I applied online. The process took 4 weeks. I interviewed at Bain & Company (London, England) in Nov 2017
Interview
I've applied online (CV, Cover letter and online application). The next day I was asked to complete an online math test within 2 days (simple word problems with graphs; %, ratios etc). A week later I was invited to the first round interview (booked time slot within 2 weeks of available options). I came 15min early for my time slot so I was taken to the waiting room for candidates (10-12 of us) where I was asked to sign a n/d agreement and given a piece of paper with my scheduled interviewers (1 Associate consultant and 1 Consultant) (was hinted to LinkedIn them while waiting). After which half the group was taken upstairs and each person was allocated into a small office room. The two interviews were one after the other and each lasted 35 min. The first was experience Qs (Why consulting? If not then what? Tell me about about your greatest achievement and why? Tell me more about X on your CV) with the last 15min a market sizing question (What is the revenue of X public company; with following questions If you had more time what other things would you consider; which would you fact check?) then last few questions were for me to ask the interviewer. The second interview was a few experience Qs then a full on interviewer-led business case with graphs, a market sizing question (what is the market size for X product), a break-even volume calculation and mostly brain storming type of questions (what factors would you consider...? What things are included in cost? How should the company differentiate themselves?) Once all the questions are answered, the interviewer will give you a few minutes for you to ask him/her Qs.
The interviewers are very nice and helpful so don't panic if you're stuck/make a mistake! Bain is more interested in fit (my friend who got onto the next round wrote down the wrong number and made a maths mistake - which the interviewer pointed out so she just simply corrected herself). Be calm and explain your maths out loud :)
2 rounds, 1st round 2 small cases, not very difficult , market entry cases.
2nd long case with a deck to read and prepare answers..45 mins to read, 15 mins to answer
Three rounds of interviews, generally 2 rounds in person or remote with live consultants. Each round involves a 2-3 case interviews each, which generally also include a set of behavioural questions.
Drei Interviewrunden, je ein Interviewer: zwei englischsprachige Case Studies (Interviewer-geführt, strukturiert) sowie Personal Fit mit situativen Fragen ohne CV-Bezug - keine Angaben zu Praktika oder Uni gefragt. Stattdessen Reaktionsfragen à la „Wie würdest du in Situation XYZ reagieren?". Mit solider Vorbereitung nichts Unerwartetes. Alle Interviewer sehr freundlich und aufgeschlossen — angenehme, entspannte Atmosphäre throughout.