Bain Online Assessment

Scenario 1:

You are leading a consulting team that is working on a time-sensitive project for an important client. Your team has been working long hours for the past three weeks to meet the upcoming deadline. Two days before the final presentation, you notice a significant error in the financial model that affects your key recommendations. Correcting this error will require several hours of additional work.

Select the MOST effective response and the LEAST effective response:

A) Call an emergency team meeting to explain the situation, ask team members to cancel their personal plans for the evening, and work overnight to fix the error regardless of their other commitments.

B) Inform the client immediately about the error, explain that you need an additional 48 hours to revise the recommendations, and propose a new timeline for delivering the final presentation.

C) Delegate the issue to a junior team member to fix independently, as they were responsible for the financial model, while you present the original findings with a general disclaimer about potential margin of error.

D) Gather the team, explain the situation, collaboratively create a plan to fix the error, distribute the work fairly based on existing workloads, and offer your personal assistance throughout the process.

Scenario 2:

You've been working with a client for several months and have built a good relationship. During a meeting, the client asks for your team's opinion on an unrelated business issue that falls outside the scope of your current project. This new issue would require significant additional analysis that isn't covered in your existing contract.

Select the MOST effective response and the LEAST effective response:

A) Tell the client that this falls outside your project scope and they would need to sign a new contract before you could provide any insights on this matter.

B) Provide a high-level, off-the-cuff assessment based on your general knowledge, without doing any specific analysis, to maintain a helpful relationship.

C) Acknowledge the importance of the question, provide some initial thoughts based on your expertise, and suggest a follow-up conversation to discuss how your team might help address this issue more thoroughly.

D) Deflect the question by suggesting they ask someone else in their organization, as it's not your responsibility to address issues outside your project scope.

Passage 1:

The implementation of artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare has shown promising results in diagnostic accuracy. A recent study conducted at University Hospital found that an AI-based diagnostic tool correctly identified 94% of malignant tumors in radiology scans, compared to 89% accuracy for experienced radiologists. However, the same AI system had a 12% false positive rate, slightly higher than the 10% false positive rate of human experts. The hospital administration has decided to implement the AI system as a secondary review tool, where all scans will first be reviewed by human radiologists and then by the AI system. Cases where there is disagreement will be escalated for additional expert opinion.

Statement 1: The AI-based diagnostic tool has better overall accuracy than human radiologists for detecting malignant tumors. A) True B) False C) Cannot Say

Statement 2: The hospital is replacing human radiologists with AI systems. A) True B) False C) Cannot Say

Statement 3: Cases where there is agreement between the AI system and human radiologists will not receive additional expert review. A) True B) False C) Cannot Say

Passage 2:

Company X launched a new product line last year, targeting the high-end market segment. Initial sales exceeded expectations, with first-quarter revenues 15% above projections. However, customer surveys revealed that 28% of buyers reported dissatisfaction with certain product features, particularly battery life and connectivity. The company's R&D team has since developed a software update that improves battery efficiency by 25%, but the connectivity issues require hardware modifications that cannot be implemented in the current product generation. Despite these challenges, customer retention rates remain at 70%, which is within industry standards for new product launches.

Statement 1: More than a quarter of customers are dissatisfied with the new product line. A) True B) False C) Cannot Say

Statement 2: The software update will completely address all customer concerns. A) True B) False C) Cannot Say

Statement 3: The new product line is considered unsuccessful by industry standards. A) True B) False C) Cannot Say

For each set of statements below, rate how well each statement describes you, from 1 (Least like me) to 5 (Most like me).

Set 1:

1. I prefer to have detailed instructions before starting a new task. 1 - Least like me 2 3 4 5 - Most like me
2. I enjoy taking on leadership roles in group settings. 1 - Least like me 2 3 4 5 - Most like me
3. I find it energizing to work in a fast-paced environment with frequent changes. 1 - Least like me 2 3 4 5 - Most like me
4. I prefer to thoroughly analyze all options before making a decision. 1 - Least like me 2 3 4 5 - Most like me

Set 2:

1. When faced with a problem, I prefer to solve it on my own before asking for help. 1 - Least like me 2 3 4 5 - Most like me
2. I enjoy working collaboratively and believe the best results come from team efforts. 1 - Least like me 2 3 4 5 - Most like me
3. I am comfortable presenting my ideas to large groups of people. 1 - Least like me 2 3 4 5 - Most like me
4. I value precision and accuracy over speed when completing tasks. 1 - Least like me 2 3 4 5 - Most like me

Set 3:

1. I adapt quickly to unexpected changes in plans or requirements. 1 - Least like me 2 3 4 5 - Most like me
2. I prefer to focus deeply on one project at a time rather than juggling multiple tasks. 1 - Least like me 2 3 4 5 - Most like me
3. I regularly seek feedback to improve my performance. 1 - Least like me 2 3 4 5 - Most like me
4. In discussions, I am more likely to present facts and data than personal opinions. 1 - Least like me 2 3 4 5 - Most like me

The following are sample questions that might appear in the video interview portion of the Bain assessment. Remember, you'll typically have 1 minute to prepare and 3 minutes to record your answer.

1. Why are you interested in working at Bain & Company specifically, rather than other consulting firms?
2. Describe a situation where you had to solve a complex problem with limited information. What approach did you take, and what was the outcome?
3. Tell us about a time when you failed to meet a goal or deadline. How did you handle it, and what did you learn from the experience?
4. Describe a situation where you had to influence someone who initially disagreed with your perspective. How did you approach this challenge?
5. What do you consider to be your greatest professional or academic achievement to date, and why?
6. Describe a time when you had to work as part of a team to achieve a challenging goal. What was your role, and how did you contribute to the team's success?