FAQs

  • Bain overview

    + What is strategy consulting?

    A company with infinite resources wouldn't need a strategy. But how many companies are in such a desirable position? Strategy consultants help make the tough decisions on how to best allocate a company's resources for maximum value. Strategy consultants tend to tackle the toughest and most fundamental issues facing a business, usually working with the client at the CEO or general manager level. They can help a client achieve a sustainable advantage over competitors—an advantage that will dictate the long-term financial performance of the company.

    + How large is Bain?

    Bain has over 4,300 employees (3,100 consultants) working in 39 offices in 26 countries.

    + How fast is Bain growing?

    Almost every Bain office across the globe experienced substantial growth over the past five years. Overall growth in the last five years has been in the double digits, and every region is demonstrating strong profitability.

    + Does Bain have plans to open any new offices?

    Yes, we have plans to continue to expand our global network. We opened Dubai, Frankfurt, Kyiv, and Moscow in 2007 and Buenos Aires and Copenhagen in 2008. We will continue to build the scope and scale we need to help our global clients achieve results.

    + Does Bain have industry practice areas?

    Yes. Bain has a practice area infrastructure consisting of 6 broad capability areas and 7 broad industry verticals.

    • Capabilities: strategy, mergers and acquisitions, organization and change management, performance improvement, customer strategy and marketing, and information technology
    • Industries: industrial goods and services, consumer products and retail, telecommunications/media/technology, financial services, LBO/private equity, healthcare, and transportation

    + How does business mix differ according to office location?

    Bain has worked with over 3,900 clients worldwide. We work with a broad mix of global 1,000, mid-size and small companies, private equity firms, and non-profits. There is a wide variety of work in all offices, and the mix tends to change over time. Each office focuses on developing a core client base in its local/regional area. This may, at times, skew an office toward certain industries more representative of the region. Last year the majority of Bain's business came from the following industries:

    • Industrial goods and services
    • Consumer products and retail
    • Technology and telecommunications
    • Financial services
    • Private equity
    • Healthcare
    • Transportation

    + How broad is our client mix?

    Bain's client mix is very diverse. Compared to our primary competitors, we work with a greater percentage of small- and medium-sized companies and private equity firms, which provides our consulting staff with diverse opportunities for learning. Over half of our revenue comes from outside North America.

    + How does Bain rank vs. its competitors?

    Bain has received global recognition as a great place to work. Here are a few recent examples of Bain's third party recognition:

    • Bain ranked #1 in Consulting Magazine's "The 10 Best Firms to Work For" again for 2008; Bain ranked #1 in 2003, 2004, 2006 and 2007 (note: the publication did not rank firms overall in 2005)
    • Vault's North American Consulting Firms "Best Firm to Work For" - #1 Best firm to work for
      - #1 Formal training
      - #2 Overall satisfaction
      - #3 Overall diversity - best firm to work for
    • Vault's European Consulting Firms "Best Firm to Work For" - #1 Best firm to work for
      - #1 Firm culture
      - #1 Formal training
      - #1 Overall satisfaction
      - #1 Overall diversity - best firm to work for
    • Vault's Asia-Pacific Consulting Firms "Best Firm to Work For" - #2 Best firm to work for
      - #1 Firm culture
      - #1 Interaction with clients
      - #1 Formal training
      - #1 Overall satisfaction
    • Great Place to Work Institute recognized Bain as a top place to work in Europe (2008), Germany (2008), Spain (2008)
    • Boss Magazine and Hewitt Quarterly ranked Bain "Best Employers - Australia & New Zealand" (2005-7)

    + What is Bain's "True North"?

    True North is our focus on client results—even when it means recommending actions that senior management might not want to hear. True North is a navigational point on a gyro compass—an unchanging point of reference and grounding, despite shifting conditions and turbulent environments.

  • Bain's differentiation

    + What makes Bain's results unique?

    No other firm repeatedly tracks their clients' results as we do.

    • Our clients have outperformed the S&P 500 by more than 4:1
    • Bain helps funds realize superior returns and is willing to align its interests with clients to do so; the PE funds and deals where Bain co-invested with clients have generated returns that are 2.6 times the average PE return
    • Bain contributes to superior returns through due diligence but also through our involvement with portfolio companies post-acquisition; the deals where Bain gets involved in the first year post-acquisition have returned more than 2.5 times the average PE return

    Bain was founded upon results as evident of our mission created over 35 years ago.

    + How has Bain changed the consulting industry with its innovations?

    Bain is constantly pushing the boundaries of our industry and changing the way we and you will do business—particularly around results. We became one of the world's top strategy firms by taking calculated risks and doing things differently. Our entrepreneurialism creates an exciting and dynamic place to work.

    Here's how we've changed the consulting industry:

    • Results not reports: Founded in 1973 on the principle that clients should get results—not just reports—from their consultants.
    • Tied economics: We pioneered the practice of taking equity in lieu of fees, so we only prosper if our clients prosper.
    • Bain Capital: In 1984, Bill Bain and his partners set out to move from selling profits at a discount to buying businesses, applying the same results-oriented approach that they had to their Bain & Company clients. Launched as a separate company, Bain Capital has grown to a top-quartile private equity firm with over $78 billion in assets.
    • Private equity consulting: Bain was the first to consult to private equity firms, some of the most demanding, results-based owners in the world.
    • The Bridgespan Group: We then transformed our business model to serve those who serve others in the nonprofit sector.
    • Bain Corporate Renewal Group: Bain CRG provides turnaround services to distressed and severely underperforming companies—organizations with the most urgent need for results.

    + Do Bain consultants ever get published in the media or appear on television?

    Bain's staff frequently publishes studies and articles in industry publications and is just as often quoted in the media. Some even write full-length books. Chris Zook, a partner in the strategy practice, has put out three books from the Harvard Business School Press:

    In early 2008, Directors Mark Gottfredson and Steve Schaubert penned The Breakthrough Imperative, a look at the methods of today's most successful business managers and executives. 2008 saw Bain consultants also featured on television. Hugh MacArthur, global head of the private equity practice, was a guest on CNBC's "Squawk on the Street" in March. Chairman Orit Gadiesh was interviewed on "Closing Bell" about her book (co-written with MacArthur) Memo to the CEO: Private equity lessons any company can use. Gadiesh also discussed how corporations are weathering the fallout from the sub-prime mortgage market.

  • Bain's innovations: Private Equity, Bridgespan and the BCC

    + Describe Bain's private equity group (PEG)?

    The Bain Private Equity Group, or PEG for short is Bain's private equity consulting practice. Bain PEG is four times larger than the next-largest firm's PE group and serves the US, European and Asian private equity markets. Bain & Company founded this type of consulting as part of the creation of what is now a separate company, Bain Capital. Since 1997, Bain & Company has worked on more than 3,000 deal evaluations and 850 portfolio company projects. We maintain more than 400 dedicated professionals on four continents and, over the past five years, have advised clients in half of all global deals exceeding $500 million.

    Bain & Company not only helps private equity firms achieve superior returns, we are prepared to align our interests with client success. In situations where Bain has co-invested with clients, we have generated returns on invested capital that are 2.6 times higher than the industry average and squarely in the top quartile of industry returns.

    + What type of work is done in the Private Equity Group (PEG)?

    Our PE dedicated teams primarily assist PE firms with strategic due diligence. The work we do with portfolio companies post-acquisition is typically handled by our general practice teams - the nature of such work is not significantly different from our strategy and performance improvement work. Our PE dedicated teams also work with PE firms on developing fund strategies, screening sectors and companies to invest in and planning exits (including IPOs).

    Due diligence cases are approximately 3-6 weeks in duration (versus 3-6 months for a typical Bain case). The staffing approach is also different due to the intensity and shorter duration of PEG assignments: consultants are typically staffed to our dedicated PE teams for a six month rotation.

    + Does every office have a Private Equity Group?

    All Bain offices do work in private equity. The following offices have dedicated PE teams: Amsterdam, Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, London, Los Angeles, Madrid, Munich, New York, Paris, San Francisco, Seoul, Shanghai, Stockholm, Tokyo, and Toronto.

    + What association does Bain Capital have with Bain & Company?

    Bain Capital was formed as a separate entity in 1984 by former Bain consultants to further leverage Bain's results creation capability. Bain Capital is a venture capital company; it is not a sister company nor a division of Bain. It is a completely separate company with no sharing of management or information. What it shares is a common approach to the challenges of our clients to deliver extraordinary results. Please contact Bain Capital directly for more information: http://www.baincapital.com.

    + What is The Bridgespan Group?

    Bridgespan is an innovative non-profit launched in 2000 by Bain to bring strategic consulting capability to the non-profit sector; Bridgespan is a separate entity from Bain. Bain consultants can apply to complete a six-month transfer at Bridgespan. Please direct all Bridgespan recruiting questions to Nicole Phillips, Nicole.Phillips@bridgespan.org.

    + What is the Business Capability Center (BCC) in India?

    The Bain Capability Center, or BCC, provides knowledge, research and analytic support to Bain's global case teams. The Center also plays a critical role in the codification of knowledge for Bain's capability and industry areas, helping to strengthen Bain's world-class thought leadership. Bain opened the BCC in 2004. The capability center is different from our New Delhi consulting office.

  • Training and professional development

    + What is Bain's approach to consulting?

    Bain's focus is providing results to our clients. To achieve results, we take a very practical approach on each of our engagements. First, we provide practical insights - not theoretical insights - that are integrated across the organization. Second, we provide customized recommendations, and we collaborate with our clients at all levels to come up with the right answers. Third, we focus on implementation. To achieve results, one cannot focus solely on the strategy. We work alongside our clients in many cases to implement our work. The overriding objective of our work is to drive change within an organization and achieve results.

    In order to provide our people with the skills to help make companies more valuable, we believe it is important for consultants to be exposed to a variety of business problems in companies of different sizes and in a broad range of industries. We find that the learning one receives in one industry can often be applied to other industries. As such, for the first four to five years, our people tend not to focus in a particular industry. However, if an individual is passionate about a particular industry, we work with that person from an early stage to expose that individual to as many assignments as possible in that area. At Bain, our people can pursue their passions.

    + What do associate consultants do?

    Associate consultants work as members of case teams, in roles that vary by the team's objective and the individual's demonstrated level of performance. They are typically responsible for identifying information sources, gathering and interpreting data, performing analysis, and presenting the findings to their case team and the client. Other responsibilities include interviewing the client's customers, competitors, suppliers and employees, as well as other Bain employees with relevant experience. As associate consultants become strong contributors to their teams, they gain additional client contact and greater responsibility. Please review the associate consultant page for more information on our flexible career path.

    + What introductory and ongoing training programs does Bain offer?

    Formal training at Bain & Company is conducted on worldwide, regional, and local levels. On the corporate level, flagship programs grounded in Bain's "one firm" principle bring together members of the worldwide Bain community at key moments in their professional development.

    Worldwide programs for consultants include:

    • Training for new consultants and for 18-month consultants
    • Regional programs that target offices in the Asia-Pacific Rim, North America, or Europe. A typical regional curriculum may focus on analytical tools (e.g., valuation strategies) and case team management techniques, such as workplanning
    • Other programs, targeting skills unique to a specific location—presentation skills coaching and business research strategies, for example—are conducted by and for each local office

    Worldwide programs for associate consultants include:

    • Associate consultant training, an intensive two-week training course with all new associate consultants across the Bain network
    • Regional programs for associate consultants that target offices in the Asia-Pacific Rim, North America, or Europe

    Major training is conducted every 12-18 months as it is deemed essential to building the firm's human assets. Faculty for training programs is drawn primarily from Bain's own strategy and industry experts. Participating in training programs as a faculty member is considered critical to a consultant's professional development.

    + How do consultants get assigned to projects?

    A staffing coordinator works closely with you to help match your interests with the staffing needs of the organization. Your ability to work on specific clients or with specific industries will depend on availability and your personal development needs. Consultants are encouraged to experience a broad spectrum of project types, such as corporate strategy, mergers and acquisitions, across a broad range of industries. If a consultant wants to develop a deeper experience in a given practice area, then the staffing coordinator will work to give the consultant a mix of opportunities both within the specific area of expertise and outside the area for breadth.

    + Can I specialize in an industry?

    Our focus is on developing consultants to possess an invaluable general manager perspective. This requires consultants to work across industries early in their careers, on a variety of business issues. We are flexible and our staffing model is interactive; if a consultant wants to work in a particular industry, we will work with him or her to help accommodate that interest. At about 4-5 years (senior manager level), our people begin to spend the majority of their time in their industry of interest.

    + What type of performance evaluation system does Bain use?

    Performance evaluations are conducted every six months. As part of this process, you will receive feedback from the managers/partners on your team who have worked closely with you on a particular client situation. Each member of the consulting staff then selects a Consensus Reviewer, who consolidates all feedback received by people with whom you have worked and delivers the performance evaluation. In addition, those responsible for leading cases receive frequent case team surveys, which provide ongoing feedback for areas of improvement. Finally, we encourage all members of the consultant staff at all levels to proactively solicit feedback from the managers and partners with whom they are working. This informal yet constructive feedback is an important component of each consultant's professional development needs.

    + Are there opportunities to transfer to other offices?

    The professional development of the consulting staff is further enhanced by a managed process of cross-office transfers. As business needs change, opportunities exist for consulting staff members to transfer either temporarily or permanently to other Bain offices. Temporary transfers typically last for six months. In addition to providing professional development for the Consultant, transfers are one of many ways that Bain facilitates knowledge-sharing across offices.

    Transfer opportunities are available to consulting staff that are in good standing with regard to performance and are dependent on business needs in both the "home office" and the transfer office. Transfers require language skills sufficient to work effectively in the new office.

    + What other professional development opportunities are available at Bain?

    Bain provides several other special learning opportunities. Consultants can spend six months in Bain's Private Equity Group, which focuses on LBO cases. In addition, we encourage externships at The Bridgespan Group. We support and actively encourage our consultants to seek out opportunities for an externship at a company which may be of interest to that consultant.

    + Does Bain have a mentor program for consulting staff?

    Yes. Members of the consulting staff are responsible for nominating a mentor from their office, with whom they meet to discuss professional development issues. Mentors are individuals who are senior to the consultant nominating the mentor and should be someone with whom the consultant feels comfortable discussing a range of professional issues.

    + Where do Bain alumni work?

    Bain's alumni network is 6,700-plus strong; our alumni have a Bain affiliation for life. We hire people who are entrepreneurial, operationally-oriented, and practical (versus academic and theoretical). We train people not only in business concepts and theories, but also in how to make change happen in an organization.

    Our network is unmatched with companies of every type and size. The following are examples of organizations currently or formally run by Bain alumni:

    • Large: eBay, American Express, Pepsico Int'l, Prudential Europe, FedEx Kinko's, Dell, Citibank, Virgin Media
    • Small to medium: Oakley, Ducati, Easy Jet, Avis Europe, Lloyd's, J. Crew, Burger King, NY Knicks, Digital Globe, wine.com, Teleflora, Zagat Survey
    • Start-up: Intuit, Blue Nile, Innocent Juices, Sukhothai, Plasticsgrid
    • Private equity: Bain Capital, Trinity, CVC Capital Partners, Golden Gate Capital, Permira, Segulah
    • Government and non-profit: Candidate for President, Habitat for Humanity, World Heart Federation, London Business School

    + Where do associate consultants go after Bain?

    The opportunities that are available to departing ACs are tremendous. Our acceptance rate at Harvard and Stanford Business Schools are several times their average acceptance rates, and the jobs that associate consultants take after Bain tend to be highly selective, interesting, and often lucrative opportunities. Approximately 40% of the associate consultants we hire go directly to business school. The majority of associate consultants go to the top business schools, including Harvard, Stanford, Wharton and INSEAD. Approximately 25% of departing ACs go to another type of graduate program—typically law or medicine. Those that leave for other jobs often join a private equity firm like Bain Capital or other corporate or nonprofit ventures.

    + Does Bain financially support associate consultants who want to leave and study towards an MBA or other graduate degree?

    Although it is not required, most of our associate consultants have aspirations to attain further education. For strong performers who demonstrate potential for long term success, Bain supports the pursuit of an MBA degree or other relevant graduate degree in the form of an offer to return to the firm after graduation. Upon the employee's acceptance of the offer, tuition reimbursement is provided for two years of school.

    + Does Bain offer lifetime career support to its departing employees and alumni?

    Yes, Bain's career website provides an active job board, a multitude of head hunter resources and a database of alumni experience and contact information. Alumni receive free career coaching on topics, such as, managing change, setting goals, writing resumes, and making transitions.

  • Life at Bain

    + How does Bain's work/life balance life?

    Consulting is a demanding career and not for everyone; we work hard at Bain. That being said, work/life balance is important at Bain. Bain makes an attempt to make working in consulting sustainable, and "face time" is not important at Bain. Each office offers different tactics to address work/life balance. Some examples include part-time roles, leave of absences or take-two (a one time, unpaid two month LOA), rotations into internal roles (e.g. staffing officer, practice area manager), international transfers or externships, tracking hours and case team surveys.

    + How much do Bain consultants travel?

    Bain's focus is on doing what it takes to get client results. In planning client visits, as in all other aspects of our work, Bain tries to serve the client in the best way possible. As a result, travel demands vary considerably by office. Depending on where you are in the Bain system, you could be traveling very little or fairly predictably on a weekly basis depending on the client situation. Strategy work may require relatively lower travel than, for example, change management cases in an intensive phase.

    + Do all Bain consultants work on two cases at a time?

    Bain's focus is on doing what it takes to get client results. As a result, staffing approaches need to be flexible within offices and regions to accommodate the needs of our clients. Each office makes the decision about whether to staff consultants on two cases or on one case, based on the needs of the clients it is serving. At this time, New York and sometimes Boston are the only offices that employ a 50/50 staffing model for consultants. All other offices have a 100% staffing model and staff consultants on one case at a time.

    + How many hours does a consultant typically work?

    Consultants are judged by their results and the value they provide to their clients, not by "face time" or the number of hours they work. Our focus is on doing what it takes to get client results. Given this approach, there is no typical work week. There may be some weeks where work load is higher given a client presentation or a particularly demanding phase of our work. Work style is driven by client need, not rigid protocol.

    + Is it possible for consultants to work part-time?

    For consultants who have been with Bain more than one year, there is an option to work part-time. Many members of the Bain staff have chosen to go part-time for part of their career to help manage the balance between their business and family life. Many of Bain's women managers and vice presidents have been part-time at some point in their career. A number of men are also taking advantage of this option.

    + What is the compensation structure like in consulting?

    Compensation is competitive with other top tier strategy firms. The compensation package includes base salary, performance bonuses and an equity compensation award. We also provide new members of the consulting staff with signing bonuses and relocation expense reimbursement.

    + How are case teams typically structured?

    While all case teams are different, a "typical" team might have two partners, a manager, two consultants and two associate consultants. This high mix of associate consultants is unique to Bain among major strategy consulting firms. The AC plays a critical role on the team—often leading the thinking for key pieces of work. This model is successful because we have found that if we create a challenging and supportive environment, the people we hire will thrive and rise to meet the tasks presented to them.

    + Does Bain do any pro bono work?

    At Bain & Company, we realize that financial rewards are just one aspect of success. That's why we—as a business and as individuals—dedicate considerable resources to volunteer community enrichment efforts worldwide. Each Bain office works closely with local governmental and non-profit organizations, providing pro-bono management consulting, as well as contributions of money, time and effort.

    Bain's involvement may include developing strategic plans, designing fundraising programs, or creating and implementing new processes for day-to-day operations. Sometimes activities are not directly related to consulting, like establishing an after-school activity effort or simply planting trees in a park.

  • Diversity at Bain

    + Why is Bain a great place for women to work?

    Bain's female recruits prioritize career opportunities, supportive environments and work/life balance (in that order) when deciding on a career.

    • Career opportunities: intellectually challenging, high impact, highly visible work, reputation of firm, meritocratic promotion process, speed to promotion
    • Supportive environment: collaborative/fun work environment, number of female role models in senior leadership positions, demonstrated gender equality in pay and promotion, formal training programs, formal mentorship programs
    • Work/life balance: flexible career paths, control of own schedule, part-time options, opportunity for community involvement

    For more information about the women's program, please contact women@bain.com or visit our Women at Bain page.

    + Is diversity a priority at Bain?

    Diversity is a top priority for Bain.

    Bain supports Blacks at Bain (BABs) for both the recruitment and retention of blacks. BABs provides knowledge sharing and mentoring to help our black employees network, share experiences and develop mentors. The BABs program has helped Bain recruit great people, including noteworthy black alumni such as, Ken Chenault (CEO Amex), Derek Ferguson (CFO Bad Boy Entertainment) and Kim Goodman (EVP American Express).

    Black recruits can contact BABs representatives at babs@bain.com or visit our Blacks at Bain page.

    Latinos@Bain (LATBA) is an organization of Bain professionals with Hispanic and Latin American roots or interests whose vision is to make Bain the best career for Latino business talent. Primary goals and objectives of LATBA include: raising the awareness of Bain's values, results focus and attractive career choices within the professional Latino community, strengthening Bain's internal Latino communities, providing dedicated professional support and mentorship, and recruiting from the Latino community. Latino recruits can contact LATBA representatives at latba@bain.com.

    + Tell me about Bain's performance on gay and lesbian issues.

    Bain supports Bain Gay and Lesbian Association for Diversity (BGLAD), an internal networking group for gay and lesbian staff; BGLAD coordinates regular internal networking activities to support one another and to drive greater retention; the group has members cutting across all offices and across all functions and levels within the firm. The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) recognized Bain as a "2008 Best Places to Work for GLBT Equality." HRC, the largest gay and lesbian political action committee, surveys and scores hundreds of global firms each year. Firms are scored based on companies' commitment to non-discrimination, encompassing such factors as: non-discrimination policies, domestic partner benefits, commitment to an employee networking group, etc. Bain is the first of the global strategy firms to score a perfect 100 in the survey.

    Interested recruits can contact BGLAD representatives at bglad@bain.com or visit our BGLAD page.

  • Recruiting process: full-time hires

    + What is the best way to submit an application? What should I include when applying?

    If you are a college or university student, please follow the recruiting process in place at your college or university. Search for your college or university pages to learn more. If your college or university does not have a page, then please apply using the online application.

    If you are applying from a business or other graduate program, please use the online application. When applying online, you will be asked to include your resume, cover letter and geographical preference(s). You do not need to submit a hard copy of your materials if you are applying online.

    If you are a working professional, please use the online application, indicating the position of interest in geographic preferences. When applying online, you will be asked to include your resume, cover letter and geographical preference(s). You do not need to submit a hard copy of your materials if you are applying online.

    + Do I need to apply to each office?

    No. When submitting your application and resume on joinbain.com, you will be prompted to input your office preference(s). Please enter up to three offices for which you would like to be considered. Your application will then be forwarded to the office(s) of your choice.

    + Does Bain hire foreign nationals to work in its US offices?

    All incoming US employees must be able to show proof of eligibility to work in the US within their first three days of employment. Bain will support the application process for an H1 visa, allowing a foreign national to work in the U.S., but the firm cannot guarantee that this application will be approved. We will interview candidates regardless of whether or not they currently have permission to work in the U.S.

    + What if I'm interested in working in one of Bain's international offices?

    Bain does hire employees in the US who are interested in working in a foreign office. The visa requirements are similar to those in the U.S. Potential applicants must therefore consider the likelihood of their being granted work authorization in the foreign country. In non-English speaking countries, new employees must be fluent in the local language. Should you meet these criteria, indicate your office preference(s) in your application and/or cover letter. A local office may conduct the first rounds of interviews with candidates interested in foreign countries, and then pass appropriate candidates on to the other office for final rounds of interviews.

    + What is Bain's interview process?

    Bain's interview process involves a combination of case and experience interviews. Experience interviewers use a combination of resume questions, resume mini-cases and behavioral questions. The specifics of Bain's interview process (e.g. case vs. experience interviews, # of rounds, location of interviews, timing of offers) can differ by office. Please check the office pages to review the interview process for your preferred office.

    + Who is the contact person for the recruiting process?

    The recruiting coordinators are your contact people. You can find recruiting contact information for each of our offices on their office page. Please note that there are coordinators for both the associate consultant (for college/university students) and consultant (for MBA and other advanced degree students) positions. For manager or partner positions, please contact the consultant recruiting coordinator listed for your office of interest.

    + Can the recruiting process be expedited if I already have an exploding offer?

    In certain circumstances, the recruiting process can be modified to accommodate the needs of a candidate. This is typically the exception and not the rule. If you have been selected to interview, accommodations may be made to interview earlier in the recruiting cycle. Contact the office recruiting coordinator if and when this situation occurs.

    + How many associate consultant/consultant hires are you looking to make?

    Hiring targets are generated by each office based upon the anticipated business needs for the coming year, current size of the consulting staff and office growth plans. Targets are simply guidelines that may increase or decrease depending upon the quality of candidates applying.

    + What is Bain looking for in a candidate?

    Earning the respect and trust of the client requires intelligence, maturity, persuasiveness, pragmatism and, quite often, a sense of humor. We're looking for top-ranking graduates of the world's leading universities and colleges with outstanding academic, interpersonal and leadership credentials. Diversity of perspective and experience are also highly valued. Success at Bain & Company requires an exceptional combination of abilities:

    • Motivation for learning and solving difficult business issues
    • Desire to work together with the client to implement solutions which translate into lasting results
    • Enthusiasm to work as part of a Bain team to solve our client's most pressing problems
    • Interpersonal skills required to communicate effectively with both team and client
    • Analytical skills to back every recommendation with objective, rigorous, fact-based data
    • Creativity to develop breakthrough strategies that fall "outside the box"

    + If I am interested in applying for a position with The Bridgespan Group or Bain Capital, should I apply with Bain for positions at these firms?

    No. If you are interested in opportunities with The Bridgespan Group or Bain Capital, please contact these firms directly and follow the appropriate process established by these firms.

    + If hired during the 2008-2009 recruiting process, when would I start?

    The start dates for the class of 2009 vary by office but are generally in late summer and fall.

  • Recruiting process: summer hires

    + What is the recruiting process for interns?

    Each Bain office has its own requirements for internship candidates. Typically, only students between their third and fourth year of college/university study and first year MBA students are considered for summer intern positions.

    • MBA students apply for Summer Associate internships
    • College/university students apply for Associate Consultant internships
    • All other candidates should apply for full-time positions

    Usually, the recruiting season for interns is in the winter/early spring (beginning of second semester or session for consultant candidates and mid-semester or late third quarter for associate consultant candidates). You should refer to your college/university page or the appropriate local office page for specific dates. Internship interviews follow the same process as full-time hire candidates with two rounds of case interviews.

    + Which offices are offering 2009 summer associate programs?

    All offices will be offering summer associate programs this summer, with the exception of Munich, Frankfurt, Düsseldorf, Zurich and Johannesburg.

    + What is the best way to submit an application? What should I include when applying?

    If you are a college/university student, please follow the recruiting process in place at your college or university. Search for your college or university pages to learn more. If your college or university is not listed, then please apply using the online application.

    If you are applying from a business or other graduate program, please use the online application. When applying online, you will be asked to include your resume, cover letter and geographical preference. You do not need to submit hard copies of your materials if you are applying online.

    + Are internships paid or volunteer?

    Our internship program is typically a 10-week, paid program. Interns work on cases alongside members of the full-time consulting staff and are expected and encouraged to fulfill the same expectations. Benefits packages are not available for interns.

    + What is Bain looking for in a candidate?

    We look for candidates that exhibit a high degree of enthusiasm and motivation for learning and solving difficult business issues. Additionally, success at Bain requires an exceptional combination of abilities:

    • Delivery of results: structured-logical thinking, sound business judgment, analytical mindset, creative thinking and a dedication to achieving results
    • Client and team: passionate and driven, natural leader, team player, articulate, down-to-earth and a strong interest in Bain.

    + If I am interested in applying for a position with The Bridgespan Group or Bain Capital, should I apply with Bain for positions at these firms?

    No. If you are interested in opportunities with The Bridgespan Group or Bain Capital, please contact these firms directly and follow the appropriate process established by these firms.

  • Social impact and sustainability

    + How does Bain make a social impact?

    Bain has a broad and deep commitment to community. We are innovative in our approach to driving change in the nonprofit sector and in our communities. We span the spectrum from driving strategies at top foundations and nonprofits to rolling up our sleeves to help out and drive immediate results through hands-on community service (service days, building schools, cleaning up neighborhoods, tutoring, you name it). Our projects are driven at a local/grassroots level. It is the passion of individual or a group of Bainies that create these results stories. There is opportunity from Day 1 to take a leadership role in helping to drive the nonprofit work in your Bain office of choice.

    Our people contribute their ingenuity to help non-government organizations, foundations and community groups prosper in the many countries where Bain operates. Here are just a few ways we're making a difference throughout the world:

    • City Year (US): We've helped City Year turn around and stabilize its initial program and then expand from Boston to other US cities.
    • Robin Hood Foundation (New York): We worked closely with one of this organization's charities that focuses on managing top US charter schools.
    • Sounding Board (London): This innovative program teams our partners and managers with CEOs of UK charities for informal mentoring
    • Florence (Tokyo): This organization provides babysitting services for mothers who can't stay home to take care of their sick children.
    • Clinton Foundation, HIV/AIDS Initiative (New Delhi): When this foundation launched an institute to train its dedicated nurses, our people created a successful business plan and provided implementation support.

    In January 2000, Bain created the Bridgespan Group to serve nonprofit clients.

    • Bridgespan has worked with 200-plus foundations and nonprofits in the US
    • Past clients include Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, the National Association for the Education of Young Children, The Sierra Health Foundation and many others

    + How do individuals at Bain make a social impact?

    Bain people are passionate about creating tangible results, not only with our clients, but also in our communities. At Bain, volunteering means more than simply pitching in. We organize programs, develop strategies and apply our consulting expertise in innovative ways to make the world a better place.

    Here are just a few examples of how our people have made an impact on their communities through volunteering:

    • San Francisco: Each year, Bain people run an auction to benefit local charities
    • Germany: Over 250 Bain employees across three offices participated in our latest annual Community Day to support 10 local charities
    • London: Two associate consultants developed a 10-course business curriculum for underprivileged students that meets National Curriculum requirements
    • Seoul: In 2008, Bain Seoul launched their first Community Day to help disabled citizens
    • New Delhi: Each year, Bain sponsors and manages a Community Health Day

    + What case work does Bain do on sustainability and how might that empower me to make a difference?

    Bain works for clients that contribute towards sustainable development across many industries and throughout the world. In particular, we have worked with clients involved in all forms of renewable energy generation, fuel production and associated services. We also advise clients in other forms of alternative energy, recycling and waste management industries, in energy efficiency and in water pollution control.

    Our work for renewable energy clients is growing rapidly at over 75 percent per year since 2002. We also advice clients across other industries who look to improve reduce their impact on the planet and our results often uncover new sources of shareholder return in addition to the environmental benefits. As a firm, we are currently intensifying our knowledge development of sustainable industries.

    + Is sustainability a priority within Bain itself? What is Bain doing to reduce its environmental impact?

    Bain recognizes the importance of corporate environmental responsibility and, starting with the London office, has set up Green Teams in 26 offices. These teams have succeeded in reducing the environmental impact of Bain's operations across the global footprint through the implementation of a wide range of initiatives.

    Almost all offices have reduced paper consumption, begun waste recycling programs, reduced dependence on disposable utensils and consumables, and looked at ways of reducing the CO2 consumption through energy saving initiatives.

    Bain is expanding the Green Team project to further offices and continually seeks further opportunities to minimize its own environmental impact.

    Interested candidates can contact Green Team representatives through their recruiting contact.