If you’ve applied for a consulting role at Bain & Company, you might want to consider getting ready for the first hurdle you’ll need to clear in your application: the Bain online assessment.
Like McKinsey and BCG, Bain uses an online assessment tool to filter its pool of candidates early on in the process. However, the firm has not published any official description of their test, only that it is a part of their hiring process.
In this article, we’ll cover everything you need to know to ace the Bain online assessment: the different test formats to expect, practical tips from our expert coach and Bain candidates, links to resources, and a prep plan you can easily follow.
- What is the Bain online assessment?
- Bain online assessment tips
- Bain online assessment free practice tests
- How to prepare for the Bain online assessment
Let’s get started.
1. What is the Bain online assessment?↑
As one of the most prestigious consulting firms in the world, Bain & Company receives thousands of applications every year. In order to keep its application process more efficient and manageable, Bain uses an online assessment or test to whittle down the candidate pool ahead of the case interview loop.
It is unclear whether Bain candidates receive the online assessment upon sending an application, or upon passing a resume screening. Looking at Reddit posts on the Bain online assessment, you’ll see reports of candidates who received it the day after they applied, some for a week or so, while others never received it at all.
The difference may be due to Bain’s home office staffing model and emphasis on local office culture, giving Bain's 65 offices in 40 countries flexibility in implementing Bain’s hiring process.
In any case, you still need to tailor your resume to the position you’re aiming for. After all, it is still a part of the hiring process, and will still be referred to during your application process. If you haven’t created one, learn specific pointers and see real consulting resume examples from our free consulting resume guide. If you need help finetuning your current one, consider getting feedback from one of our expert resume reviewers and they’ll help you craft an outstanding resume with their industry knowledge.
Given that Bain offices have slight variations in their hiring processes, it’s not surprising that they also use different online assessment formats, which we will cover next.
1.1 What is the format of the Bain online assessment?↑
Unlike the McKinsey Solve game and BCG’s Online Case, Bain doesn’t use a single format for its online assessment across all offices. But don’t worry because Bain doesn’t just spring a surprise format onto candidates. When you receive an invite to take the test, your recruiter should give you a description of your test, including the topics and your timeline to complete the test.
There are a range of Bain online assessment formats reported by candidates online, and we’ve gathered them here for your convenience. Let’s take a look at them in detail:
1.1.1 TestGorilla format
One of the most commonly reported Bain online assessment formats is the TestGorilla format. It is a 40-minute test with multiple-choice questions (MCQ).
There are two variations of the Bain TestGorilla online assessment that we’ve found in our research.
- First version: reported in the US, the test is divided into four sections namely: Numerical Reasoning, Business Judgement, Leadership and People Management, and Problem-Solving. You can expect roughly up to 12 questions per section. All sections except for Leadership and People Management will feature some math questions.
- Second version: reported in Europe, the test is divided into four sections: Cognitive/Verbal Ability, Numerical Reasoning, and Business Acumen. The Cognitive and Numerical sections consist of 12 questions each, lasting for 10 minutes, and the Business Acumen section has 15 questions, lasting for 10 minutes as well.
A couple of things to note about the Bain online assessment TestGorilla format: you’ll be required to turn your webcam on during the test for monitoring, and it is a timed test.
1.1.2 SOVA format
Aside from the TestGorilla format, the Bain SOVA test is another commonly reported format for its online assessment. It is divided into five sections: Situational Judgement, Verbal Reasoning, Numerical Reasoning, Logical Reasoning, and Personality/Behavioral. The aptitude portions, similar to TestGorilla, have multiple-choice questions.
According to Bain interview coach Mauro, the Bain SOVA test takes roughly about 1 hour and 15 minutes to complete. Unlike TestGorila, it is untimed, but it tracks how long you take to complete each question. According to the SOVA assessment website, your overall score on a SOVA aptitude test is calculated based on accuracy and speed, so you’ll need to find a good balance between both.
One notable section of the Bain SOVA test is the Situational Judgement Test (SJT). According to the SOVA website, “In a situational judgement test, you will see short descriptions of scenarios that you’re likely to encounter in the role.” For each scenario, your task is to choose a ‘Most Effective’ and ‘Least Effective’ response from three or four options.
If you want to see how this section looks, you can sign up for this free SOVA practice assessment. Note that the practice questions here may not reflect what you’ll encounter on your actual Bain online assessment.
Some SOVA tests may include a video interview section, and others may not. Clarify this with your recruiter if you’re unsure.
1.1.3 HireVue format
The Bain HireVue online assessment is another format reported by candidates online, mostly from Southeast Asia and Australia. Like the TestGorilla and SOVA tests, it has multiple versions with slight variations.
- First version: the test is divided into two parts. The first part consists of 25 multiple-choice questions based on a modified Bain case, meant to assess your problem-solving skills (i.e. strategic thinking and deductive reasoning). The second part is a video interview meant to assess your business judgement and thought process. It may be a mix of situational judgement, behavioural, and scenario-based questions. Others report getting a case question on their video interview as well.
- Second version: Similar to the first version, but this time it consists of three individual cases, with eight to nine questions for each case. Some candidates report receiving only the written case test, while others also get a video interview, similar to the one in the first version.
1.1.4 Other formats
Here are a few more Bain online assessment formats candidates reported on Reddit and other forums online:
- 70-minute test, with five multiple-choice question sections lasting for 50 minutes, and three video recording questions for behavioural questions: two personal interview questions and one question to talk about any topic of your choice.
- 30- 40-minute test, covering topics such as Critical Thinking, Numerical Reasoning, Verbal Reasoning, and Working with Data
1.2 What is the purpose of the Bain online assessment?
The main purpose of the Bain online assessment is, according to the official website, to give your interviewers “a good sense of your preferences and proficiencies.”
Basically, what they want to know is if you have the fundamental skills to be a Bain consultant, and whether your preferences align with the company’s values and culture, things that are not necessarily apparent by simply reading your resume.
1.3 How long is the Bain online assessment?
The time limit for the Bain online assessment depends on the format you get. As we’ve noted in the format descriptions above, some may last for more than an hour, while others have a time limit of 40 minutes or less.
An important thing to note is that there is a deadline for you to take the test. You’ll be given a set number of days, usually three days, from the day you get the link to your Bain online assessment. Take note of this, so you don’t accidentally miss your deadline.
1.4 How hard is the Bain online assessment?
This also varies depending on the test format you get and in some cases your background. If you get the TestGorilla format, having basic business knowledge and experience will greatly help. If you’ve recently completed aptitude tests, you might find the SOVA test format familiar.
2. Bain online assessment tips↑
Now that you have an idea of what the Bain online assessment is and its different formats, here are some practical test-taking tips to help you ace the test.
2.1 Be honest in your behavioural test
Bain interview coach Mauro notes that the most common mistake candidates commit in their online assessment is being dishonest in answering behavioural questions.
While it’s tempting to tailor your answers to fit what looks to be Bain’s preferences, this may work against you. Bain’s online assessment is designed to identify inconsistent answers. If you’re not honest with your answers, it’s easy to be inconsistent without noticing.
Moreover, the behavioural section of the online assessment is not meant to filter out certain personality traits.
“People in Bain have a diverse range of personality traits and thinking styles. They are not looking for one single type of person. Rather they are looking to understand whether you have some of the subset of characteristics that they know are important to flourish at Bain.” - Bain interview coach Mauro
2.2 Calculate how many seconds you have per question beforehand
Before starting each section, check the timer and the number of questions you have to answer. Then calculate how many seconds you can allot per question. This should help you manage your time better, so you don’t end up spending too much time on a single question and missing out on all the others.
This is obviously crucial if your online assessment is timed, but you also need to manage your time even if your test is untimed. As we’ve noted in the SOVA format, your score will depend on both your speed and accuracy, so timing yourself will be helpful in this case as well.
2.3 Know when to skim and when to read carefully
Some Bain online assessment questions will include lengthy paragraphs and it’s up to you how you will go about reading them. You need to comprehend the questions being asked and their related contexts, without drowning in information overload and spending too much time reading and not answering the question.
2.4 Take notes
You might not be allowed to use other apps when taking the Bain online assessment, so your best option is to go analogue and take notes.
Taking notes is an effective way to summarise your understanding of certain questions, especially in sections that require your understanding of a business scenario or situation. You can also use your notes for writing out math formulas if you calculate faster that way.
2.5 Bring an easy-to-use calculator
All Bain online assessment formats include basic quantitative and business maths sections, so you’ll want to have a handy calculator at hand, even if you’re great at mental maths. Be sure your calculator is one that you’re familiar with and is easy to use so using one doesn’t interrupt your flow.
3. Bain online assessment free practice tests↑
While Bain says in its online assessment email that you don’t need any experience or preparation to take the test, in our experience it’s still best to prepare. One of the best ways to prepare is to take as many practice tests as you can.
While there are no official practice tests by Bain, here are a few free resources that you can start with. We’ve also included some McKinsey PST practice cases, as they might be helpful for questions on business-related scenarios.
- Jobtestprep.co.uk free SOVA assessment practice
- SHL practice tests
- London Business School - GMAT practice tests
- McKinsey PST practice tests A, B, C
4. How to prepare for the Bain online assessment↑
Aside from taking as many practice tests as you can, here’s a prep plan that you can follow to maximise your preparation in time for your Bain online assessment.
4.1 Verify the topics of your online assessment
While we’ve done our best to research the topics included in the different Bain online assessment formats, the best way to know yours is always to check with your recruiter first. If they have not outlined it in their invite, don’t hesitate to respond to their email and ask for specific details.
4.2 Do as many practice tests as you can
Familiarising yourself with different test formats similar to Bain’s will help you get comfortable with test-taking. This is particularly useful especially if you haven’t taken an aptitude test in a while.
4.3 Time yourself while you practise
Devote your first practice tests to familiarising yourself with the aptitude test format, and then level up your practice by timing yourself. Your online assessment invite will likely include the time limit for your particular test, so you can use that as your reference.
4.4 Get comfortable with business math
Many of the sections of the Bain online assessment will have basic math and business math problems. So if you consider maths to be your weak point, it’s time to brush up. Check out our case interview maths guide to get started with your prep.
4.5 Simulate your test environment
Take practice tests using the same device and workspace that you plan on using on your test day. This way you can simulate your test environment in the closest possible way. Your familiarity with your setup will help calm down your nerves during test day. This should also help you spot and resolve any technical issues ahead of time.
4.6 Practise mock case interviews
Not all Bain online assessment formats will include business cases, but practising mock case interviews is still helpful. After all, both Bain’s online assessment and case interviews are meant to test you on whether you have the skills to make it as a consultant at the firm. Plus, there’s a chance you may get the format with the video interview, in which case having practised mock cases will definitely give you an advantage.
This is also a great strategy because it will help you get a headstart on your preparation for the case interviews that you'll encounter later in the Bain interview process.
You can start by practising on your own, and then you should find someone who can do a mock interview with you, like a peer, friend, or family member. However, you’ll find such practice limited for a few reasons:
- It’s hard to know if the feedback you get is accurate
- They’re unlikely to have insider knowledge of interviews at your target company
- On peer platforms, people often waste your time by not showing up
For these reasons, many candidates skip peer mock interviews and go straight to mock interviews with an expert.
In our experience, practising real interviews with experts who can give you company-specific feedback makes a huge difference.
Find a consulting interview coach so you can:
- Test yourself under real interview conditions
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- Get company-specific insights
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- Save time by focusing your preparation
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