Problem Management Specialist at Bloomberg
Management of Information Systems and Digital Innovation (MISDI), 2023
Tell us about yourself:
I was born and raised in Hong Kong. I am currently with Bloomberg Engineering’s Problem Management Department in London. Before I moved to London, I previously worked across several sectors – supply chain, HR and was once a journalist in Hong Kong.
How did your DoM degree help you get your current role?
The MISDI degree was instrumental in preparing me for the complexities of my current role at Bloomberg. Coming from a social science background, technology seemed out of reach – but the MISDI professors made sure that was not the case. Technology is nothing without human input – this strengthened my confidence to march into the tech industry with a social science background – I never imagined there is in fact a huge demand for translating information from engineers to clients!
Describe your time as a student at LSE – What was your greatest takeaway from studying at DoM?
My greatest takeaway was the realisation that seeking assistance and voicing one’s thoughts are essential practices. Having grown up in Hong Kong, I was deeply influenced by the conventional expectation of being a “good student” — one who is seen rather than heard, who plays by the rules, and whose creative ideas should be carefully expressed.
However, my experience at LSE, surrounded by peers from diverse backgrounds, was a profound eye-opener. My classmates, coming from various corners of the globe, were neither hesitant to question conventional wisdom, nor to challenge existing norms. This interaction was a revelation and showed me that the concept of a “good student or employee” varies significantly across cultures. This mindset allowed me to take full advantage of the rich resources and collaborative opportunities available at LSE, especially alumni panels and networking events.
What piece of advice do you wish you were given during your time at LSE?
This may sound obvious, but my lesson learnt is to start early and do not procrastinate. There were countless times I spent days painstakingly crafting the perfect CV, only to be met with the crushing realisation that the application window had closed – so be wary of short application windows! Therefore, I suggest taking 30 minutes a day to go through LinkedIn and CareerHub, rather than saving it all for the weekend.
As an international student, acclimatising to a new city posed its own set of challenges. I regret not making the most of my free time before the start of the year. Once classes began, my schedule became busy with academic commitments, so job hunting took a back seat. Then October arrived without me knowing it, I panicked, and over-applied like a zombie, forgetting quality matters more than quality. It is no surprise that rejection letters arrived like rain in London!
In these moments of doubt, the support from LSE’s Career Consultants and alumni was invaluable, their encouragement and willingness to listen provided me with the motivation to persevere.
Another lesson I wish I knew was to use the online resources that LSE students have access to. One invaluable resource that made a significant difference was careerset– it’s a platform that evaluates and scores your CV in relation to job descriptions, it not only aided in tailoring my applications, but also helped me make strategic decisions about where to apply.
Detail your experiences targeting tech roles as a student with a non-technical background:
Navigating the job market as an international student with a non-technical background has been a bumpy journey, filled with unique challenges and valuable lessons. My experience has taught me the importance of understanding and leveraging one’s strengths, especially in a field as diverse and dynamic as technology.
One of the most significant revelations I’ve had through this process is the pivotal role of communication skills in the tech industry. Despite my limited technical expertise in coding and commercial research, my ability to communicate effectively has opened doors to interviews with multinational corporations (MNCs). These companies seemed to value the potential for growth and learning, recognising that hard skills can be developed over time. I applied to start-up roles too – but, in comparison to some of my classmates with a higher technical ability, all I got were rejection emails. I learnt that this was due to startups being more fast-paced, therefore prioritising technical proficiency over communication skills, especially at entry-level.
This dichotomy between MNCs and startups highlighted the importance of strategic job applications – if I had thought about it previously, I should have realised someone with my skillset may find it hard to get a start-up role.
To summarise my job searching experience in one sentence: understanding one’s skill set and how it aligns with a company’s culture and needs is crucial in a competitive job market.
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