, these interviews do not require any previous knowledge of the particular industry involved in the case. In fact, the two cases during my final interview round were about explosives and natural gas, and I am certainly no expert in either!

I concentrated on listening carefully to the facts and engaging the interviewer in a conversation, and I made sure to ask questions about anything I was unsure of. When I structured the problem, I clearly communicated my thought process in dissecting the case. I also made an effort to focus on the high-impact issues and presented a strong argument at the end of the case based on the information I was given. The case interviews are certainly challenging, but they are by no means impossible. A. J. joined BCG in 2007 and has worked primarily in the consumer goods sector. He previously interned as a summer analyst at CIM Group, where he underwrote and conducted due diligence on real estate. A.J. graduated with distinction from the University of Virginia with a BS in commerce.

Background

AJ joined BCG in 2007 and has worked primarily in the consumer goods sector. He previously interned as a summer analyst at CIM Group, where he underwrote and conducted due diligence on real estate. AJ graduated with distinction from the University of Virginia with a BS in commerce.

Who We Look For

BCG Offices

FAQs

Bookmark This Page

RSS Feed

Your BCG RSS Feed

Your Area of Interest:

Your BCG RSS Feed