How to Best Stand out @ "Bain Breakout Session"

I'm scheduled to attend a virtual Bain Breakout Session in a few weeks for advanced degree candidates. This means PHD, MBA, JD, etc. or other advanced degree candidates with 3+ years of business experience (This is me - Masters degree in STEM + work experience). I will likely be the only one who is not MBA/PHD in this session and am wondering how I can stand out and/or best make connections in these types of group discussion/informationals. I feel a bit under qualified given my background but am hoping to connect with whoever I can at the company with aims of eventually getting a referral for the Advantage program and/or upcoming Summer internships.

Any general insights or tips would be appreciated, I've had 1 on 1's with consultants from other firms but never have done a group recruiting/general style informational session like this, so want to be as best prepared to utilize the opportunity as best as possible.

Thanks in advance!

2 Comments
 
Most Helpful

I'll be honest, I tend to forget almost everyone's name / face the second I log off from those calls.

That being said, you indeed can stand out (and thus not be forgotten). We are encouraged to mention candidates we think have a lot of potential. However, this is VERY hard to showcase in a mostly passive ~30-45mins online session.

The best thing you can do is:

  • Be camera on (I will 100% not remember you, regardless of how insightful / engaged you were if I never see your face. I just won't. That's how my brain works, I'm too busy to remember a random name I saw for 10 mins one time)
    • Obviously be presentable but no need to go tie and suit. By presentable I just mean be dressed normally, please dont wear a random white tank top as you smoke a cigarette, I just won't take you seriously
  • Be engaged from the start (does not mean interrupt every 2 mins), by asking questions when prompted (if you do have any, and I bet you will, just don't be shy), by answering questions when asked by the organiser (including those to the "room")
  • If there is a case workshop portion, take it seriously and be proactive / engaged again. Make sure to ask questions, to try and give answers, and participate (brownie points if your points or questions are insightful)
  • If there is time for you to ask questions, make sure to have some prepared ahead of time. Ask things that can't be googled in 5 mins (What's Bain's best practice? What does the career path look like? Do you have an office in City X? >> Any of those will make me think you don't know how to do basic research about something you should allegedly care about) . Ask questions you can't find the answers to online, and that YOU want to know the answer to. Don't ask something to sound clever, ask something because you are curious about it

That's about it... there's really nothing you can do otherwise. Feel free to ask the people on the call if you can add them on LinkedIn, some should be happy to oblige, some might not use it much at all, but wouldn't hurt

 

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