The Mock Turtle and the Gryphon - Software Engineer Bloomberg Employee Review

2.0
Aug 7, 2009
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

The pantries are nice, although the majority of the food is basically vending machine fare. The building is constructed entirely with glass walls which is either cool or utterly fascist depending on cynical you are. Working on Solaris 10 and C++ -- and IF YOU GET INTO THE RIGHT GROUP (not GTEC, ADSK, or GSUS), you'll definitely improve your chops. Interesting mix of technologies. Lots of hot women, although chances are none will actually date you.

Cons

Allegedly flat hierarchy, but in essence the place operates as a bunch of warring fiefdoms. Compensation formulas are bizarre and based on totally unrealistic goals. A lot of green, i.e. young, managers who pay absolutely no attention to the long-term goals. Managers in particular are risk averse to the point where you're relegated to cutting and pasting the same code over and over again "because it's been in production for a year." Young workforce gleefully works 12 or 14 hour days, which becomes the dominant paradigm so those who want a balanced life or at least a parent for the child need to a stay-at-home significant other. What said young workforce has in enthusiasm, cloying hyperbabble, and comfort with the cult of Bloomberg they lack in depth of knowledge. They talk quickly, and generally know answers to specific questions, but don't understand systems from the runtime environment all the way down to bare metal. Management actually get angry if you question design decisions or spend time cleaning up code. Expect to be micromanaged and constantly berated with a stern "Why are you doing that?" at least ten times a day. The HR department is a travesty. The "Bloomberg" recruiters are contractors who then find other contractors. If you work as a contractor, expect absolutely no follow-up on questions to HR and to never, ever be able to get in touch with HR people, particularly the "senior" contracted HR recruiters. Like normal HR, they strive to keep the best talent out and consistently work half days. You're stuck trying to figure out even simple things for yourself. Basically, if you think for yourself, aren't willing to march to orders no matter how irrational they are, and have talent, you'll either be turned down or shown the door quickly with the Scarlet Letter rendering you unfit to ever work at Bloomberg again. HR is also very secretive and getting straight answers for important decisions is wasted effort. I've also heard stories that certain HR recruiters will lie in order to steer business toward specific vendors -- this is just speculation.

Explore other reviews about Bloomberg

5.0
Jun 11, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Great company, in this role you have the chance to learn about the financial markets, the terminal, and also you get client exposure.

Cons

Not really cons, culture is great.

2.0
May 12, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Great Office, Free Snacks and plenty of social events

Cons

Be prepared for a heavily politicised culture — it's pervasive and affects day-to-day working life significantly. The organisation suffers from clear in-group favouritism at the leadership level, where certain groups are visibly preferred for opportunities, recognition, and advancement. This creates an uneven playing field and quietly damages morale for those outside those circles. Leadership collaboration leaves a lot to be desired. In four years, I didn't experience a single structured team-building or bonding initiative — a telling sign of how little investment goes into people and team cohesion. Perhaps most concerning is the approach to compliance. Raising legitimate concerns or challenging existing practices is met with significant resistance from senior stakeholders, rather than genuine engagement. A culture where pushback replaces accountability is one worth approaching with caution.

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