Online Application
You will be required to submit your CV, Cover Letter and personal details as well as some short essay questions:
- Why Bloomberg?
- Why FinTech industry appeals to you?
- Your understanding of the Global Data department
- Your proudest achievement
How to respond for success
I mentioned past projects that I had done that aligned with my technical skills and finance knowledge. Most importantly, talk about the impact that your work had in a quantifiable manner. If you speak multiple languages, it will be beneficial to add that as well.
Expect an immediate invitation to the next stage.
Psychometric Tests
It was one test with multiple questions. It took approximately 25 minutes and the purpose was to measure a variety of qualities such as cognitive ability and leadership skills. There’s no precise way of preparing for this because the questions are based on puzzles etc, and are testing how you uniquely see the world and think through things.
Example
There’s no right or wrong answer. The questions and answers are personal, therefore they are subjective. There was a mix of puzzle based and situational questions.
How to respond for success
Set aside ample undistracted time, and be yourself!
Expect a 2-3 week wait before advancing to the next stage.
Virtual Interview
This is a virtual interview where you record your answers during a set amount of time. The recruiting team hosted an info session prior to taking the interview, which was very insightful and helped with the preparation. Ensure that you are in a room without distractions. The setting should be the same as if you were in an interview with actual recruiters, because they will watch the recording. Understand Bloomberg’s different products and offerings, especially the core product: the Bloomberg Terminal.
Example
- Personal pitch: Tell me about yourself.
- Why do you want at Bloomberg?
- What experiences/qualities make you a good fit for this position?
- Recent news relating to finance that you have been following?
- ‘Tell us about a time when…’
How to respond for success
Show passion and interest in the company and reference the company values, when telling your story. It’s best to be dressed in standard office attire, for the interview as well, because the recruiters will watch your recorded video. Research is key. Answer the questions in a concise manner, I think there’s a limit of 1-3 minutes per response. Practise speaking out your responses in advance, and time yourself to ensure that you are working with time.
Expect a 2-3 week wait before advancing to the next stage.
Technical Interview
Data analysis test (mainly around Python and SQL) followed by a process re-engineering task.
Example
Practise Python and SQL, as well as some statistics and probability in preparation for the test. The re-engineering task takes a case-study format where you’re shown a workflow and asked to improve the existing information processing method.
How to respond for success
Think of ways of improving and optimising workflows. Ask clarifying questions, to confirm that you fully understand the task at hand, and define the scope of the task. Voice your thought process. They are not only interested in your final answer, but in the process of thinking through the problem until you arrive at the final solution. There is a time limit, so try to communicate as much as you can within the timeframe of the interview.
Expect a 2-4 week wait before advancing to the next stage.
Virtual Interview
This is a virtual interview where you record your answers during a set amount of time. The recruiting team hosted an info session prior to taking the interview, which was very insightful and helped with the preparation. Ensure that you are in a room without distractions. The setting should be the same as if you were in an interview with actual recruiters, because they will watch the recording. Understand Bloomberg’s different products and offerings, especially the core product: the Bloomberg Terminal.
Example
- Personal pitch: Tell me about yourself.
- Why do you want at Bloomberg?
- What experiences/qualities make you a good fit for this position?
- Recent news relating to finance that you have been following?
- ‘Tell us about a time when…’
How to respond for success
Show passion and interest in the company and reference the company values, when telling your story. It’s best to be dressed in standard office attire, for the interview as well, because the recruiters will watch your recorded video. Research is key. Answer the questions in a concise manner, I think there’s a limit of 1-3 minutes per response. Practise speaking out your responses in advance, and time yourself to ensure that you are working with time.
Expect a 2-3 week wait before advancing to the next stage.
Technical Interview
Data analysis test (mainly around Python and SQL) followed by a process re-engineering task.
Example
Practise Python and SQL, as well as some statistics and probability in preparation for the test. The re-engineering task takes a case-study format where you’re shown a workflow and asked to improve the existing information processing method.
How to respond for success
Think of ways of improving and optimising workflows. Ask clarifying questions, to confirm that you fully understand the task at hand, and define the scope of the task. Voice your thought process. They are not only interested in your final answer, but in the process of thinking through the problem until you arrive at the final solution. There is a time limit, so try to communicate as much as you can within the timeframe of the interview.
Expect a 2-4 week wait before advancing to the next stage.
Final Interview
Final interview with managers. It was about 30-45 mins. It starts off with introductions, where they introduce themselves, then give you the chance to introduce yourself (it’s best to practise your pitch in advance, to ensure that it’s concise).
Example
While preparing I divided the questions into 3 categories:
- Personal/Behavioural questions (Where do you see yourself in 5 years, News stories in the finance world you’ve been reading, projects that you have worked on before, challenges and how you surmounted them)
- Questions about the company (Why Bloomberg? Which of the values stand out to you the most? Why do you want to work in the FinTech industry? What do you know about the Bloomberg Terminal? About Global Data)
- Situational questions (Tell us of a time when you worked in a diverse team, overcame a challenge etc)
How to respond for success
By segmenting and trying to predict the kinds of questions you may get, and exploring different resources like Glassdoor, you’ll go into the interview feeling more confident. I know how stressful interviews can be, a friend of mine told me that it’s important to go in with the mindset that ‘it’s a conversation’, that way you go in feeling a bit more relaxed. Prepare 2-3 insightful questions to ask at the end of the interview. Try to ask questions that are not too basic, eg: who is the CEO of Bloomberg? Ask questions that show genuine interest in the company or in the interviewers’ experiences.
