Bain & Company is more than just a strategy consulting firm — it’s one of the world’s largest management consultancies. Yet while this might sound intimidating on paper, they’re an employer known for the immense value they place in their employees.
The company lives by a simple formula for success. In their own words, Bain hopes to “create a high-impact, supportive culture where immensely talented people are encouraged to be brilliant at what they do.” In short: They hope to support their employees by setting them up for their best work.
Whether you take it from me or Glassdoor’s Best Places to Work awards (which Bain has place #1 on for 2012, 2014, 2017, and 2019’s lists), this is one company that internship and job seekers should keep earmarked.
But if all of this isn’t enough, then you can take Tori Beringer’s word for it.
Tori earned her Master’s Degree in Publishing & Writing from Emerson College in 2017. She’s since been working a Bain, having risen from an Editorial Assistant Intern to a full-fledged Associate Online Editor.
I caught up with Tori to learn more about her experience working with Bain and how she’s put her degree to work with their team…
What was it that originally drew you to Emerson College?
“I knew that I wanted to go into Publishing since I was in high school. I graduated from Boston University with a B.A. in English but I knew I needed more professional knowledge and experience before I jumped into my career.
I started looking into grad programs and I saw that Emerson had the best offerings for applicable, real-world skillsets. I also found the professors to be really experienced and knowledgeable. I liked that they were still active in their fields and seemed well-connected. I also knew that I wanted to go into digital publishing specifically. Emerson was one of the degree programs I looked at that had great course offerings in that area.”
Was there a culture shock in making the move from BU to Emerson?
“In making the transition to a Master’s program, I felt that I was getting really great hands-on experience. I felt like the things I learned in my classes I still use in my day-to-day work. It was all very applicable to what I’d go on to do. I also feel like Emerson has a really great, tight-knit community of passionate people, especially alumni who look out for each other in the industry and help each other succeed. I always knew I wanted to be part of a community like that.”
So what was it that brought you to Bain & Company originally?
“I actually ended up interning at Bain the Summer between my first and second year at Emerson and I really enjoyed that first Summer. I was asked to stay on and I ended up staying for almost a full year. Eventually I was offered a position as an Online Producer about a month before I graduated. It was a pretty ideal fit where I moved from school to the professional world.”
What has excited you the most about working with Bain?
“I think I came to Bain relatively new to business and management publishing. I learned so much about the industry along the way which is great because I really love to be continually learning and growing. I also think what attracted me to Bain is that there’s this open-mindedness to challenges ourselves, especially within our publishing operation. As an intern, I was given the opportunity to find new digital platforms and formats that we could take on, which cemented the idea that I wanted to be here.
It’s exciting to be a part of something that’s constantly evolving.”
How would you describe the culture at Bain?
“Everyone in the organization is very driven and results-oriented, which lends itself to having these extraordinary teams of people working together.
I’ve had the pleasure of working with really knowledgeable and experienced teammates, most of whom have been in the publishing industry for years. I’m constantly learning so much from just being in the same room as them and working on the same projects.
Bain has a great culture and it’s been an incredible place to start my career.”
Do you have any advice for current students interested in working for Bain?
“I would recommend, particularly for WLP students, to keep an open mind for your future and keep an eye out for new experiences. I think, as an incoming student, I definitely thought I would end up in traditional book publishing. By just taking a leap I was able to find this great internship which helped me find a great fit. I think having an open mind is important…
I would [also] say to challenge yourself. There’s a lot to learn and it’s a very fast-moving industry that can feel overwhelming at times, but if you keep pushing yourself to try new things or try to create something you’ve never created before, you can really open yourself up to a lot of new possibilities.”
