Bainies really value the opportunity to build personal friendships from their professional relationships.

• Why Bain?

  When I think about why Bain, two things stand out - the people in the Chicago office and our generalist career model.

  Everyone at Bain has a lot of career options, and I think most of them come and stay because of the culture.  Consulting is challenging work, and if I didn't enjoy spending time with my colleagues, it would be that much harder.  Bainies really value the opportunity to build personal friendships from their professional relationships.

  At Bain, relative to most other firms, you don't specialize until you're more senior.  Our staffing process ensures that you see all kinds of businesses as you work your way up, and as someone who hopes to run his own company someday, I love that approach.  The breadth of experience I'm getting at Bain will give me the perspective to do things the best way, not just the way they've always been done.
  

• My passion

  Outside of the office, my passion is triathlon.  From local sprint races to the Chicago Triathlon and maybe someday the Hawaii Ironman, I love it all.  But crossing the finish line to a cheering crowd is just a bonus to me - it's the time I get to spend outside training, the friends I've made through the sport, and the health benefits that keep me coming back.

  Bain's heavy focus on results allows me to continue to train and race while at the same time pursuing a challenging career.  There are always going to be client commitments to be met and compromises to be made, but there's plenty of flexibility to accommodate personal goals over the long run.

• My favorite case

  My favorite recent case involved international growth strategy for a major agricultural firm.  The daily tasks covered a wide spectrum including industry and demographic research, discussion with clients, data analysis, slide creation, team meetings, and moderate travel.  In a very short time, I was able to grasp a number of new and useful tools and learn a lot about a brand new business.  There were some difficult moments, but overall it was a very rewarding experience.

• A final thought

  Only a handful of places can match the kind of opportunity you'll have during and after your time at Bain.  If you're interested in developing a broad understanding of business and working with incredible colleagues who also happen to be good friends, it's probably impossible to beat.