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BCG Associate Consultant Interview Questions, Process, and Tips

Updated 21 Oct 2024

Top BCG Associate Consultant Interview Questions and Answers

  • Q1. Your client is Tata Sons and their hierarchy is such that all their other businesses are present below the CEO. In 2012, Mistry was appointed as the chairman of Tata Sons ...read more
  • Q2. Case: Our client is a leading cement manufacturing firm in India looking to enter the international markets. How will you formulate a plan of action to prioritize which g ...read more
  • Q3. Our client is a gear manufacturer who has expanded his father’s business from 1000 cr to 4000 cr however his profitability has dropped from 10% to 5%. Probe why has this ...read more
View all 10 questions

BCG Associate Consultant Interview Experiences

15 interviews found

Interview experience
3
Average
Difficulty level
Moderate
Process Duration
Less than 2 weeks
Result
Not Selected

I applied via Campus Placement and was interviewed before Oct 2023. There was 1 interview round.

Round 1 - One-on-one 

(2 Questions)

  • Q1. Varous puzzles asked
  • Q2. Guesstimates and case studies

Interview Preparation Tips

Interview preparation tips for other job seekers - Do prep for case study , puzzles , guesstimated . It is all required for this role .

Associate Consultant Interview Questions & Answers

user image Vishesh Sharma

posted on 10 Mar 2015

Interview Questionnaire 

4 Questions

  • Q1. Case: Our client is a leading cement manufacturing firm in India looking to enter the international markets. How will you formulate a plan of action to prioritize which geography should they enter?
  • Ans. 

    To prioritize international markets for a leading cement manufacturing firm in India, a plan of action can be formulated based on market research and analysis.

    • Conduct market research to identify potential markets based on factors such as demand, competition, and regulatory environment

    • Analyze the economic and political stability of each potential market

    • Consider the logistics and transportation costs of exporting cement ...

  • Answered by AI
  • Q2. My driver has been given an offer by Meru cabs to become a driver for them. What suggestion should I give him?
  • Q3. Your client is Tata Sons and their hierarchy is such that all their other businesses are present below the CEO. In 2012, Mistry was appointed as the chairman of Tata Sons. In addition, he is also chairman ...
  • Ans. 

    To manage Tata's businesses, Mistry should conduct a thorough analysis of each business unit's performance and potential, identify areas for improvement, and develop a strategic plan.

    • Conduct a SWOT analysis of each business unit

    • Identify areas for improvement and develop a strategic plan

    • Consider market trends and competition

    • Evaluate the financial performance of each business unit

    • Assess the potential for growth and expan...

  • Answered by AI
  • Q4. Our client is a gear manufacturer who has expanded his father’s business from 1000 cr to 4000 cr however his profitability has dropped from 10% to 5%. Probe why has this happened?
  • Ans. 

    The client's gear manufacturing business has expanded from 1000 cr to 4000 cr, but profitability has dropped from 10% to 5%. Find out why.

    • Possible increase in production costs

    • Increased competition leading to lower prices

    • Investment in new technology or equipment

    • Changes in market demand or consumer preferences

    • Inefficient management or operations

    • Economic factors such as inflation or recession

  • Answered by AI

Interview Preparation Tips

Round: Resume Shortlist
Experience: This part is frustrating; especially while getting reviews after you've made a draft. However, after heavy editing based on advice from seniors, it gave me a good head-start and confidence to move on to future preparation towards placements.
Tips: Management consulting shortlist is very strongly resume based. Hence the resume is the most crucial asset for getting a shortlist in the first place. When you know the success rate for getting shortlisted is less than 10%, you better make sure your resume makes the cut.

Detailed instructions and tips on how to make a good consulting resume can be found in many books(I referred to 'Killer Consulting Resumes' by Wetfeet which is good to get your basics); It is too extensive for me to elaborate here hence I will avoid the commonly available knowledge about peaks, focus, etc. 

Summarizing the most important aspect which according to me is - Make sure every bullet-ed point has three things - 'WHAT you did, WHY/HOW you did, and the RESULTS'. All 3 should be included in one single line of text in the most robust use of words making sure you convey these. Another extremely important step in making a resume is getting reviews from seniors and alumni in firms where you are applying. This part is irritating and frustrating at times because you will need multiple iterations till the resume is refined. The key is not to get affected while getting reviews from different people and stay as objective as possible - trust me, this is not that easy as it sounds, it gets demotivating when people are critiquing on what you did in your life and how should it be portrayed on paper. This process of getting comments will never stop even after multiple iterations because of difference in opinions among the reviewers; you need to stop when you have knowingly turned down several comments keeping your own perspective in mind till you are content with your resume.

Finally make sure you complete your resume well before deadlines to avoid blunders and dissatisfaction and make sure a printed copy looks aesthetically appealing.

Round: Case Study Interview
Experience: General format for all the case study rounds was: (1) Tell me about yourself : I had prepared a list of what I wanted to speak about and memorized the key points to present a 2 minute monologue. However, I very keenly made sure to strike a conversation on any part where the interviewer interrupted me out of interest to ensure it sounded more like a conversation between two colleagues rather than a speech by a candidate to an interviewer. (2) Case: Coming back to the case mentioned in the question above:I considered 3 factors:(1) Market size for each geography and their growth rates(2) Market capture from competition(3) Profit per unitInterviewer: Using 1 graph each and nothing else, represent all of the 3 factors mentionedI drew the 3 most relevant graphs that came to my mind for each of the 3 factors mentioned. (3) Questions for the interviewer: I used to generally ask the guys outside the interview room to give me a brief introduction of the interviewer before the interview started. I used to use that information to ask a question to the interviewer in this part of the interview hoping to strike a chord with him before leaving.

Round: Case Study Interview
Experience: Ask objective of driver? – Higher returns

·        
Calc returns (profits) for each case as your driver and as a Meru cabs driverSalary 15000 per month + bonus of 1 month salary annually.

·        
Meru cabs: Aggregator (no cabs of their own)
Driver need to get his own car and register on Meru cabs.

·        
Cost on EMI: new car – 30000 p.m. Old car –
15000 p.m.

·        
Cost of maintainence of old car: Rs 1.5/km

·        
Meru promises 15 pickups of 20 km each day at Rs
30/km. There is an additional 50% driving distance which is not paid by client

·        
Cost of fuel = Rs 72/L. Mileage 12 kmpl

Round: Case Study Interview
Experience: I typically had never expected a case of this sort as it was too broad and undefined to give in an interview. However, it clearly looked like a case of organisational reconstruction and portfolio management. In the little time I had, I decided to give an idea of how I would proceed to solve such a case rather than really solve the case by using the BCG matrix. I clearly explained the matrix making sure I had conveyed that I knew what is actually was rather than just throwing jargon around.

I don't really know how the interviewer took my approach(as it was too text-bookish);he could neither object since it was an established case solving technique nor appreciate it as there was nothing creative in it.

Round: Case Study Interview
Experience: Use costs and discuss – final problem was increased R&D costs for customization of various gears while adding new clients

Skills: Problem Solving, Pressure Handling, Communication , Logical Thinking, Hardwork, Presentation skills
College Name: IIT BOMBAY

Associate Consultant Interview Questions Asked at Other Companies

asked in IQVIA
Q1. There are 2 cricket teams, A and B, with 11 players each. If ever ... read more
asked in KPMG India
Q2. While working late at night, you figure out that the data availab ... read more
asked in Capgemini
Q3. Could you tell me, which tools do you have used in test managemen ... read more
Q4. Reverse the String Problem Statement You are given a string STR w ... read more
Q5. Find the Third Greatest Element Given an array 'ARR' of 'N' disti ... read more

Interview Preparation Tips

Round: Case Study Interview
Experience: Interview 1: This was a good case study and it did take me some time and help to get to the answer. The client was in the air conditioning business. It was barely break even while the competitors were making profits. Why and what could be done about the situation? Initial discussions revealed that the client had 2 products ; room air conditioners & central air conditioning systems. The central air conditioning systems were profitable but the room air conditioners were making losses. We went into a lot of details but whatever cost cutting we did, could also be achieved by the competitors in course of time. So there was no core differentiation that would give our client the edge. The competitors were multinationals like LG, Samsung etc. but the reason they were making profits were not because of economies of scale but because these companies have much lower marketing costs as they normally market a brand (eg LG) and not a product alone. This edge could never be achieved by our client as he was only in the air conditioning business. So it was a good idea to exit the room air conditioning market and focus on our strength in the central air conditioning market. Interview 2: The second interview had a case on valves. But we never got to the end because of shortage of time. Interview 3: This was a very interesting case study. The client is a cement manufacturing company which has to choose the best sales person of the year. There were four candidates A, B, C & D. Now what criteria should we use to choose the best sales person? The interviewer explained me how the sales business works in the cement industry. You have dealers who do the selling. The sales people negotiate deals with the dealers who have a commission on every sale. This gave us multiple criteria for judging a sales person ; total sales, best deals, maximum % of sales in the city, incremental sales since last year, presence at best dealers, good margins etc. The interviewer made sure that every criterion gave a different answer. So in the end there was no clear answer to the question. So we decided it would be a better idea to state the criterion in the beginning of the year and choose the best sales person accordingly.

College Name: IIT BOMBAY

Associate Consultant Interview Questions & Answers

user image Himanshu Pandey

posted on 24 Mar 2015

Interview Preparation Tips

Round: Resume Shortlist
Experience: My resume was shortlisted only twice but thankfully that was all I needed. First for Deutsche Bank (Corporate Finance summer internship, August 2013) and second for Boston Consulting Group (October 2014). I was confident about my academic interns, projects and position of responsibility. However, I was little bit unsure about my CPI which doesn't stand well among my peers. Overall, my experience for resume shortlisting has been plain and uneventful.
Tips: In order to overcome this section, one can find the following advice useful:Your resume should convey a story about you. At least, you should be able to narrate a story about yourself during HR interviews. When I say 'story', it means that your resume points shouldn't contradict each other. For example, if you are/(show in your CV) a research oriented student, then every POR you took should be justified and shouldn't reflect that you were simultaneously interested in pursuing corporate career. There should be at least one pillar in the resume which can catch the interest of the interviewer (obviously during the short listing because I believe resume isn't of much use during the personal interview).Stringent Editing ( CV 101) - Minimize the blank spaces and resume should look ordered; Things important to you (Foreign internship/positions of responsibility/summer internship/publications) should be mentioned in the 1st half of the page. You can change the order of the heading (Scholastic Achievements/Position of responsibility/Summer Internships/Publications).If you have more than 2 points under a sections then it's better to use tabular presentation format i.e. use tables Usually, I have noticed in many shortlisted CVs that it would be beneficial to show your interest in particular subject either via 'Courses undertaken/Area of interest/Academic projects'.
Get your resume reviewed by at least 3-5 distinguished seniors excluding Placement cell guides etc. It is of utmost importance.

Skill Tips: Case in point is best for Case study. Guesstimate problems can be easily found on internet. However, I learnt guesstimates from my wing mates and it was the shortest way to gain the knowledge
Skills: Case study Solving, Leadership, HR skills, Finance Current affairs, Guesstimation, Macroeconomics
College Name: IIT KANPUR

BCG interview questions for designations

 Consultant

 (69)

 Associate

 (21)

 Senior Associate

 (3)

 Summer Associate

 (2)

 Research Associate

 (1)

 Associate Intern

 (1)

 Associate Analyst

 (1)

 Associate Graphic Designer

 (1)

Interview Questionnaire 

2 Questions

  • Q1. CASE: Making recomendations to a telecommunication firm based on the efficiency of it's distribution network
  • Ans. 

    Recommendations for improving distribution network efficiency of a telecommunication firm

    • Analyze current distribution network and identify inefficiencies

    • Consider alternative distribution models such as direct-to-consumer or third-party logistics

    • Implement technology solutions such as route optimization software or real-time tracking

    • Evaluate cost-benefit of proposed changes and prioritize implementation

    • Continuously monit...

  • Answered by AI
  • Q2. CASE: The case was about a cement company setting off to buy another firm

Interview Preparation Tips

Round: Case Study Interview
Experience: The trick here was to recognize that even though the firm had several hundred clients in each city, it was a few big clients that contributed to most of it's revenue and a distribution network targeting these few clients was the expected recommendation.
Some standard HR questions were asked, about what I would consider my most significant achievement, why consultancy etc.

Round: Case Study Interview
Experience: The task was to explore possibility of synergy in this acquisition. The case was based entirely on common sense and elementary mathematics. The interviewer wanted me to write an equation showing how costs would reduce if two companies merge.
HR questions were about my strengths, weaknesses etc.

General Tips: 1.Work on your communication skills.
2.Consultancies look for "spikes" in your career. spikes are the areas in your resume where you have shown outstanding performance.
3.Practice the case studies in groups. Avoid technical jargon and frameworks.
College Name: IIT BOMBAY

Get interview-ready with Top BCG Interview Questions

Interview Preparation Tips

Round: HR Interview
Experience: The first interviewer asked me some standard stuff about Mood Indigo and my internship at ITC. He also later asked me about a course project I had mentioned in my resume and what impact it had. The case he asked me was one where there were different markets for a certain product, each with its own prices and size. I was asked to explain which market should the firm invest in and why. The second interviewer had a case about a tractor company in Maharashtra whose profitability was going down. He gave some data as I asked and one had to work his way to the fact that of lately the tractors being produced were not up to the mark. He had modified the case data differently for different candidates, so for someone else the case involved figuring out that the soil in Maharashtra was of a certain kind where a better tractor was required which a competitor was able to launch, etc.
Tips: I think at times I wasn't being myself, I normally solve cases aggressively and quickly come to a certain conclusion. But I was trying to be over careful and hesitating to state the obvious without thrashing out the case in full detail. I felt maybe the interviewer would have preferred me to stick to the former method. However, in the other company I felt exactly the opposite. Hence I think it really depends on the interviewer and the case in consideration, but my advice would be to try and be more & yourself than adopt some method suggested by seniors which you are not really comfortable with

College Name: IIT BOMBAY

Interview Preparation Tips

Round: Interview
Experience: I was not placed in this company but I would like to share my experience with you...!!!!
Asked resume based questions. I was a bit nervous as the interview began since this was the first one for the day, but the interviewer talked very casually and made me feel at ease.

CASE STUDY : An office furniture company, suffering from decrement in revenues. I was supposed to analyze the reasons behind it and suggest methods for improvement. I started with the regular profits = revenues-cost equation and analyzed all the aspects in the revenues side. After a while, I realized that I had forgotten about costs totally even though I had mentioned it earlier at the beginning of the case. So came back to cost analysis. The interviewer was helpful and provided all the needed information. The case went well and in the end on asking about the actual case he told me that my recommendation was close to what they had mentioned to the client.

HR QUESTIONS: Why not higher studies? Are you interested in doing an MBA?

Round: Interview
Experience: No details about the interviewer since the interview began as a stress interview but in the end did not turn out that way. Asked two resume based questions.

CASE STUDY: A wine company is experiencing decline in profitability for the past one year even though revenues have increased. They have hired you to provide ways to improve their profits. After analyzing this, the interviewer mentioned that she would want me to analyze the distribution channels. I started, but due to lack of knowledge I was not able to answer this part satisfactorily even though I enlisted different possibilities. In the she gave a couple of hints, but I was not able to grasp them. But I answered whatever I could understand of the situation. Then due to lack of time she asked me to wrap it up quickly and provide recommendations.

Round: Interview
Experience: CASE STUDY: An Indian manufacturer of heavy metal castings for turbines is looking to expand by doubling its production in one to two years. They hire you to suggest them a plan to carry out this expansion. The case went well. She agreed to most of my suggestions but there was a particular area she wanted me to analyze. So she kept asking me what else do you think can be done. At one point when I was stuck, I asked her that in what direction she wants me to think. When she told me, I took a minute to think about it and came up with the answer she was looking for to which she added more by herself. Then she told me to summarize and highlight my recommendations. Then she asked me why am I interested to join BCG in particular. Also during my campus stay what is the one thing I like the best and what I did not like so much and why? I was prepared for these questions so answered them comfortably.

Round: Interview
Experience: HR QUESTIONS: What do I want to do with my life eventually. Which activity on campus has allowed me to do it very closely. What is my most significant achievement till date and why.Asked about my family background. I was not prepared to answer this so I was speaking very randomly anything which was coming in my mind.

CASE STUDY: A small and simple bank has three products on the savings side, 1 year deposit, 2 year deposit and 5 year deposit with given x, y, z interest rates. Three products on the loan side similarly with different interest rates. Each product has 30 lakhs worth of circulation. The bank has to increase its profitability. How should it go about achieving higher profit?
During my preparations I realized that I am not good at finance and telecom sectors as compared to other sectors. So when this case of a bank came I became a little skeptical at the wrong point of time, still I started but whatever factors I mentioned the interviewer rejected them all at once. Then I took some more time to think but again
whatever factors I came up with he said no to them as well. Then he gave me a hint but I did not take time out to think on that. Instead came out with whatever was coming to me instantly. Then in my final recommendation, I suggested quite an impractical approach. I think this went against me significantly. But at that point, I did not realize what blunder I had made.

College Name: IIT KANPUR

Interview Questionnaire 

11 Questions

  • Q1. At what time did you wake up? What did you do after that?
  • Ans. 

    I woke up at 6:30 am and started my morning routine.

    • I woke up at 6:30 am

    • I brushed my teeth and washed my face

    • I had breakfast

    • I checked my emails and messages

    • I got dressed and left for the interview

  • Answered by AI
  • Q2. Roughly how many students in IIT K end up working in non-core sectors? Do you think it is a problem for the society that a lot of students don’t contribute to their core areas of engineering?
  • Ans. 

    A significant number of IIT K students work in non-core sectors. It may not be a problem for society as they contribute to the economy.

    • Around 50% of IIT K graduates work in non-core sectors such as consulting, finance, and IT.

    • These sectors contribute significantly to the economy and provide employment opportunities.

    • Many students also pursue higher education or entrepreneurship, which can also benefit society.

    • It is impo...

  • Answered by AI
  • Q3. Did you want to be a consultant from the very beginning?
  • Ans. 

    No, I did not have a specific career path in mind initially.

    • I explored various fields before deciding on consulting

    • I was drawn to the problem-solving aspect of consulting

    • I enjoy working with clients to find solutions to their challenges

  • Answered by AI
  • Q4. Tell me something about your life in IITK
  • Ans. 

    IITK was a transformative experience for me.

    • IITK taught me the value of hard work and perseverance.

    • I made lifelong friends and learned to work in diverse teams.

    • I was involved in various extracurricular activities, including organizing cultural events and participating in sports.

    • I also had the opportunity to attend talks by eminent personalities and interact with industry leaders.

    • Overall, IITK helped me grow both person

  • Answered by AI
  • Q5. Tell me something about yourself
  • Ans. 

    I am a highly motivated individual with a passion for problem-solving and a strong work ethic.

    • I have a degree in business administration and have completed several internships in consulting firms.

    • I am proficient in data analysis and have experience using various software tools such as Excel and Tableau.

    • I am a quick learner and enjoy working in a team environment to achieve common goals.

    • In my free time, I enjoy hiking a...

  • Answered by AI
  • Q6. Of the various positions of responsibility that you held, which one did you enjoy the most and which one the least?
  • Ans. 

    I enjoyed my position as a team leader the most and my position as a customer service representative the least.

    • Most enjoyed: Team leader - enjoyed leading and motivating a team towards a common goal

    • Least enjoyed: Customer service representative - found it challenging to deal with difficult customers

  • Answered by AI
  • Q7. Why did you give up debating after 2007? (Probably the most intelligent question that could have been asked from my resume)
  • Q8. Why didn't you go for a company or university internship? Didn't you feel that this would reflect badly on your profile?
  • Ans. 

    I pursued other opportunities that aligned better with my career goals and provided valuable experience.

    • I wanted to gain experience in a specific field that was not offered by the companies or universities I applied to

    • I found other opportunities that aligned better with my career goals

    • I gained valuable experience through these alternative opportunities

    • For example, I worked on a project with a local non-profit organizat...

  • Answered by AI
  • Q9. Since you have done a lot of modelling in one of your projects, don’t you think you are more suited for a career in finance?
  • Q10. What are your long-term career plans?
  • Ans. 

    I aspire to grow into a leadership role within the consulting industry.

    • I plan to gain experience and expertise in various areas of consulting.

    • I will seek out opportunities to lead projects and teams.

    • I aim to develop strong relationships with clients and colleagues.

    • I may pursue additional education or certifications to enhance my skills.

    • Ultimately, I hope to become a partner or executive in a consulting firm.

  • Answered by AI
  • Q11. How long are you prepared to work for BCG?
  • Ans. 

    I am committed to a long-term career with BCG and am excited about the opportunities for growth and development.

    • I am looking for a long-term career with BCG

    • I am excited about the opportunities for growth and development within the company

    • I am committed to contributing to the success of BCG

    • I am open to exploring different roles and responsibilities within the company

    • I am willing to work hard and put in the effort requir

  • Answered by AI

Interview Preparation Tips

Round: Interview
Experience: The interviewer was Rohit Vohra, Partner and Director.

Round: Interview
Experience: The Case Study was a ‘Market Entry’ problem. An office-furniture company wanted to enter into home-furniture business. I had to evaluate whether it should do so or not. I asked for some time to structure my answer. He was very helpful during the entire case study and guided me whenever I went in a direction where I wasn’t supposed to go. I also asked a lot of questions. The entire interview lasted for about 40-45 minutes. The interviewer was very pleasant in his manner and the interview went off quite well. After about 10-15 minutes, I was sent for my second interview.

Round: Interview
Experience: This interview was taken by Shweta Bajpai, Project Leader who was also the Recruitment Head. She was an IIT K alumnus. This interview took around 35-40 minutes.

Round: Interview
Experience: The Case Study was a ‘Growth Strategy’ question.
A metal casing manufacturer wants to double her revenues over the next 5 years. What should she do? I began by asking a few pertinent questions about the company’s product and customers. I then listed out a few growth strategies. She pointed out that she wanted more possible approaches. I pointed out a few but the general nature of our exchange was that the moment I would sum up a strategy, she would drop a hint for another. I would latch on to it and this process went on for about 2 or 3 times. She then asked me that in light of the initial question, which strategy would be best-suited for our client. I answered the same. I came out of the room thinking that I had messed up really badly because she had practically solved the entire case herself. I had a very strong inkling that that interview was my last with BCG. By this time, BCG people had started asking some of us to go if we had interviews with any other company which was a kind way of saying that you are not selected in BCG. I politely inquired one of the consultants whether I was supposed to stay or go. He checked with his colleagues and replied with a very warm smile that I was supposed to stay on.

Round: Interview
Experience: This interview was taken by Saurabh Tripathi, Partner and Director. He was also an IIT K alumnus, the President Gold Medalist of his batch. He was the one who had given us the PPT at Taj. Moreover, I also had the opportunity of having a long conversation with him because we were seated at the same table during dinner. He began the interview by pointing out the same. He then asked some very tricky and pointed PI questions:

Round: Interview
Experience: The Case Study that followed was again one of its kind, to say the least. It involved a hypothetical bank that had just 6 products: 3 kinds of fixed deposits (maturity period of 1 year, 2 years and 3 years) and 3 kinds of loans (again 1, 2 and 3 year maturity period). The rates of interests on the fixed deposits were 3, 4 and 5 % p.a. respectively and on loans were 5, 6 and 7 % p.a. respectively. The owner wanted to increase the bank’s profitability. What should she do?
I would be paltering with the truth if I don’t admit that I was a little taken aback by the question. I took some time and then asked him some questions to which he gave a very brief (though not curt at all) ‘yes’ or ‘no’ as an answer. In fact, during the entire case, he was busy on his Blackberry paying no attention to what I was doing. One of the first things that I asked was whether the objective was to increase ‘profits’ or ‘profitability’ because the technical definition of the two was different. He smiled (I think in appreciation) and replied that he wanted me to focus on ‘profits’. After that, I gave a few recommendations. He complicated the case further by saying that the principal amount of 1-year products was same. This constraint was applicable for 2-year and 3-year products as well. That is, the principal amount of fixed deposit and loan of 1-year was same, and so on.

Again, I gave a few recommendations. After a while, he said that he was in a bit of a hurry and that that was all as far as the interview was concerned. I felt as if nothing concrete had come out as the solution to the case. I asked him how I had done in the case. As was his wont, he answered with a very brief - ‘‘Given the time available, you did fine’’.
I was a little confused after this interview. I had no idea about the last case study. However, I knew that the PI part went off well. After about 10 minutes, I was asked to go and meet Saurabh Tripathi again. I went into his interview room and he gave me a job offer!

General Tips: Between July 2007 (when I joined the institute) and May 2011, I had considered and pursued IAS, MBA and research as potential career options at various points of time. But in May ‘11, I decided that the safer thing to do would be to take up a job and think about the various existential questions later. As far as my personal preferences go, I liked what I read about consulting. But being from a department where core companies are non-existent for all practical purposes; I was aiming for most of the non-core companies. I
was conscious of one thing though, viz. I did not want to work for a company that was catering to overseas
clients or to its own overseas office. The idea was that I did not want to join a company which was employing me just because I was cheaper than the Westerners. So, although after BCG, the second best choice for me in the first slot was Opera, I was not excited about it at all.
My entire preparation, especially the part related to resume and interview was done under the guidance of
Ashwini Dikshit (career counsellor, IITK). I think what worked for me was that I was quite organized in my
preparation. At no stage was I hurried into mistakes. By September, I had prepared the final draft of my 1-page resume. If you think you have a good profile and you can get a shortlist, then you should devote a lot of time to your resume. I would suggest that resume preparation should be started in summers itself. It is also very important to take help and guidance because there is a certain way to make a resume which does not come naturally to most of us. I prepared for aptitude tests by solving the CAT previous years’ question papers. If you are preparing for non core companies, one of the things which you should do is preparing for CAT. Most companies other than consulting firms and core companies, take an aptitude test (including the analytics-consulting firms) and contrary to the common notion, most of them ask English questions as well. Moreover, a good score in CAT will only open up options. I did not prepare for GD because out of all the companies that I was aiming for, very few had GD as a part of their process.
For case study preparation, I was a part of the Case Study Club of SPO which met around thrice in September October period. Apart from that, I practised with my friends. Some good casebooks in decreasing order of their usefulness are Case in Point, Indian School of Business’s casebook and Kellogg’s casebook. It is highly advisable to get hold of various IIMs’ casebooks if you can. While practising a case, the emphasis should be on what new you learn from that particular case. So, more than the mock case study sessions themselves, the analysis that you do afterwards is important.
For the Personal Interview preparation, I had prepared the answers for most of the commonly asked questions and more importantly had given around 5 mock interviews before December. One should sit and right down the answers of the various commonly-asked questions and go through these answers again and again to hone them. If possible, get these answers checked by someone experienced in interview preparation. The idea is not to memorize the answers, but to have a fairly good idea about what points you are going to cover. As a thumb rule, all companies are looking for ‘high energy’ and ‘low maintenance’ guys. Make sure, you sound like one!
Apart from the above mentioned preparation, I read ‘The Indian Express’ and ‘Economic Times’ regularly
(wasn't able to do it daily though) to get a feel of current and business affairs. One final pointer as far as placement preparation is concerned, DO NOT WORRY and do not indulge in useless placement-related gossips. They only eat away your time and energy.
I think what worked well for me in all the interviews was that I was listening very attentively to what theinterviewers were saying or asking. That meant that I was always answering the right questions and was also responding to the hints and clues which the interviewers were giving. In all the interviews, I had a good discussion with the interviewer. A lot of people say that a good interview is the one which is more of adiscussion rather than a question-answer session. By that definition, my interviews went off well. As I hadmentioned earlier, some people claim that the case study workshop which was held on November 16th wasevaluative. If it was so, then I would have got some extra points since I was able to do well in the case that I was asked.
College Name: IIT KANPUR

Interview Questionnaire 

2 Questions

  • Q1. Resume-based questions
  • Q2. Number of flights in air at a time?
  • Ans. 

    The number of flights in the air at a time varies depending on the time of day and location.

    • The number of flights in the air at a time can range from a few dozen to several hundred.

    • During peak travel times, such as holidays, the number of flights in the air can increase significantly.

    • The busiest airports in the world, such as Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport and Beijing Capital International Airport, ca...

  • Answered by AI

Interview Preparation Tips

Round: Resume Shortlist
Experience: Firstly they did resume-based shortlisting and I was selected.

Round: Case Study Interview
Experience: I was little nervous and didn’t solve the case well. I even missed the workshop due to academic reasons which again proved a negative point in my case. Buddy interaction was good. My suggestions are show enthusiasm with your buddy (mentor) and take interest in everything. Their assessment starts right from the time they take you out for the dinner till your final interview.
Tips: 1. Show enthusiasm from the start.
2. Have good interaction with your buddy or even with seniors in BCG.
3. Show lots of interest.
4. Prepare well for the case studies.
5. They mainly ask strategy cases which are given in elaborate manner in "case in point". The best thing is to prepare in group 3-4ppl or in your wings on a regular basis.

College Name: IIT KANPUR

Interview Questionnaire 

6 Questions

  • Q1. What do you think will be the demand for broadband connections in 5 years?
  • Ans. 

    The demand for broadband connections is expected to increase significantly in the next 5 years.

    • The rise of remote work and online education will drive the demand for faster and more reliable internet connections.

    • The increasing popularity of streaming services and online gaming will also contribute to the demand for broadband.

    • The growth of the Internet of Things (IoT) and smart homes will require more devices to be conn...

  • Answered by AI
  • Q2. An aluminium manufacturer wants to enter the multiplex business. What advice would you give him?
  • Ans. 

    Advise the aluminium manufacturer to conduct market research, assess competition, and develop a unique value proposition.

    • Conduct market research to identify demand and potential customers

    • Assess competition to understand their strengths and weaknesses

    • Develop a unique value proposition to differentiate from competitors

    • Consider partnering with established multiplex brands for expertise and credibility

    • Invest in high-qualit...

  • Answered by AI
  • Q3. Describe one academic project
  • Ans. 

    Developed a machine learning model to predict stock prices

    • Used Python and various libraries such as Pandas, NumPy, and Scikit-learn

    • Gathered and cleaned data from various sources such as Yahoo Finance and Google Trends

    • Implemented different algorithms such as Linear Regression and Random Forest

    • Evaluated the model's performance using metrics such as Mean Squared Error and R-squared

    • Achieved an accuracy of 80% on the test d

  • Answered by AI
  • Q4. Why consultancy?
  • Ans. 

    Consultancy offers the opportunity to work on diverse projects, learn new skills, and make a significant impact on clients' businesses.

    • Consultancy provides exposure to various industries and business models.

    • It allows for continuous learning and development of skills.

    • Consultants have the opportunity to make a significant impact on clients' businesses.

    • Consultancy offers a dynamic and challenging work environment.

    • It provi...

  • Answered by AI
  • Q5. Cement manufacturer A wants to acquire cement manufacturer B. Does it make sense?
  • Ans. 

    It depends on various factors such as market share, synergy, cost, and competition.

    • Consider market share of both companies

    • Analyze potential synergy and cost savings

    • Evaluate competition and regulatory hurdles

    • Assess financial health of both companies

    • Look at long-term strategic goals

  • Answered by AI
  • Q6. I see lots of successes on your resume, tell me about your biggest failure?
  • Ans. 

    My biggest failure was not meeting a project deadline due to poor time management.

    • I underestimated the amount of work required for the project

    • I did not prioritize tasks effectively

    • I did not communicate my struggles with my team or manager

    • I learned the importance of time management and communication

  • Answered by AI

Interview Preparation Tips

Round: Case Study Interview
Experience: Answer 1) No numbers were expected, no knowledge of broadband technology was expected either. The key here was not just an increase in users, but also an increase in the number of uses. None of the established frameworks really helped. The interviewer was very helpful and gave me cues when I was not making progress.

Answer 2) Again, no numbers, no data. I thought I really screwed up this one. I asked the interviewer if I had missed out some aspect, and he told me where I had gone wrong. Then we discussed this aspect for about a minute or so.

Answer 3) Always try to pick something with practical/industrial applications

Round: HR Interview
Experience: Answer 1) The interviewer told me exactly what he expected…he told me the four departments he wanted me to look at. I was to check for ‘synergies’ or the potential benefits of the acquisition for these departments. This case was a lot of fun. (Thanks to the interviewer mainly). Luckily for me, he was highly impressed and he told me that a third interview would not be necessary. 

Answer 2) He also pointed out that I seemed to have dabbled in a lot of things, and discussed this for a long time. It was a two-way discussion, and was a very comfortable conversation. By the middle of this interview, I knew I had to join this company.

General Tips: Sleep well, wear comfortable footwear (Girls, please stash away those high heels for post-job treats and NOT interviews, they almost killed me), don’t starve yourself. If you have back-to-back interviews, sit down for a minute between interviews and take deep breaths, it really helps. Now let’s cut the chase and get to preparation

PPT : Attend PPTs of all the companies that you are interested in. It will give you a good idea of the kind of people you’ll work with, apart from the work itself. Stick around after the PPT and talk to your seniors who are working with the company. Wait for the pizza, there’s always enough for everyone.

Resume : Don’t try and squeeze in too much into your resume. Going by the experiences of my batch, I think companies looked for well-rounded individuals and not necessarily DR1’s or managers and CGs. Needless to say, do not lie or exaggerate. It is disgusting, and in most cases, it will be obvious too.

Interviews: Please don’t prepare answers to the last word, but think about some common questions: strengths/weaknesses (a little introspection never does any harm) and of course, “Why consulting?” (or analytics, etc). Go through your resume and think about what you have learnt from each experience.
College Name: IIT BOMBAY
Motivation: A must for consultancies. Most seniors will have material on this. Don’t over-do this bit, but from personal experience, I can say that 3 days of case studies will do just fine. Do this in groups of 2 or 3. Don’t use any technical jargon/names of frameworks.

BCG Interview FAQs

How many rounds are there in BCG Associate Consultant interview?
BCG interview process usually has 1 rounds. The most common rounds in the BCG interview process are One-on-one Round.
What are the top questions asked in BCG Associate Consultant interview?

Some of the top questions asked at the BCG Associate Consultant interview -

  1. Your client is Tata Sons and their hierarchy is such that all their other busin...read more
  2. Case: Our client is a leading cement manufacturing firm in India looking to ent...read more
  3. Our client is a gear manufacturer who has expanded his father’s business from...read more

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BCG Associate Consultant Interview Process

based on 2 interviews

3 Interview rounds

  • Case Study Round
  • Resume Shortlist Round
  • Personal Interview
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