How to Answer: What experience are you most proud of?
Advice and answer examples written specifically for a Bain & Company job interview.
2. What experience are you most proud of?
Why the Interviewer Asks This Question
According to Bain and Company, you can count on being asked this question in your interview. Your interviewer will use the experiences you are most proud of as context for the kind of performance they can count on expecting from you. When thinking of an example to share, remember the qualities they are looking for in a candidate. They detail that they are looking for promising candidates from all fields who are best-of-class recruits who share their passion for entrepreneurial thinking and action and for tangible results. "For anyone eager to move up and achieve more, our career levels offer entry points and development options that fit candidates' individual needs."
Written by Kevin Downey on May 20th, 2023
What You Need to Know
Spend some time on Bain's website exploring the varying career paths available for those with different experience levels. For example, if you've just earned a bachelor's or master's degree, you'll start your career with them "as an Associate Consultant. Working for clients from a range of industries, you'll gain the broad basic knowledge of a generalist and move up a steep learning curve." Or, if you are an experienced professional, depending, among other things, on the career level you start with and the pace of your development, you might start as a manager, where "you'll take on project responsibility from the outset. After significantly expanding your leadership skills for about two years, you'll be appointed to Senior Manager. In that role, you'll have a strong part in shaping client relationships and acquiring new clients, while you prepare yourself for your role as a Partner."
Written by Kevin Downey on May 20th, 2023
Entry Level Example
"Even though I am still in school, I was asked to audit a business. They were a small business run by a friend of the family, who thought it would be good practice for me. When I started the audit, their numbers didn't sit right with me. They used vendors for everything, including warehousing, trucking, and delivery. As I examined all the hidden costs and all the overhead these vendors were charging, I realized it was far more cost effective to lease a small fleet of box trucks and ship directly off-premises. When I told them, they expressed concern about hiring drivers, but I suggested they hire independent contractors. They saved thousands, and their business was streamlined, resulting in more reliable service and increased profits."
Written by Kevin Downey on May 20th, 2023