Bloomberg Training

One of my journalism professors offered extra credit for attending the Bloomberg terminal training in the Lasher Learning Center in Scripps. As a senior I had received e-mails about the terminal before, but I never thought it would interest me much. I was wrong.

The Bloomberg trainer started by listing the multiple ways journalists and professionals worldwide use the terminal. With just a few keystrokes we accessed profiles of world leaders, live AP wire feed, stock reports, sporting news, weather forecasts and more. Interested in how much Bill Gates makes annually? Looking for a contact person at General Motors to interview for a story about the strike? Want to know how much gas is going to cost you tomorrow? With Bloomberg, this information is easily accessible.

The terminal is intimidating. When I first saw the two screens, each full of color-coded buttons and links, I was overwhelmed. Fortunately for rookies like me, Bloomberg has 24-hour assistance. Just click the ‘help’ button twice and instant message with a Bloomberg expert who will help you locate the information you need.

The job listing section really excited me. I have no doubt that as I begin the hunt for my future career, Bloomberg will be one of the first tools I utilize to search for possible employers.

After the 30-minute training session, I had a new perspective on Bloomberg. What I thought was just another search engine turned out to be one of the coolest, most comprehensive means for information gathering I’ve ever used. Now I only wish I had discovered it sooner! Chris Glaser