Upon submitting my online resume, I was directed to a "technical exam," which was essentially an IQ test. Immediately after completing the test, I received an email stating they would like to schedule a phone interview. The phone interview lasted approximately 45 minutes, during which two senior Bloomberg software engineers asked me to dictate C++ and pseudocode over the phone.

Several days later, I received an email requesting my presence for an in-house interview in New York. Bloomberg covered all accommodations, including airfare, a hotel stay in Manhattan, a private car from La Guardia, and a $100 pre-paid gift card for expenses (totaling about $1000).

The in-house interview placed me in an 8ft x 8ft room with two senior software engineers who grilled me for one hour, primarily on lists, sorting, and memory storage. The situation was very high-pressure and uncomfortable, and one of the engineers was quite rude.

I was sent on my way and received a rejection email while sitting at La Guardia for my flight back.

To anyone considering this position, please note that Bloomberg seems more concerned with candidates who have obscure rules and syntax memorized than those who are creative problem solvers and logical thinkers. If being a by-the-book stooge is your preference, Bloomberg will likely be a good fit.

Several questions involving lists, sorting, and memory storage issues were asked at each interview level.