Bloomberg

Role: SWE New Grad 2024

College: Master's student in CSE; Top 10 CS school for grad school and the same school for undergrad

Interview Date: October 2023 (Offer received)

Interview Type: On-Campus (In-Person)

Result: Selected

Difficulty: Medium

Rounds: 4 rounds (Coffee Chat, Technical Interview 1, Technical Interview 2, HR and Senior Engineer Rounds)

Topics Asked: Resume, Object-Oriented Programming, Data Structures, Algorithms, Behavioral, Project Deep-dive, Company Culture

Experience:

The candidate secured a referral and applied for the SWE New Grad 2024 role, leading to an offer in October 2023. All interviews were conducted in-person.

Stage 1: Coffee Chat: This was a relaxed interview with a software engineer. The discussion covered the candidate's resume, including work experiences, classes, and teaching roles. They also discussed Bloomberg's team structure and company culture.

Stage 2: Technical Interviews:

• Technical Interview 1 (1 hour): The candidate met with a software engineer. After introductions and a resume overview, two questions were asked: one focused on Object-Oriented Programming (OOP) and another in a LeetCode style. More time was spent on the OOP question.
• Technical Interview 2 (1 hour): This round involved two software engineers. After introductions and resume questions, two more technical questions were presented: one string-related and another OOP-style problem requiring clever thinking, which took longer than expected.

Stage 3: HR and Senior Engineer Rounds:

• HR (Hiring Manager): The discussion covered the candidate's resume, summer work, college teaching, and involvement. Questions included "Why Bloomberg?" and "What do you want out of a company?".
• Senior Engineer: This segment involved a deeper dive into the technical aspects of the candidate's projects and the design choices made. Questions also explored what the candidate gained from their experiences and their views on topics like mentoring.

Outcome: The candidate received an email about "next steps" after the second technical interview. A few days later, an invite for a call with an HR representative and a senior engineer was received. A verbal offer was extended after two weeks, followed by a written offer. The candidate successfully negotiated an extension for signing the offer.

Tips for the Process: The candidate advised brushing up on Data Structures and Algorithms, particularly Bloomberg-tagged questions. They also suggested preparing to discuss projects and internships in-depth, focusing on personal contributions, challenges, and alternative approaches. Strong communication and clarity, especially during technical discussions, were emphasized, along with maintaining a friendly demeanor.