Our interview process is a dialog aimed at getting to know you personally, learning more about your analytic capabilities, and also introducing you to our people and our work. We assess your ability to listen, communicate effectively, and present yourself with tact, energy, and persuasiveness. We look for intellectual curiosity and creative thinking. And sometimes, we just want to find out what it would be like to spend a week on the road with you, working together on a client project. Interviewers value a sense of humor and a bit of “sparkle” in your personality.
There are two rounds of case interviews, with two separate interviews in the first round and two additional ones in the second. Typically, we divide interviews into three parts: personal background, consideration of a case study, and an opportunity for the applicant to ask questions about us.
Your personal background. During the interview, we want to find out more about you and how you would fit in at BCG. For example, you might be asked to describe ways you have been able to make an impact in a team environment in the past. Or you could tell us of a time when you were able to overcome obstacles, persuading others to go along with a decision that they had initially resisted. The interviewer may also simply be curious to hear your motivation for choosing to pursue a career with BCG.
Case study. We use a case study to give you an opportunity to demonstrate your problem-solving skills. Because the case is likely based on a real client project your interviewer has worked on, you will gain a unique insight into what strategy consulting at BCG is like.
The case study will feature a business problem that you and the interviewer will seek to solve together. It will not require extensive knowledge of specific industries or processes, and often our cases have no right or wrong answers. Your questions and thought processes are more important to us than coming up with an actual solution.
We hope that you will find the discussion of the case study intellectually stimulating. There is no better way to simulate what we do than to work through one of our cases.
Questions and answers. The interview is your chance to ask questions about working at BCG or your interviewer’s personal experience. It is an opportunity for you to get to know our people and our culture. Come prepared with the questions that matter to you, and we will make every effort to answer them.
Preparation for the Case Study
To prepare for the case study discussion, you can review some practice cases at www.bcg.com/careers. These examples will give you an idea of what to expect in the case study portion of the interview. You can also practice using our interactive online cases. On the day of the interview, relax and be yourself.
