Bain PE analyst

Hi,

I have an upcoming first round with Bain Private Equity. Would anyone mind sharing with me what the interview is like/might be like. This is for an analyst position out of undergrad. Also, any information about what the work is like, culture, compensation, and what people do after a couple year would be awesome.

Thanks

16 Comments
 
Best Response

If it's for private equity, i would be surprised if they asked consulting case study questions. The questions you're asked will most likely be much more similar to the types of questions asked of investment banking interviewees, such as how the three statements link together, the different valuation methods, etc.

In addition to those, you should have a view on investments (e.g. what makes a good investment, what makes a good company a good company, if you could invest $1mm, what would you invest in, etc).

If you do get a case study, it could be a consulting case, but more likely, it will be a case study in which you will have to evaluate a company and give a recommendation on whether it is worth purchasing or not. Also, another common spin on that is to give you two companies to evaluate and have you defend which is the better investment.

For a first round interview though, probably won't get asked the case study or any difficult technical questions. Most will probably be questions around your background, internship experience, college education, extra curriculars... and a mix of behavioral questions.

 

well based on what you said I think it's pretty clear...very hard to get in if you are a banker

Do what you want not what you can!
 

I was talking to a guy who works for them in Shanghai and he said it's pretty much 100% Bain kids... no bankers.

That was only for the China office / side though... not sure about other offices.

 

I doubt you're at a top BB or elite boutique because no one cares about talking to recruiters about Bain.

Why not take a look at the other 99% of PE firms (including KKR, Carlyle, Blackstone, TPG, Apollo, Warburg, etc.) which is all bankers.

Indeed, you are an idiot who asks stupid questions like "is M&A useful?"

//www.wallstreetoasis.com/forums/does-ma-actually-help-companies

I'm guessing you're about 17 years old so I suggest focusing on your graduation and internships first.

 

boutique-- is m&a useful is a legit question, just look at the tons of studies out there showing shareholder value loss after b/c of culture clashes/integration, etc.

and i am interested in bain cap b/c it's one of the few megafunds where associates focus on both operational work and portfolio improvements as well as transactions, unlike say at KKR where associates only do modeling as the capstone team takes care of operations

 

How come every time i see "boutiquebank4life" he's acting like he's got his head stuck inside his ass?

If someone wants to know what I'm talking about, just click on his profile and search for his recent comments, it's just insults and provocating and shitty attitude.

You need to calm down and start behaving like a normal human being.

 
ametistaHow come every time i see "boutiquebank4life" he's acting like he's got his head stuck inside his ass?

If someone wants to know what I'm talking about, just click on his profile and search for his recent comments, it's just insults and provocating and shitty attitude.

You need to calm down and start behaving like a normal human being.

I swear the more he posts the more he seems like a troll.

 

@machinegunfunk:

Very, very few laterals. Bain always looks to promote from within, given the fact that analysts/associates from other firms aren't as familiar with the operations and portfolio side of things, as you pointed out. Bain has an analyst program that they will hire associates out of.

 

Let me clarify a bit, when I say 25% from finance, I meant top BB/boutiques. Then you have the other 15% from various backgrounds: PE, other consulting practices, MBA-transfers, even industry to a lesser degree. It's tough for PE lateral, but not impossible. This also depends on your level of entry. For entry-level monkeys, lots of focus on previous work, so I'd guess lower % of "other" category.

Don't be so focused on the numbers/percentages, because everything depends on your own background and accomplishments. And needless to say, you have to be a superstar in your previous works (or have the connections) to get a shot.

 

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