Embarking on the BCG recruiting journey can seem daunting, but it’s a great opportunity to kickstart your consulting career! It’s a lot to prepare between the case interview, behavioral questions, and pre-screening tests.
We’re here to help you understand what it takes to apply to one of the most prestigious consulting firms and land your dream job.
In this article, we’ll discuss:
- What the BCG recruiting process entails
- What the BCG recruiting timeline and deadlines look like
- How to prepare for BCG recruiting events
- 4 tips to improve your BCG recruiting chances and land your dream job
Let’s get started!
Stages in the BCG Recruiting Process
The precise BCG recruiting process will vary depending on whether you’re a student or an experienced professional and the specific office location you’re applying for. However, the major recruiting stages are consistent across the firm. They assess your fit for the role, relevant skills and achievements, and your understanding of what BCG is looking for.
Let’s look at what each stage of the BCG recruiting process entails. We’ll break down the application portion and then provide tips on preparing for BCG recruiting events.
Resume and Cover Letter Screening
The process always starts with the resume and cover letter review. BCG recruiters and consultants review applications and score them against BCG’s criteria.
Get your resume and cover letter right, as competition for consulting roles at BCG is fierce. Focus on demonstrating the skills required to be a consultant, such as problem-solving, analytical ability, communication, teamwork, and leadership. Write your bullet points in a quantifiable, results-focused way, highlighting your key achievements. You can find out how to write a resume that stands out in our article Consulting Resume: Everything You Need to Know.
Your cover letter should be tailored to fit what BCG is specifically looking for in a candidate. Do your research to understand BCG’s core values and use the opportunity to show why you would be a good fit for the consulting role and why you want to work for BCG. We have a guide about how to write A Consulting Cover Letter That Lands Interviews that’s worth a read.
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Assessments
BCG uses a range of online tests and one-way interviews to assess applicants at the early stages of the recruiting process. The assessment(s) you take will depend on the office you’re applying to and your academic and professional background.
The recruiters will let you know if you need to take 1 of the 3 assessments when you apply, and you’ll have time to prepare.
BCG Pymetrics
The BCG Pymetrics Test can be part of the application process for undergraduate and experienced hire applicants and MBA students outside target schools.
BCG One-Way Interviews
Depending on which office you’re applying to, you may need to complete BCG’s one-way interview, which is a video-format interview. Although your part of the interview will be live and recorded, there will be no interviewer on the other side of the screen. You’ll be prompted with 3 questions and given a short time to prepare before recording your answers. The questions are focused on skills such as teamwork and your interest in BCG. For more info, check out BCG One Way Interviews: What They Are & How to Prepare.
BCG Online Case
The last pre-interview assessment you might face is the BCG online case interview, sometimes called the Potential Test or Casey Chatbot. Again, whether you need to take it is dependent upon which office you’ve applied to. It is another one-way interview, focusing on your problem-solving skills and ability to solve a case. You’ll be given an overview of the client, problem, and relevant data and asked quantitative, multiple-choice questions. Responses are provided and questions asked by Casey the Chatbot.
We have another article that will help you to understand more about this interview and how to ace it: The BCG Online Case & Chatbot Interview – How to Prepare.
First Round Interviews
You’ll move on to the interviews if you pass the screening stages.
The first stage of interviews is 2 back-to-back interviews with consultants or managers, usually 30 to 45 minutes each. The majority of that time will be spent on the case with a few behavioral questions.
The case is based on an actual BCG project in an industry of the interviewer’s choosing. You’ll be presented with the client’s problem and then asked how you’d tackle it. It will feel like a conversation with your interviewer, with the initiative placed on you to drive it forward.
The interviewer isn’t looking for you to arrive at the same answer the BCG project team chose while working on the real case. They want to understand your thought process and how you arrived at your conclusion with logical reasoning.
Second Round Interviews
If you succeed at the first round of interviews, you’ll be invited for a second round a couple of weeks later and given feedback on how to improve or prepare further. This round will consist of 3 more case and fit interviews with managers and partners.
If you’re applying to an office that uses the BCG written case interview, you’ll get a set of data and a couple of hours to prepare. You will present your analysis and recommendations to the interviewer.
Offer
This is the stage you’ve been working hard for! You’ll find out if you have an offer or not. This can happen on the same day as second-round interviews but can sometimes take a week or more.
If you haven’t received an offer, you’ll be given feedback by one of your interviewers so that you know how else you can prepare for future interviews. If you have received an offer, you’ll be congratulated by one of the partners and then taken through the next steps by a recruiter.
As you can see, the BCG recruiting process is robust and designed to ensure that BCG can select the best candidates.
BCG Recruiting Timeline and Deadlines
The BCG recruiting timeline depends on the location and country you’re applying for. The details below refer to applicants in the US, with most countries’ deadlines falling a little later. Make sure you check the timing for the location you’re applying to.
Overall, the typical BCG recruiting process takes 6 to 8 weeks from application to offer, with a couple of weeks between each stage.
For undergraduate or Master’s students, the deadlines for full-time roles are in the summer, and they will be the same for all US offices and schools. As a junior student, you can apply for an internship for spring, summer, and early fall.
Although BCG only hires interns in their penultimate year of study, there are workshops and programs specifically for students in their freshmen and sophomore years, as well as for underrepresented groups. Learn more about BCG Sophomore Internships here.
The deadline for graduate recruits from Ph.D., JD, MD, and other programs applying for full-time roles is in the summer. BCG doesn’t have a specific internship program for students in these programs, but Ph.D. students can apply for Bridge to BCG, an immersive work experience program with a deadline usually around February.
If you’re applying as an MBA student, deadlines for full-time roles are in early fall, with summer internship deadlines a few months later.
For experienced candidates with a few years of work experience, recruiting happens throughout the year, depending on the office and the need for talent.
For further details of BCG’s recruiting timeline and deadlines, review Our List of Management Consulting Deadlines.
What to Expect from BCG Recruiting Events
Attending BCG recruiting events is a great way to learn more about the firm and connect with current consultants. The types of events and access to them will depend on the purpose and format of the event, as well as the audience the event is tailored for.
On-campus recruiting events are organized at target universities and business schools because BCG competes for top student talent with firms such as McKinsey and Bain. These events range from presentations to 1-on-1 information sessions and are typically open for anyone to attend, although some smaller, intimate events may require an application.
Occasionally, BCG may organize events and invite promising applicants. For example, at a target business school, the consulting club may work with BCG to provide a list of resumes. BCG then pre-selects a handful of students based on skills, interests, and experience to attend the event.
Some offices may also organize events for experienced professionals, underrepresented groups, non-target school students, etc.
The best way to prepare for a BCG recruiting event is to understand the purpose and format of the event, do your research on the firm, and think outside the box when it comes to asking questions. You should be aware of the type and format of the event before you go, so prepare accordingly.
Consider the conversational nature of a group setting if you’re attending an informal networking event over drinks. An information session where you get to spend 15 minutes 1-on-1 with a BCG consultant will have a different feel, and you’ll get to ask more in-depth questions.
The BCG consultants at the recruiting event likely will meet hundreds of candidates during the recruiting season. Standing out at events is difficult, but if you come prepared with questions beyond what you can simply find out from their website, you can stand out.
Have your “elevator pitch” ready. Don’t just say you’re studying economics; think about what sets you apart from your classmates and weave that into your introduction. You get bonus points if these attributes are relevant to being a consultant! Talk about the specifics of the office you’re interested in and why BCG’s work in a particular industry in that location is so appealing and relevant to your background.
Don’t be afraid to show your ambition beyond just joining BCG. The role of an associate or consultant is usually a stepping stone, so share your aspirations and why you think BCG would be such a fantastic place to grow your career. Use examples of BCG alums to show how inspired you are by what they’ve achieved.
You’ll quickly realize whether there’s a connection with a particular BCG consultant. If not, it might be best to keep the conversation short and invest your time elsewhere. If there is a bit of a connection, it’s worth building a relationship as part of your networking process.
Following up with consultants you formed a connection with after the event is key to building a relationship. Make the most of the opportunity to attend a BCG event and try to connect with at least one person. Send an email after the event, thanking them for organizing it and sharing their insights. If it feels right, ask to keep in touch with them.
4 Tips to Improve Your BCG Recruiting Chances & Land Your Dream Job
1. Attend BCG Recruiting Events
Go to BCG’s information sessions, webinars, and networking sessions. Participating in these events provides a great opportunity to learn more about the culture and gain valuable insights that will strengthen your application.
During these events, get to know current consultants, ask thoughtful questions, and show genuine interest in BCG’s work and values. Leaving a good impression can help you stand out during the application process.
2. Prepare for the Events
Research the company’s recent projects, thought leadership, and industry trends.
Dress professionally and practice your elevator pitch. You never know who you might meet as you’re on the way to the event!
During the event, actively engage in conversations, listen attentively, and ask insightful questions. Afterward, follow up with a thank-you email to the people you connected with.
3. Tailor Your Resume to Consulting
Ensure your resume demonstrates you have the consulting skillset, such as strategic thinking, teamwork, and leadership. Quantify your accomplishments wherever possible to give concrete evidence of your impact. Keep it concise to one page.
4. Tailor Your Cover Letter to BCG
Craft a compelling narrative about your experiences and how they align with BCG’s mission, values, and approach. Research the firm and ensure your cover letter is personalized to BCG and the office you are applying to.
In this article, we’ve covered:
- What to expect from the BCG recruiting process
- Understanding BCG’s application timelines and deadlines
- Attending and preparing for BCG events
- Top 4 tips to improve your chances of landing a BCG offer
Still have questions?
If you have more questions about BCG recruiting, leave them in the comments below. One of My Consulting Offer’s recruiters will answer them.
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