A Bain referral can double or triple your chances of landing a Bain interview. It is the single most important thing that you can do to get your foot into the door at Bain.

 

If you want to know how to get a Bain referral, even if you don’t know anyone at Bain and don’t attend a target school, we have you covered. In this comprehensive guide to Bain referrals, we’ll cover:

 

• What is a Bain referral?

 

• Bain referral process

 

• Do you need a Bain referral to get an interview?

 

• Five ways to get a Bain referral

 

• Six essential Bain referral tips

 

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What is a Bain Referral?

 

A Bain referral is when a current Bain employee endorses a candidate by submitting their name through Bain’s referral system. This endorsement attaches a referral tag to the candidate’s application, signaling to recruiters that someone within the firm believes they would be a strong fit for Bain.

 

A Bain referral can improve a candidate’s chances of securing an interview, as it helps their application stand out from the general applicant pool.

 

However, a Bain referral does not guarantee an interview or an offer. Candidates must still meet Bain’s hiring criteria and go through the standard application and interview process.

 

Anyone who currently works at Bain can refer candidates, including consultants, managers, and those in non-consulting roles. While referrals from more senior consultants (e.g., partners, senior managers) carry more weight, a referral from any Bain employee is still valuable.

 

Bain employees are sometimes eligible for referral bonuses if their referred candidate is successfully hired.

 

However, for consulting roles, referral bonuses are typically not offered. Bain assumes that top-tier candidates will apply organically, and they prioritize merit-based hiring over financial incentives.

 

That said, there are exceptions. When Bain experiences a shortage of consultants, they may introduce temporary referral bonuses to encourage employees to refer strong candidates. These bonuses act as an incentive to help Bain attract and hire top talent more quickly.

 

Know that you must still submit a Bain online application even if you receive a referral. The referral system simply flags your application for recruiters, but it does not replace the formal application and interview process.

 

Bain Referral Process

 

The Bain referral process involves several key steps, from connecting with Bain employees to having your resume reviewed by a recruiter. Below is a breakdown of how the Bain referral process typically works:

 

1. Meet and interact with a Bain employee

 

The first step in securing a referral is to build a connection with a Bain employee, often a consultant or someone involved in hiring. This can happen through:

 

• Networking events hosted by Bain

 

• Coffee chats or informational interviews

 

• University recruiting events

 

• LinkedIn outreach

 

• Mutual connections

 

It’s important to make a strong impression by demonstrating your skills, enthusiasm for Bain, and understanding of consulting. Bain consultants are more likely to refer candidates they believe are a good fit for the firm.

 

2. Bain employee passes your name to a recruiter

 

If a Bain employee is impressed with you, they might informally mention your name to a recruiter. This initial mention helps flag your candidacy early on, increasing your visibility within the recruiting pipeline.

 

3. Bain employee passes your resume to a recruiter

 

Beyond an informal mention, a consultant can formally submit your resume through Bain’s internal referral system. This step ensures that your application gets tagged as a referred candidate, which results in a closer review by the recruiting team.

 

4. Bain recruiter reviews your resume

 

Once referred, a Bain recruiter will review your resume to assess whether you meet Bain’s hiring criteria. They typically look for things such as:

 

• Strong academic background (e.g., top universities, high GPA)

 

• Impactful work experience

 

• Leadership, problem-solving, and communication skills

 

Having a referral does not guarantee an interview. If your resume does not meet Bain’s standards, you won’t be selected for the next interview stage.

 

5. Bain recruiter puts you on the shortlist for interviews

 

If your resume is strong, the recruiter may place you on the shortlist of candidates to receive first-round interviews.

 

A referral can increase your chances of getting an interview, as recruiters often prioritize reviewing and selecting referred candidates over general applicants.

 

Do You Need a Bain Referral to Get an Interview?

 

No, you do not need a referral to get an interview at Bain, but having one can significantly increase your chances. A strong referral can double or even triple the chances of securing a Bain interview by helping your application stand out.

 

If you have a strong resume (e.g., top-tier university, high GPA, impactful work experience, leadership roles), you are likely to receive an interview regardless of whether you have a referral.

 

If your resume is borderline, a Bain referral can be the deciding factor between getting an interview or being rejected.

 

In recent years, Bain and other consulting firms have adopted online assessments to screen candidates before interviews. These assessments allow Bain to evaluate a larger applicant pool without using more recruiting resources.

 

While this has made it easier for more people to apply, it has also made it harder for candidates to stand out.

 

A Bain referral helps you stand out from the competition by signaling to recruiters that someone within the firm has vouched for you, making it more likely that your application gets reviewed seriously.

 

Lastly, know that in many cases, a cover letter is not necessary if you have a strong referral. Recruiters are more likely to focus on your resume and the referral itself rather than spending time reviewing a cover letter.

 

However, unless explicitly told otherwise, it’s still a good idea to submit a concise, well-written cover letter.

 

How to Get a Bain Referral

 

There are five different ways to get a Bain referral:

 

• Through friends, classmates, or colleagues

 

• Through second degree connections

 

• Through consulting networking events

 

• Through school or company alumni

 

• Through cold emailing

 

Friends, classmates, or colleagues

 

If you have a friend, classmate, or colleague that either currently works at or previously worked at Bain, then this step is a no-brainer.

 

This is the easiest way to get a referral and all it takes is a single email, phone call, or meet up.

 

Here’s what to say:

 

• Tell them that you’re really interested in working at Bain

 

• Mention that you are about to submit your application online

 

• Ask if they would be willing to put in a good word with a recruiter

 

Make sure that you have a polished consulting resume ready. For a referral, your resume will typically get passed onto the recruiter.

 

If possible, try to identify the recruiter that is responsible for reviewing your resume so that you can mention their name to the friend, classmate, or colleague that you are getting a referral from.

 

You want to make it as easy as possible for them to refer you.

 

If you attend a target school, there will be a designated recruiter that is responsible for overseeing all applications.

 

If you don’t attend a target school, you’ll need to find a recruiter from the specific office that you are interested in working at.

 

Each Bain office typically has several recruiters, each one responsible for a different candidate pool. For example, there will be a recruiter in charge of either:

 

• Undergraduate recruiting

 

• MBA recruiting

 

• Advanced degree holders

 

• Experienced hires

 

Second degree connections

 

Most people don’t have a friend, classmate, or colleague that works at Bain and that’s okay.

 

The next easiest way to get a referral is through a second-degree connection, or through a friend of a friend.

 

If you have any friends that have a friend that currently works at or previously worked at Bain, you’re in luck.

 

All it takes is a single coffee chat to get a referral.

 

Here’s what to do:

 

• Ask your friend to introduce you to their friend that works at Bain

 

• Schedule a 20-minute coffee chat

 

• During your coffee chat, briefly introduce yourself and express how excited and interested you are in working at Bain

 

• Ask questions to learn more about their background and experience working at Bain

 

• At the end of the chat, ask if they would be comfortable giving you a referral

 

Not everyone that you meet for the first time will be comfortable giving you a referral. So, you may need to repeat this a few different times with different people to get yourself a referral.

 

Consulting networking events

 

Even if you have no second-degree connections that work at Bain, you can still get a referral.

 

If you attend a target school, most consulting firms will host several different types of networking events for you to meet consultants and learn more about the firm.

 

Listed from most effective to least effective, these include:

 

• Invite-only lunches and dinners

 

• Coffee chats

 

• General information sessions

 

Invite-only lunches and dinners

 

If you are receiving an invite for a lunch or dinner networking event, you’re probably already on the shortlist of getting an interview. All you need to do is attend this event, be nice, show enthusiasm, and don’t ask dumb questions.

 

There’s no need to explicitly ask anyone for a referral.

 

Coffee chats

 

Coffee chats are great networking events because you’ll be able to talk to a Bain consultant either one-on-one or in a small group setting.

 

This is a great opportunity to build a connection and relationship with that person. Again, be nice, show enthusiasm, and don’t ask dumb questions.

 

At the end of the coffee chat, send a thank you email. In this case, don’t directly ask for a referral because it may be seen as too aggressive since you have no direct connection with that person.

 

General information sessions

 

These are large networking events where Bain will bring 10-20 consultants and give a presentation about their firm.

 

Since the ratio of attendees to consultants will be 10:1 or even 20:1, your chances of building a connection or relationship with someone is slim.

 

The biggest piece of advice I can give is to try show up to the event early so that you can talk to a few consultants before the masses get in.

 

School or company alumni

 

Even if you have no second-degree connections that work at Bain and don’t attend a target school, you can still get a referral. However, it will require a bit more work.

 

The biggest thing you can take advantage of is your school alumni. In general, people feel quite attached to their school and enjoy helping others that went to the same school as them.

 

Leverage LinkedIn or your school’s career center to find a list of alumni that work at Bain. Message them on LinkedIn or get their email address to contact them directly.

 

You’ll want to write a brief message that:

 

• Summarizes who you are

 

• Expresses your interest in Bain

 

• Asks for 10-minutes of their time for a coffee chat

 

You’ll likely need to message 10 alumni in order to get 1-2 responses back. Remember, the goal is to get a 10-minute coffee chat set up either virtually or in-person if they are nearby.

 

Again, during the coffee chat, be nice, show enthusiasm, and don’t ask dumb questions.

 

Afterwards, send a thank you email and at the end of the email, ask if they would be comfortable connecting you with a recruiter at the firm.

 

This strategy may also work with company alumni. If you previously worked at a company that a current Bain consultant also previously worked at, then you share something in common with them.

 

Leverage this and see if they would be willing to give you a 10-minute coffee chat.

 

Cold emailing

 

This last strategy of cold emailing should only be done if you’ve exhausted all of the previous strategies. Although this strategy is the least effective, I have seen it work for quite a few people from non-target schools.

 

It will be a lot of work though.

 

You may need to message 50-100 people to get a response back from 1-2 of them.

 

Using LinkedIn, find people that work at the consulting firm and office that you are interested in.

 

Write the briefest message that you can that summarizes:

 

• Who you are

 

• Your interest in Bain

 

• Asks for 10-minutes of their time for a coffee chat

 

Most of your emails and messages won’t get read, but that’s okay. We only need 1 person to respond to have a chance to get a referral.

 

Bain Referral Tips

 

A Bain referral can significantly boost your chances of landing an interview. Here are some best practices to maximize the effectiveness of your Bain referral strategy.

 

1. Don’t be too aggressive when asking for referrals

 

Being overly pushy when asking for a Bain referral can leave a bad impression and hurt your chances. Instead of directly asking for a Bain referral right away, focus on building a genuine connection by:

 

• Engaging in meaningful conversations about consulting and Bain

 

• Asking thoughtful questions during networking events

 

• Demonstrating your knowledge of the firm and consulting industry

 

When you establish rapport first, a referral is more likely to happen naturally. A transactional approach can backfire, making you seem insincere.

 

2. Try to get referrals from someone in consulting

 

Referrals from Bain employees in non-consulting roles (e.g., HR, Finance, IT) do not carry as much weight in the consulting hiring process.

 

If possible, prioritize referrals from consultants, managers, or partners who are directly involved in consulting work.

 

3. Try to get referrals from current consultants

 

A current Bain consultant’s referral is much more valuable than one from a former consultant. Since former employees no longer work at the firm, they may not have as much influence over the recruiting process.

 

Recruiters prioritize referrals from active Bain employees who are familiar with current hiring needs.

 

4. Try to get referrals from more senior consultants

 

The seniority of the person referring you matters. A referral from a partner or senior manager has a bigger impact on your chances of getting an interview, sometimes giving you as high as an 80% chance of getting an interview.

 

However, a referral from a mid-level or junior consultant is still very helpful and can improve your chances significantly.

 

While senior consultants carry more influence, any consulting referral is beneficial, so don’t hesitate to seek one from an Associate Consultant or Consultant if that’s your best option.

 

5. Aim for a diversity of referrals

 

Having multiple Bain consultants refer you can significantly strengthen your application, as it signals broader support for your candidacy. However, there are diminishing returns. Two or three referrals will likely provide the same benefit as ten.

 

6. Build long-term relationships

 

A great way to secure a referral is by staying in touch with Bain employees over time. Instead of expecting a referral after just one conversation, consider:

 

• Following up with meaningful questions

 

• Sending periodic updates on your progress

 

• Attending multiple Bain networking events

 

When Bain consultants see that you are genuinely interested in the firm and investing in the relationship, they will be more inclined to refer you when the opportunity arises.

 

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