[ale] OT: Help me! I need an MBA internship this summer!

[Fulton Green]

Hello, my fellow ALErs, and sorry for taking up the bandwidth with a non-
technical query.

Summary for those of you on the run: I'm a former software developer
turned first-year fulltime MBA student looking for a summer internship,
preferably in marketing (but open to other functions).  If your company
is hiring, or even just thinks it might be nice to hire an MBA intern this
summer, please contact me.  Thanks!

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Now, for the rest of you with time and/or cron jobs to kill ...

To catch some of you up to speed: I gave up my old software development
job back in August (bad timing, given what Oracle has done to boost the
company's stock price lately) to pursue a master of business
administration (MBA) degree on a fulltime basis in the RTP region.  Within
these fulltime programs, a summer internship using the various core skills
learned in the first year (NPV, market segmentation, process flows, Five
Forces, SWOT, etc.) is critical to the educational experience.

In my case, the school's curriculum is flexible enough to allow me to
customize my own path.  However, I do plan on taking slightly more
marketing classes than those in other disciplines, especially given the
school's reputation in that area.  Therefore, I am *primarly* pursuing MBA
internships that are marketing-focused.  However, I am also willing at
this point to discuss opportunities in the other disciplines (finance,
operations, strategy) or even a generalist internship.  Hopefully, it
goes without saying that I am NOT looking for any hands-on technical
positions (i.e., sysadmin or programming) unless they deal with quant-
heavy algorithms such as those used for analyzing derivatives or hedge
funds.

For various personal reasons (including a multitude of friends), it would
be ideal if I could land a summer position back in my old stomping grounds
of Atlanta (or suburbs/exurbs thereof).  But for those of you on the list
that no longer live in the 404/770 (that's, what, a majority now?), I'll
be glad to talk to you as well.  And even though I am transitioning away
from hands-on software development as a profession, I still have an
interest in the high tech sector while being open to other industry
verticals (especially media and energy).

So here's how to help me, if you're so inclined (and just in case, an
incentive is described below):

If your company is a small-to-midsize firm, chances are that they probably
don't post any internships online (if they post any openings at all).
But chances are that your HR contacts may be looking for internship
candidates; call 'em up and see what they're doing in that regard.

If, OTOH, you're working for Big Blue (or even Big Brown), they will
probably post internships on their publicly-accessible job board.  If
you're so inclined, see if there are any such openings and let me know.
Or, if you're pressed for time, just point me to your company's and/or
business unit's website, and I'll take care of the rest.

Now about that incentive, or, as we called it in our managerial
effectiveness class, the "contingent reward": 

If you wind up being the catalyst in the chain that leads to my summer
internship, I will buy you lunch at the Brazilian steakhouse most
convenient to your workplace (and for you vegetarians, they have a very
robust salad bar).  This offer is, naturally, contingent on the
successful clearance of the job's first paycheck into my bank account.

Which brings me to one final point: while I am willing to discuss any
available MBA internship opportunities you might have, I probably
won't be seriously considering any unpaid internships unless my search
reaches the point where a meaningful internship experience is in jeopardy
(late May / early June).

Obviously, I do have a re'sume' handy; let me know if you need it (and/or
any of my other contact info), and I'll supply them.  If you need my
re'sume' in a format other than M$ Word (hey, that's what most HR
personnel seem to want these days), I'll do my best to convert it to a
more suitable format.

If you made it this far, well, I can't guarantee you lunch, but maybe
I'll have enough in the bank to pick you up a brewski (or ice cream in
your case, Michael H. :) after the next ALE meeting.

Seriously, thanks, y'all.  I really appreciate it!