What it does: The firm advises on issues such as private equity investments, mergers & acquisitions, corporate strategy, finance, operations, and market analysis.
Mission: To help our clients create such high levels of value that together we set new standards of excellence in our respective industries.
Size and presence: Over 6000 globally
Best known for: Provides management consulting services primarily to Fortune 500 CEOs
The good bits: Amazing opportunities to work on tough projects with smart driven people
The not so good bits: Challenging hours & being thrown in the deep end
Officially opened in 1993, Bain’s Singapore office operates in conjunction with our Bangkok, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur and Manila teams as Bain Southeast Asia. Our experts in Southeast Asia share a passion for results and bring a diverse set of skills and industry experience to each client engagement. We understand the complexities and challenges facing businesses operating in Southeast Asia—the diversity of languages, cultures, political systems and markets in the region. We look at businesses from a chief executive's perspective, and we work together as "one team" to achieve enduring results.
Even after the departure of its secretive founder William Bain, Bain has remained cautious about revealing too much to outsiders, or even insiders. If you’re offered a role, you can expect to have to sign a non-disclosure contract and adhere to a strict ‘code of confidentiality. But whatever goes on in Bain offices, the staff seem to like it. The company regularly takes out top rankings in ‘best places to work surveys.
Bain has been enjoying strong growth in recent years and hiring lots of entry-level staff with undergraduate and postgraduate (especially MBA) degrees. Grads typically join Bain as associate consultants. Bain offers associate consultant internships at offices elsewhere in the world.
Having strong analytical abilities, an outstanding academic record and bucketloads of the drive is a necessary but not sufficient condition to get a job at Bain. You’ll also need the ability to “frame complex problems, think creatively, find pragmatic solutions and have a Monday-morning plan”. These problem-solving skills “may come in the form of team experience, academic achievement, group involvement or personal projects”. You’ll need to demonstrate leadership “whether through work, school or extracurricular activities”. You’ll need to show “how you've been instrumental in making a quantifiable difference to an organisation, project or team's success”. Given “passion is non-negotiable” at Bain, you’ll need to convince your interviewers you’re “enthusiastic and tenacious about solving puzzles”. You’ll also need to assure them you “yearn to succeed as [an] individual and as part of a team” and are “committed to creating change in [you are] work and in the world”.
As long as you meet all those criteria, the degree you have doesn’t seem to be important, though those who’ve studied something business-related presumably have an advantage.
The application process begins by filling out a form online and uploading a cover letter, CV, academic transcript and list of preferences ranking the offices you’d like to work at. If you make the cut, you’ll then take part in some combination of the following type of interviews. A case interview will provide an opportunity to demonstrate how you solve problems. A written case interview where you will “review your client's situation, present a persuasive recommendation that considers the trade-offs of each possible action or choice and then participate in a rich discussion with your interviewer to determine how your client could best achieve results”. There’s also an experience interview. This provides an opportunity to highlight your achievements, discuss your passions and explain why you wish to pursue a career in consulting at Bain.
Bain is big on “global, world-class training”. New associate consultants appear to go through a 20-month program involving an induction, new consultant training and, later on, experienced consultant training.
Bain offers industry-leading “comprehensive, individualised training” to “ensure you have the tools you need to succeed at Bain and beyond”. Staff engage in continuous professional development and have access to both “the very best trainers from around the world” and Bain’s Virtual University, which has over 600 multimedia modules.
The firm’s professional development program seems to be effective. Bain alumni have gone on to become the CEOs of companies such as PwC, eBay, Kraft Group, Dell, Hewlett-Packard, YouTube, Myer, Citigroup, American Express and Jetstar, as well as found companies such as Amadeus Capital Partners, Intuit, L.E.K. Consulting and Zynga.
Associate consultants start a salary that almost doubles upon their promotion to a consultant role. If you make a partner, the sky is the limit. For example, former CEO Mitt Romney is estimated to be worth US$250 million. He would probably now be a billionaire if he’d remained at Bain rather than pursuing a political career.
Leave & holidays
✅ Bonus annual leave
✅ Bonus parental leave
✅ Unpaid extended leave
Finance & contract
✅ Permanent employee
✅ Signing bonus
✅ Annual bonus
⛔ Stock options
Flexible work
⛔ Full remote work
✅ Partial remote work
✅ Flexible working hours
Family & health
⛔ Child care
✅ Free gym
⛔ Pet-friendly office
⛔ Mental health days
Insurance
✅ Hospital
✅ Outpatient
✅ Dental
✅ Maternity
Perks
✅ Free breakfast
✅ Free lunch
✅ Free tea & coffee
✅ Free snacks
✅ Free dinner
Bain Southeast Asia has become an active contributor to the local community through our social impact program. Our employees get personal fulfilment through delivering results—not only for their corporate clients but also for nonprofit organizations.
Bain is regularly involved in pro bono projects through which we provide consulting services to nonprofit organizations. We have worked with the National Volunteer and Philanthropy Center to refresh its strategy; the Enabling Employers Network to develop and implement an evaluation system to recognize companies’ efforts in employing people with disabilities, and United World College South East Asia to develop the foundation’s strategies.
Our social impact team works extensively with partners in the nonprofit and social enterprise space that are focused on training, mentoring and development. For example, we offer executive training workshops and strategy support for the Centre for Non-Profit Leadership and the Social Enterprise Association.
To complement our pro bono consulting services, we also organize community days throughout the year for the wider office to participate in volunteer activities. Past activities have included visiting the zoo with children from the Cerebral Palsy Alliance Singapore; cleaning up the beach at Pulau Ubin; providing career advice for students at Victoria Junior College; and visiting the Henderson nursing home.