Hello everyone! I have a possible upcoming interview with Bain in London through a partner connection. My background is in humanities with a PhD, so I’m quite new to case study solving and business consulting scenarios.
I’ve been going through some preparation materials and working on improving my quick calculation skills, which is definitely an area I need to strengthen. The whole case interview format is pretty different from what I’m used to in academia.
I’m hoping to find someone who would be interested in practicing case studies together. It would be great to work with a partner who can help me get more comfortable with the format and approach. We could do mock interviews, work through different types of cases, and give each other feedback.
Anyone else preparing for consulting interviews or willing to help out with practice sessions? I think having a study buddy would make the preparation much more effective than just reading books on my own.
Hey! I went through this exact thing last year. Also a former PhD (chemistry) and yeah, switching from academic thinking to business cases is like learning a new language.
What worked for me was finding someone who’d already done consulting interviews - not another newbie. Hit up your uni’s career services. They usually have alumni networks with people at MBB firms.
Don’t stress about the calculations either. They’re way less scary once you practice a bit. Good luck with Bain!
Making the jump from academia to consulting interviews means completely changing how you approach problems. Your PhD shows you can research and solve complex issues, but case interviews want structured thinking and hypothesis-driven analysis - not the deep dive exploration you’re used to in academic work.
Check out PrepLounge or CaseInterview.com to find practice partners worldwide. These sites have programs built for people switching from academia. Plus, plenty of former academics who made it into consulting are happy to share how they bridged that gap.
Don’t just find a practice partner though. Build your business sense by reading industry publications and learning basic business frameworks. The analytical skills from your doctoral research are actually a huge advantage once you learn to use them within consulting’s tight deadlines and business focus.