Class Of ’17: Meet Bain & Co’s Newest MBA Hires

Jessica Hollins

Bain Toronto

Hometown: Calgary, Alberta

MBA program:  Columbia Business School

Undergraduate school, major: Queen’s University, Civil Engineering

Focus of current case: Operations cost optimization in a utilities company

Why did you choose to work at Bain?

I finished my MBA certain that I wanted to continue my business education in the field of management consulting and was immediately attracted to Bain because of the connections I formed early on with people in many areas of the organization.

What lesson from business school best prepared you for your career at Bain?

Getting to the “so what” as soon as possible. Coming from an engineering background, it was uncomfortable (and sometimes still is) to be so answer-driven in our approach to solving problems. I’m happy I had the chance to start flexing that muscle in a relatively low risk environment.

What’s the most valuable thing you’ve learned so far at Bain?

There is a lot of value in being able to not just solve, but to structure a problem quickly and effectively. A lot of the companies we work with don’t have the internal resources to take a step back, formulate a plan, and tackle some of the larger issues or strategic decisions, all while operating a company at the same time. The analytical horsepower and experience that Bain brings to a client setting can be incredibly impactful to help the client discover the right answer.

What advice would you give to someone who wants to work for Bain?

Be really clear on your why. There is a huge opportunity here for personal growth and increased professional opportunity, but you have to work for it. If you’re confident this is the place for you, then put the corresponding amount of effort into your interview preparation. There are plenty of people that would be a great fit inside the company, but everyone has to get through the case interview first.

What do you want your career to look like in 10 years?

Working at Bain gives you the skillset to structure the seemingly unstructured problems and quickly get to an answer, which is invaluable in a start-up environment. I hope to leverage the skills I will have refined in that area to really make an impact at a smaller company that’s growing fast and needs someone who just knows how to get stuff done.

My greatest personal or professional accomplishment is…leaving CBS with such a large group of tight-knit friends and contacts. You never would have convinced me coming into business school that I’d leave having made such deep connections with so many people. From grade school to present times, the friendships I’ve been lucky enough to maintain have led to some of the most rewarding experiences and opportunities in my life.

A fun fact about me people would be surprised to know is…growing up in Calgary turned me into quite the country music lover. I own several pairs of cowboy boots and consider myself a pretty good two-stepper!