Summer Insight Week Review

The insight scheme was jam-packed full of interesting and insightful activities, ranging from seminars on each department and interactive games which kept up a certain level of healthy competition. Although the insight was virtual, I felt I still received a full experience on what it would be like to work at Bloomberg. All seminars were interactive, where candidates could ask any questions they liked, which help inform other students as well. I would recommend this insight to anyone given the chance.

I felt very valued during my time at Bloomberg, with each activity drawing on a different skill. Sessions were both individual and team-based, meaning that I could make a tangible contribution during my insight week. Prizes were available throughout the week, with ample opportunity to present ideas. There was never a time when I felt that my opinion was not heard, or that my questions were not answered, as organizers made sure to allow all insighters to ask questions.

During the insight, team leaders and other Bloomberg staff were always ready to provide help if needed. There were regular catch-ups with team leaders during project time, and colleagues were always ready to support students via the IB chat function on the Bloomberg Terminal. Current summer interns were also available, and it was encouraging to reach out to them to get an unfiltered view of what it is really like to work at Bloomberg over the summer.

During this insight, there was also a focus on teamwork. We were allocated a project at the start of the week, where we had to present on a specific question we had chosen. This allowed us to increase our technical skills through the use of the Bloomberg Terminal, and also leveraging programmes such as Microsoft PowerPoint. Naturally, presentation skills were also a key point of development during this week as we got to present to senior colleagues in the respective teams.

The insight was well structured, with different seminars on Bloomberg's departments, philanthropy initiatives, and top topics. There were also plenty of Q&A sessions where insight candidates could ask team leaders any questions they were not able to ask during the seminars. This meant that the team leaders could provide more specific and detailed answers to the students, which helped in informing our view on the company and its departments. There were also ample breaks so that people were not overloaded.

The insight had a great collegiate atmosphere, with a spirit of healthy competition. The fact the insight was virtual did not impede on this atmosphere, and Bloomberg chose a range of different insight candidates which meant that diverse and inclusive conversations were abundant throughout the week. It was clear during the insight that Bloomberg lives out its values through its employees, and the experience has led me to potentially pursue a career at the company long-term.

The company made sure to give us training on how to use the Bloomberg Terminal, as this was a key part of our analysis when it came to the project. The firm also sent us a package of Bloomberg merchandise directly to our home address, which helped to provide a nice memento as we could not visit the office in-person due to social distancing regulations. This value of investing in employees is one which I can imagine Bloomberg carry out full-time.

Seminars during the insight were definitely full of information on the different departments, and interaction between those departments. There was an insight into Analytics & Sales as well as Global Data, with detail given on the sub-team within those divisions as well. What especially helped me understand what it would be like to have a full-time role with the company was the question and answer session with the summer interns, as they had gone through what we had only a year ago.

There was a specific session on the company culture, where insight candidates could learn about Bloomberg's key values: innovation, collaboration, customer service and doing the right thing. All four of these values were demonstrated throughout the week. The session on philanthropy was also a key way in which understanding the company culture, as I learned Bloomberg commits a very large proportion of their profits to charity work. This was a great development to hear about since Bloomberg earns so much revenue.

The content was very valuable in helping to decide on my future career path. As well as all the benefits that Bloomberg offers, the team leaders and organisers also mentioned potential downsides of working at Bloomberg. This, overall, the holistic view really helped me to understand what it would be like to work at Bloomberg in the future, pros and cons. This was very key as it is important to get a balanced view of working at the company

Since this insight was only a week, there was so payment for participating in the insight week. This was fair, as we were not necessarily doing work which would add value to the company, as we were more learning than doing projects for the company. However, we were offered many freebies and this was almost better than being paid, as we could keep these free items forever and also represent the company. Therefore, I do feel like I was reimbursed adequately for this experience.

There was a range of opportunities for networking during this insight week. Every employee that presented in the seminar encouraged candidates to reach out to them via IB or Linkedin, in order to ask questions and increase our professional network. This was the same for team leaders, the recruitment staff and the current summer interns as well. Also, we had networking sessions with the insight week candidates, as the insight was virtual. This really helped in the networking aspect of things.

The networking opportunities were plentiful and were very useful. We also had social events which were more casual and not to do with work, including a quiz night where we had to do many different activities over video calls in teams. This was a great way to relax after a jam-packed and information-heavy day and also helped to spread team morale across interns. This was also a presentation of Bloomberg's emphasis on having a great work-life balance.

Yes, there was an abundance of activities which we could get involved in during a full-time job. This included charity activities, social events such as a picnic in the park and more. As mentioned before, Bloomberg has a key target to invest in their employees, and so in doing the employees can rest while also contributing positively to the world through philanthropy and volunteer work, helping those that are less fortunate. It was a key highlight to learn about this during the week.

I would definitely recommend this insight to a friend, insight week was well-structured, organised and interactive. The team at Bloomberg were very smart and the experience was rewarding. The virtual nature of the internship was definitely not a disadvantage as I felt like I got the full experience, even without being in the office. For anyone wishing to increase their technical skills, professional network, presentation skills and to work for a worldwide fintech company, I would recommend a career at Bloomberg.