Picture this: 24-hour flight to Dubai ✈️ 45 minutes of sleep 😴 Three back-to-back case interviews 💼 Sleeping on an airport floor.
SPOILER ALERT: I didn’t get the job.
That’s right – once upon a time, I was flown to Dubai by Bain, one of the world’s leading strategy consulting firms, for not just one interview, but three final-round interviews that would determine my future, and whether or not I would be spending it in Dubai.
The Reality of Consulting Interviews
Before I dive into this wild story, let me paint the picture of what consulting interviews are really like. In this industry, candidates don’t just sit through regular behavioral interviews. Instead, you face “case interviews”, which are hour-long mental marathons where you’re expected to solve complex business problems, answer challenging questions with structured thinking, interpret data charts and graphs, and yes, do math with just a pencil and paper (calculators not allowed).
All of this happens in real-time while your interviewer watches you work through problems under pressure, trying your best not to look nervous. It’s as intense, to say the least.
The Journey to Dubai
Prior to my Dubai adventure, I had already completed three virtual case interviews with Bain. Due to my superb performance (if I do say so myself), I earned the golden ticket: a flight to Dubai for three more interviews, this time in person and with the Partners (the top dogs in consulting firms)..
But here’s where things get interesting. The company booked my stay with military precision: get in, interview, get out. No sightseeing, no recovery time, no mercy.
I departed from Lisbon, where I was living at the time, taking two long connecting flights overnight. After a. long, exhausting overnight trip, I arrived at my hotel around 6-7 AM with my first interview scheduled for 9 AM. I had just enough time for a 45-minute nap, take a quick shower, and mentally prepare for what would be one of the most challenging days of my career.
The Interviews That Changed Everything
With my brain running on half-speed, I found myself at the top of a gleaming Dubai high-rise with an incredible view of the iconic Palm Jumeirah. I had maybe 30 seconds to appreciate this once-in-a-lifetime view before diving headfirst into my first of three back-to-back case interviews.
The result? Mediocre at best.
This was followed by two more interviews with the exact same outcome—not terrible, but certainly not superb. Here’s the thing about management consulting: being superb is not an option, but a requirement.
Immediately after the interviews, reality hit. Despite months of preparation and the incredible opportunity I’d been given, I knew deep down that I hadn’t made the cut. I headed straight to the airport for my return journey, hoping for the best but preparing for the worst.
Rock Bottom in Budapest
If bombing three interviews in Dubai wasn’t enough, the universe had more lessons in store for me.
I arrived in Budapest for my connecting flight to Lisbon in the middle of the night, facing an 8-hour layover. But here’s the kicker: the airport was closed. Not just the shops and restaurants, but everything except the entrance area where you check in your luggage. No lights, no electricity, no seats.
Exhausted and defeated, I spent hours lying half-awake on the airport floor, uncomfortable both physically and emotionally. I was tormented by disappointment in my performance while simultaneously concerned about the questionable characters lurking around the darkened terminal. I wanted to cry. Sounds fun right?
Finally when I arrived home to Lisbon I was the most exhausted I had ever felt in my life. I slept longer than I’d ever slept, I swear I barely got out of bed for two days straight 😂
The Inevitable “No”
Needless to say, I got a call that week informing me that indeed, I did not make the cut. The short-lived fascination of going to a part of the world I had never been and experience a culture I never had died in that moment.
Plot Twist: The Best Thing That Never Happened
But here’s where the story takes an unexpected turn.
Six months later, I landed a role at Kearney, another top strategy consulting firm, but this time in Mexico. And Mexico turned out to be an absolute dream.
That brutal Dubai experience wasn’t a dead end; it was preparation. It was lessons learned in the most visceral way possible. It gave me the opportunity to experience live, final-round case interviews under extreme pressure, building not just my technical interview skills but my resilience and confidence in handling rejection.
Every “no” I received – and believe me, there were a lot of “no’s” – was simply redirecting me toward the right “yes.”
The Power of Redirection
Looking back, I’m convinced that every rejection is just a redirection in disguise. That failed opportunity in Dubai taught me more about perseverance, preparation, and resilience than any successful interview ever could have. It prepared me for the role that would teach me even more in a city I would come to love. I am even considering move back to Mexico as we speak.
Sometimes what feels like our biggest failure is actually the foundation for our greatest success. The key is learning to see rejection not as a verdict on our worth, but as valuable intelligence about our journey.
Remember: Every “no” is just clearing the path for the right “yes.” Keep going.
Your turn
Ready to start building the resilience you need for jobs overseas success? Remember: every “no” is just practice for the “yes” that will change your life, and the only guaranteed “no” is the one you don’t ask for.
This journey is not always easy, but you don’t have to do it alone.
I’m Megan, an International Career Coach who has lived and worked in over 10 countries. I’m dedicated to helping ambitious professionals identify pathways and develop strategies that will allow them to live and work abroad in the regions and countries that truly excite them.
Whether you’re just starting to dream about international opportunities or you’re ready to make your move, I understand the challenges because I’ve lived them. From navigating visa requirements to mastering the art of international networking, I help people turn their overseas career dreams into concrete action plans.
If you’d like to learn more about my story and approach, click here.
Also, feel free to book a 1:1 free Work Abroad Exploration call where we can discuss your specific goals and the best path forward for your international career journey.