Aug 30: Talk and Exhibition – The Road to 1911
18 August 2011
MJ Documentary Chosen for the Hangzhou Asian Film Festival
24 August 2011

MJ Recounts Internship at Bloomberg News in Singapore

Chien Mi Wong (MJ 2011), who spent 10 weeks interning at Bloomberg News in Singapore over the summer break, gives an account of her experience:

Chien Mi Wong (MJ 2011)

“As I entered Bloomberg’s chic office at 8 am sharp on my first day, I couldn’t help but feel excited. I was looking forward to being surrounded by a wall of screens (four, to be precise) and equipped with my own snazzy Bloomberg keyboard.

“The news interns had to undergo a week of training, from learning how to use the basic functions on the Bloomberg terminal to grasping the writing style. I was amazed at the wealth of information available to Bloomberg reporters and how comprehensive the training programme is.

“In the second week, I was assigned to the Emerging Markets Government Bonds/FX beat, where I had the chance to contribute to articles called currency wraps. On a day-to-day basis, I had to call strategists or economists for quotes about the outlook of Asian currencies for the day or the week.

“Also, I had the opportunity to work on other beats, including Real Estate, Technology and Economy, all of which were equally as interesting.

“I co-wrote a story on the cost of living in Singapore and Hong Kong. Singapore’s Cost of Living Overtakes Hong Kong for The First Time, Mercer Says made Top Asia News on the Bloomberg terminal, Bloomberg Businessweek and television.

“Another of my stories on Singapore’s suburban property, Singapore Developers Plan More Suburban Space as Demand Rises, made Top Asia News and Businessweek as well. This was more challenging as I was flying solo. I pitched the story to my editor after doing lots of research and attending conferences. Then I reached out to respective parties, interviewed them and churned out the end result, which was a truly gratifying experience.

“One of the challenges I faced whilst working at Bloomberg was pitching enterprise stories, especially when you’re still trying to adapt to a new environment and market. At Bloomberg, it is important for one to look out for market-moving stories that matter to clients who use the Bloomberg terminal.

“What I enjoyed most about the experience was attending conferences and meeting people from all sorts of industries. I got the opportunity to sit and conduct one-to-one interviews with CEOs from various companies, producing stories that are called ‘Bloomberg Exclusives’.”

“I thrive in fast-paced environments. So being able to break news under deadline pressure is an exhilarating experience.

“All in all, this crash course at Bloomberg has definitely reinforced my love and passion for financial journalism!”