Key takeaways from a unique summer at Bloomberg, from diverse voices
October 06, 2020
At Bloomberg, our summer internship is always important in helping us find the best talent — providing students with excellent access to our products, people, and culture, as well as the potential for future success.
This year brought with it new challenges and opportunities. In response to the coronavirus pandemic, interns participated in an all-virtual program, designed to maximize impact, networking opportunities, and learning potential. As global protests surrounding the deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor increased the focus on racism and racial issues in the U.S. and abroad, the company continued to foster an environment of open dialogue and looked for further ways to support our employees and the communities in which we operate.
The responses below, supplied by female interns of color and compiled by Marketing intern Olivia Najera-Garcia, provide an important look at not just the experience of our 2020 interns, but also the way Bloomberg is working to meet changing circumstances and provide support to our people in the process.
Adjusting to a virtual environment
The internship exceeded my expectations. It felt like everyone puts me first, as an intern, and wanted the experience to be as valuable as possible. I also loved the group of interns I worked with. A lot of them said that, even though the atmosphere was virtual, they could feel the difference compared to other internships because of how genuine people are and how willing they are to help.Bloomberg has offered a lot of career panels, which are really helpful because you get an inside look at the company. And it’s cool hearing upper management talk very openly to interns. I don’t think I would have gotten the chance to hear from them otherwise.
-Client Financial Services (CFS) Intern
My intern leads were very open and allowed us to express our frustrations with the virtual environment at the beginning. We addressed what we were struggling with and then worked together to try to find solutions for our issues like getting connected to people from different departments we were interested in. Of course, there were problems with Wi-Fi and video chats here and there, but everyone was really good about communicating when they had issues and were very understanding when I had issues myself.
-Networks/Communications Intern
Navigating a challenging time, as women of color
I’m very lucky to be on a team where the leader is a woman of color. It makes me feel so comfortable at work seeing a Latina in that position. Sometimes we’ll practice speaking Spanish together, which is just such a nice experience to have with a mentor. All the other people on my team are also women of color, so that’s been a really positive thing to see at a place like Bloomberg.
-Bloomberg Customer Support (BCS) Intern
I’ve really fallen in love with the company; I like how Bloomberg values diversity and inclusion. It’s nice to see people who come from similar backgrounds as me being in various different positions throughout the company.
-Networks/Communications Intern
It’s important for Bloomberg to continue to sponsor and encourage conversations and trainings about race through speakers and internal communities. The company is rightly focused on allyship, specifically putting privileged identity on the line to stand up for colleagues who are people of color. It’s necessary to stand with them and to make sure that both individuals and teams are promoting and sponsoring employees of color to encourage career progression.
-Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) Intern
Lessons learned
I’ve learned that it’s okay to ask questions. I think that’s something I’ve always struggled with before. As a person of color, I’ve learned that it’s okay to be more confident and, even though I’m an intern, to express my ideas, ask questions, and not be afraid to ask for clarity.
-Media Intern
I’ve learned a lot about working in a corporate setting, though Bloomberg is very different from other companies, of course. I’ve been able to connect with other people of color, hear about their journeys, and build a network.
-Marketing Intern
I’m really glad that I came to Bloomberg, because I now have higher expectations for what I want in a work culture and how a company like this can and should give back to society through philanthropic work.
-Corporate Communications Intern