Rebecca Smith-Allen
Former McKinsey Engagement Manager
If you have a background in data science or AI and an interest in solving tough business problems, a career at BCG Gamma could be a great opportunity for you.
If you don’t know what BCG Gamma is, click that link to find out about the types of business problems they solve and what their work looks like.
But if you think you’re a good fit and want to find out what the BCG Gamma interview is like, you’re in exactly the right place
The BCG Gamma interview isn’t like normal tech firm interviews. It’s closer to a typical management consulting interview, but not exactly the same as those either.
How should you prep for the BCG Gamma interview?
Don’t worry! We’ll tell you everything we know.
In this article, we’ll address:
- What does the BCG Gamma Interview look like and how is it different from normal tech firm interviews and typical BCG interviews?
- How should you prepare for the BCG Gamma interview?
- 4 Tips on passing the BCG Gamma Interview.
How Is the BCG Gamma Interview Different from “Normal” Tech Firm Interviews and Typical BCG Interviews?
BCG Gamma interviews focus much less on coding theory and skills than normal tech firm interviews. You’re much less likely to be asked, for example, to determine whether a sample piece of code is efficient or optimized.
BCG Gamma case questions focus on business problems that have technology or advanced data analytics as key components of the solution. Cases could focus on predictive analytics, machine learning, optimization of operations, or risk.
You can expect a test on data science or coding, depending on the role you apply for, and could be given a dataset that you have to run an optimization algorithm on or a machine learning algorithm for.
In your interview, you’ll present your results and answer questions about the data and the algorithm. Your interviewer will evaluate you both on arriving at the right answer, but also on your ability to explain your findings.
Your answer should go beyond the basics you would provide in a classroom answer. It’s not helpful to just say how accurate your model is because businesses are not interested in a metric, they’re interested in a comprehensive solution.
Instead, tell your interviewer what the accuracy level means in the context of the problem the client is trying to solve and recommend a solution.
To move on in BCG Gamma interviews and land an offer, you need to:
- Understand the problem your interviewer asks,
- Formulate a good solution using the method asked,
- Address alternative solutions to analyzing the client’s problem that should be considered,
- Show that you can implement the solution,
- Address business changes your solution would entail,
- Highlight risks that will need to be addressed during implementation, and
- Present a persuasive answer using strong communication skills.
The test datasets are not necessarily difficult. The challenge is asking the right questions and providing a comprehensive answer.
For example, you may be given a dataset and problem that is vague. A successful candidate will understand the big-picture of the business problem, take a structured approach to their analysis, and communicate their solution and rationale persuasively.
Imagine your task is to run a model that assesses a new product a client is evaluating. Your answer should go beyond the go/no-go recommendation. Consider issues such as piloting the product, full-scale implementation, introducing the new product to clients, marketing, etc.
Doing well on a Gamma technical interview requires an approach similar to a typical consulting case interview. Our Ultimate Guide to Case Interview Prep can help with this.
Discover the little-known case prep & interview formula created by MBB consultants that has landed 700+ of our clients offers.
Don’t worry: this works even if you have been rejected in the past, or have never done a case before in your life.
How Should You Prepare for the BCG Gamma Interview
Necessary skills for BCG Gamma include:
- A comfort with coding language in data-intensive tasks (one or two college courses or the equivalent),
- Knowledge of applied mathematics in optimization or machine learning (experience with algorithms in college coursework is helpful), and
- Comfort with large datasets (tools like SQL, NumPy, Pandas, R, Spark, etc.)
You don’t need to be an expert in all these tools, but you do need the basics.
In your technical interviews, the important thing is to go beyond the standard answers you learned in the classroom. Practice constructing models, understanding the implications of the model for a client setting, presenting the model to a non-tech audience, and extending your findings beyond the math.
Explain the “so what?”
Identify the next step in the work based on your conclusions.
Beyond this, focus on developing stories you can use to answer common behavioral interview questions.
Tips for Passing the BCG Gamma Interview
1. Be comprehensive in your answers to technical interview questions.
- Don’t just present numbers and metrics. Explain what they mean in the context of the problem the client is trying to solve.
- If you are given a data science task, don’t just provide a model (e.g., machine learning or optimization). Understand the purpose of the model and discuss alternatives to advanced data science models (Would a simple tool work just as well to solve the problem?)
- Outline risks and uncertainties outside the scope of your data that the client may encounter when implementing your solution.
- Explain the “So what?” of your analysis for the client.
2. Brush up on your presentation skills.
Begin your answers with the high-level recommendations and back that up with the facts organized in a clear and persuasive manner.
3. Practice case interviews.
Because BCG Gamma interviews are more similar to traditional case interviews than tech interviews, strong casing skills are important. Practice breaking down consulting case questions into their component parts.
4. Develop stories to common behavioral or fit interview questions.
It’s not all about having the right answer. You also need to demonstrate leadership experience and the ability to work as part of a team. Check out the link above for a list of typical questions.
In this article, we’ve covered:
- What BCG Gamma interviews look like
- How you should prepare, and
- 4 tips for passing your BCG Gamma interview
Still have questions? If you have more questions about the BCG Gamma interview, leave them in the comments below. One of My Consulting Offer’s ex-BCG Gamma case coaches will answer them.
Other people prepping for the BCG Gamma interview found the following pages helpful:
Help with Case Study Interview Prep
Thanks for turning to My Consulting Offer for advice on landing a job at a top consulting firm. My Consulting Offer has helped almost 89.6% of the people we’ve worked with to get a job in management consulting. We want you to be successful in your consulting interviews too. For example, here is how Conor was able to get his offer from BCG.
Discover the little-known case prep & interview formula created by MBB consultants that has landed 700+ of our clients offers.
Don’t worry: this works even if you have been rejected in the past, or have never done a case before in your life.
