A Boston Business Journal MBA All-Star? Who? Me?

Week 13 (September 5 -11)

Welcome Full-Time MBA Class of 2013! Today is the first day of their orientation for the first-years. I wish them the best of luck on this exciting and rewarding new journey.

After spending my Monday Labor Day holiday back home in California, it’s back to work on Tuesday and it’s a pretty exciting week if I do say so.

I start off with my new mini-assignment: composing letters that will be sent to international clients requesting their signatures on DSP-83 forms which are required for GE Aviation to apply for marketing licenses with the U.S. Government. I complete the two necessary letters and send them off to the GE representatives stationed in the two foreign countries. What's great is that I’ve already met one of the reps during his visit to Lynn to assist with a multi-billion dollar proposal we were working on for his country.

I also make sure to get some face time in with the boss today since he’ll be out at Tailhook, a Navy trade show in Reno Thursday and Friday. We do a mid-term check and discuss some tasks I can complete while he’s out.

Wednesday is GE Aviation’s annual Military Systems Operations outing to Cedardale in Groveland, Massachusetts. Not only do I get a day off from work, but I get to rub shoulders with some bigwigs including sales and marketing executives from our Aviation headquarters! While we did get rained on for the day, in a way it worked out because it forced our entire group of several hundred to get up close and personal in the single indoor space at the facility. I enjoy a delicious BBQ lunch (in case you haven’t noticed, GE feeds us well) and I spend the day mingling and re-affirming my relationships throughout the group.

Thursday is a busy day. I really feel like things are starting to pick up in the office and I love it!

I get feedback from my boss on the DSP-83 signature request letters I put together, make edits to them, put them on official GE letterhead and e-mail them out.

After many e-mails, instant messages and calls I finally get in contact with an individual I need help from for the leasing of engine parts project I’m helping to orchestrate. The deadline for this project has been pushed out several months but I still need information on several test parts. I track down two people who might be able to help me and ask for help in the best way I can (I’m still a bit confused on exactly WHAT it is I’m supposed to gathering). But the experience has been a good one for me in dealing with ambiguity; something the journalist in me doesn’t deal well with. I’m used to asking a ton of questions, verifying all sources, getting exact spelling and quotes for a story but I’m quickly learning that business doesn’t always work that way.You often have to go with limited information and just make the best of it.

Thursday afternoon I also attend a weekly Project Manager (PM) Council meeting for what I hope will be a new string of work assignments.

Even though my boss is out at Tailhook today and Friday he is kind enough to send me several work items, including a fun research task of learning all about the governments and politics of four foreign countries for use in marketing campaigns.  I spend several hours scouring the web for as much information as I can find.

That night is also my first Market Research class! It’s kind of fun to be back on campus and, in fact, about 75% of my class that night are members of the Class of 2012. How fun! The course seems like it will be great. We’ll be learning how to use SPSS (a statistical analysis software used for market research) and will be working with a company of our choosing to conduct a marketing research project for them. I love that we’re getting applicable skills, plus the relaxed vibe of a night class is a welcome relief from the high-stress first-year classes.

My friend and I decide to be I a group together for the course and already have volunteered to present the first market research methodology project next week on Netnography (the study of online communities like blogs and Facebook for marketing research purposes).

Saturday I’m up early and hit the gym before it’s back to campus for the student organization fair for the first-years. I’m there representing the Graduate Marketing Club. We get a moderate turn out but I do get to meet two of the future MBA student bloggers. I’m so excited for them!

Later that night I go over to the Fenway area to a friend’s house for a homemade dinner of pork chops, sweet potatoes and asparagus (which, admittedly, I wasn’t much help in cooking but great at eating). We watch movies, lounge and have a relaxing night in.

On Sunday I work on my Netnography presentation for next week’s Market Research class (What? Homework? Again?) and run several errands.

Week 14 (September 12-18)

Monday morning starts out with an international call (my favorite kind!) to discuss the letter I had sent out last week for the DSP-83 signatures. We discuss the technical and logistical issues behind the forms and what message signing a marketing license too early might send to our prospective client.

I follow this up with a meeting with one of the gentleman running the PM Council. He has graciously provided my fellow MBA co-op and I an hour of his time to give us an overview of what the PM Council does, its goals, and go over any questions we have. I really appreciate his top-level presentation of the council and it helps me better understand what my role in it might be.

Tuesday is the big day: the Career Fair. But as if that wasn’t exciting/nerve-wracking enough in its own rite, I wake up that morning to an e-mail from the Boston Business Journal asking me to be part of their annual MBA All-Stars issue! The issue profiles outstanding MBA students in the area. I honestly start shaking and am sure it must be a mistake. Me? An All-Star? I don’t think so…. But that doesn’t mean I’m not thrilled, honored, overwhelmed, all of the above. I quickly write back to the reporter and begin trying to set up my interview and photo session (that’s right; photo session!).

On that amazing high I head to the Career Fair where I find out how I got that Boston Business Journal spot. It turns out I was nominated by the administration at Northeastern’s College of Business and my former boss. This makes me feel so good and I’m just ecstatic. I make a point to send them all thank-you notes.

Now it’s into the ring. I circle the Career Fair tables and make a point to reconnect with employers I’ve met during the past year at networking events, executive luncheons or even from my co-op interviews. While most seem to be offering full-time employment or second corporate residencies (an option that is becoming increasingly popular with students) it still serves as a great opportunity to get my name and newly enriched resume out there again.

That afternoon I have a phone date with an employer I interviewed with during my corporate residency search and someone I had reconnected with through my networking efforts (it works, I’m telling you!). The conversation went quite well and I was glad to let her know how I’ve taken some of her suggestions to heart during the past six months.

Wednesday it’s back to the office and some major matrix making. The matrix is for the same project I’m working on to procuring parts for except now I’m trying to track down (through the tedious process of going through about 30 licenses) where each part is actually produced. I create a lovely Excel document divided by country and then license number so now, the project manager can quickly located which country to call if he needs to obtain a part.

I also continue to plug along with my less successful part of that project. I try and come up with a status report for the project manager but that’s hard when people don’t respond to your calls, answer your e-mails or help you understand what it is you’re actually doing. I’m nervous that I won’t be able to pull this all together. In the end I manage a pretty darn good status report and the process itself helps me wrap my head around the parameters of the task.

Our team also has a last go at some edits to that huge international proposal we put together last month. September 26^th is the final due date so these should be the last of the changes. Phew! What a amazing team effort this proposal was.

I also got approval from boss today to enroll in a three-day ‘Finance for Non-Financial Professionals’ course through GE. I’m nervous but excited about (if you recall Finance was not my best subject). I think this class will provide a great opportunity to keep those concepts I learned in my first year fresh.

This weekend is pretty awesome. I start out my Saturday with a gym session before meeting some girlfriends from school for lunch at The Beehive. It was pretty amazing. And of course, I must now tell you what I ate: I started out with an appetizer of Moroccan spiced lamb stuffed in phyllo dough ‘cigars’ with a sun-dried tomato dip and some beignets with jam. My entrée was an amazing breakfast poutine of frites, fried eggs, gravy and all-around delciousness

I follow up that great start to a morning with some shopping with my friends, a pumpkin spice latte at Starbucks and general revelry at the early signs of the seasons turning.

But I wasn’t all indulgent. I also registered for a charity walk for Hasbro’s Childrens Hospital in Rhode Island at the prompting of a fellow MBA co-oping at Hasbro. I have the goal of raising $250 in the week before the race. Let’s see what I can do! 

Mad apple-picking skills - Photo courtesy of Mary Alice Hewitt

 Sunday marks my official start of Fall because I head up north to New Hampshire for apple picking at Applecrest Farm Orchard. And of course, it wouldn’t be apple picking without indulging in apple cider donuts (how I love thee!), fresh mulled cider and other such fall foods.

When my friend and I make it back to the city we meet up with another classmate at Dillon's for drinks and appetizers and generally fabulous end to an equally wonderful weekend.

*The views expressed in this blog are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of GE Aviation, Northeastern University, their employees or affiliates.

Air Shows in Maine and a Very Quick Trip to the Homeland

Photo courtesy of Katie Faraldi

WEEK 11 (August 22-28)

This week I make some major strides in developing my leadership skills.

I start my Monday by running a meeting for procuring F414 engine parts for testing on an international campaign. This project has been a great learning experience for me by teaching me how to deal with ambiguity. I started out with very little understanding of the project I was supposed to be leading and, to be quite honest, knew nothing about engine parts or their test equipment. However, through interactions with several new people in various departments (read: engineering, manufacturing, etc.) I was able to slowly gain  some confidence on the subject matter. As part of my leadership role, I also get access to a new file on the system. With all of GE's security it makes me feel kind of privileged each time they let me into a new shared drive (that might have been the dorkiest thing I've ever said in this blog).

Well, the meeting went relatively well and I had an acceptable turn out. I was able to actually somewhat control the discussion and I presented my snazzy Excel spreadsheet to the group. Having very busy people at a meeting that I called and I organized was pretty neat and it allowed me to efficiently get my questions answered.

On Tuesday I have the second round of my international license owner training. This time, it's for the more complicated MLA and TAA licenses. These licenses, rather than just allowing GE to hand over drawings or general marketing materials, will allow us to communicate with clients on HOW to manufacture and produce our engines. This distinction becomes critical once we win a contract.

I also was able to hand over a completed deliverable (I love doing that!) to a Senior Financial Analyst in my department. She had asked me to create a central reference matrix for PBL (Performance Based Logistics) contracts and create an orderly file to house them in. This required me to communicate with Contracts, Finance and other such divisions of GE Aviation. I hope the reference guide can help her to quickly assist other departments with their accounting needs as it contains billing schedules, contract amounts, codes, modifications and more. 

In between managing the above, my Northeastern cubicle-mate and I volunteered to hand out tickets to a GE-sponsored air show in Brunswick, Maine. It's been super fun to meet some of the nearly 1,000 people attending the event as they stop by to pick up wristbands.

On Thursday I go out for lunch to bid farewell to the last of the summer co-ops. I can't believe that they are all leaving right as I'm getting started! At least our department has gotten a new batch of employees in the form of JOLPs (members of the Junior Officer Leadership Program) to fill the void. One of them will be working with me on some marketing initiatives. It's quite enlightening to have the JOLPs around and to work with individuals who have just come off of flying the very planes I am helping to sell.

Not bad GE; Not bad at all.

After a week of handing out wristbands for the Maine Air Show the actual day has finally arrived! My fellow Northeastern MBA and I leave work early to head north. It was a really amazing experience. Not only did I get to mingle in a casual setting with our upper-level executives, but I got to see my product at work. In fact, Friday was a private GE employee day so we basically had a personal flight display by the Blue Angels! The Blue Angels are Hornet aircraft which are powered by none other than my GE engine line! For my hard efforts at handing out tickets, I also got VIP access to a lobster bake with the Blue Angels themselves. How fun!

To top it all off, the day ends with several of the younger GE employees meeting in Portsmouth, New Hampshire for drinks at the Portsmouth Brewery on the way home to Boston.

The weekend, while slightly tainted by the rumblings of Hurricane Irene, was nice and relaxing. Plus, I finally got to meet my mentee in person! We get together Saturday morning for coffee at Espresso Royal Caffe near campus. We spend 2+ hours chatting about our histories, her thoughts on school and any questions she has. I fill her in on as much as I can recall from my first year and hope that I was able to calm some of her nerves (I can remember being in her position just a short while ago). I leave excited to continue the mentor relationship throughout the year.

WEEK 12 (August 29- September 4)

I start this week out with a power bout of networking efforts in preparation for the Career Fair next week. I break out my pile of  business cards and start my due diligence of getting back in touch with employers I have met throughout the last year. I hope to keep them updated on my progress in school, work and, who knows, maybe even gain a mentor in the process.

At work I am assigned a new task: to write letters requesting signatures for a DSP-83 form from two different countries. This DSP-83 form will allow GE to apply for a marketing DSP-5 license. I will actually get to communicate directly with our representatives in those countries in the process.

This week is also apparently a mentor-themed week for me! I start out with a Panera lunch on Monday with my Women in Technology mentor. She is super helpful and agrees to forward me some useful Six Sigma Green Belt per-work she completed to prepare for her certification.

On Tuesday it's time for lunch with my Northeastern GE mentor. I head to, where else? Panera! This time I am joined by an undergrad Northeastern Finance major. We discuss how our co-ops are going. While my counterpart seems to be keeping very busy with upwards of four assignment leaders, I ask our mentor for any work she can send my way. She promises to put her feelers out for some substantial projects for me.

My manager is out from Wednesday through Friday for a trade show in Reno called Tailhook. In his absence I go through several files in his desk to update pricing validity for a dozen countries, I begin the arduous process of mapping all of the files that we used for our recent international proposal in the hopes of streamlining our computer documents and I end by reading through some informational presentations on prospective clients.

I also tentatively sign up for a three-day  'Finance for Non-Finance Professionals' course on site at our Lynn facilities. I'm a bit nervous about it but figure it will be a great way to keep my finance course from my first year as an MBA fresh in my mind. I mentally prepare for the 12-hour pre-work CD that is being mailed to my apartment. Yikes!

I spend the rest of the week logging in some major overtime to compensate for our Monday holiday and what will be my early departure from work this Friday for my flight home to California. It is so worth it though because my short weekend jaunt home was amazing!

My boyfriend and I wake up early on Saturday to go on a mission for biscuits and gravy (What? I was craving it). We end up at S&W Diner in Culver City for a delicious, reasonably priced meal and coffee that comes in a retro style mug. Love it! As if that weren't enough we head back home to bake an entire funfetti cake that night, order several sushi rolls from California Bowl Sushi & Teriyaki and head to my boyfriend's parents' house for swimming and a movie night.

On Sunday I'm up early again, only this time it's to meet my family for coffee at the Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf in Westlake Village (my home town). I don't know when I'll be able to make it out to California again so I make sure to savor the moment with them. That afternoon the boyfriend and I head to lunch at The Stand  in Encino for some amazing hamburgers. I indulge in their bacon and blue cheese version, while he gobbles up their mushroom swiss variety. 

And, as if I didn't eat enough this trip, I couldn't very well leave California without some authentic Mexican food. I will return to Boston slightly heavier than when I left, but I wouldn't have it any other way.

*The views expressed in this blog are solely those of the author and do not represent those of Northeastern University, GE Aviation, it's staff or employees.

Nantucket Bound

Ferry to Nantucket

 Week 9 (August 8 -14)

Week nine at GE starts out with some major mentor action. On Monday I head out to Panera with about 30 other co-ops for our last Women and Technology summer intern meeting. It's sad to see everyone off, but luckily, since I will stay on at GE past the summer months, my relationship with my mentor is just getting started.

On Tuesday I'm assigned a Northeastern 'buddy' at GE. These 'buddies' are Northeastern alumni who now work at GE. They will help me with any problems I have, get me acclimated to the the company and more. I'm excited and immediately set about scheduling my first meeting with my buddy.

The rest of the week is spent busy with an amalgamation of tasks. I begin by going over the proposal books we put together for our international campaign, checking for accuracy and noting any errors to be changed.  

I spend several hours transferring lists of F414 engine parts from DSP licenses to an Excel document for use in determining part sourcing. This will help in the future when my boss needs to know which countries to contact for permission to use or purchase certain parts.

I've also taken a big step this week in obtaining control over a project. I will be managing a team as they attempt to lease and/or purchase F414 parts from the U.S. Government for use in testing for an Indian fighter plane. I am excited to be managing people, deliverables and learning to instill accountability in my group without being overbearing.

Midweek I meet with my boss to discuss some items on the horizon for our department. The Tailhook tradeshow in Reno, Nevada will occur in September. While I would love to attend, I seriously doubt they will send an intern out there (but I'm keeping my fingers crossed). In preparation for the event, my boss has me working with the newest JOLP (Junior Officer Leadership Program) who will be helping him in marketing efforts. It's definitely an exciting time to be in the Sales and Marketing department at GE Aviation as they are completely reworking the company structure in that area and adding a slew of new talent.

In my continued efforts to interact with individuals outside of my concentration, I begin a project for the Senior Financial Analyst in my department. I will be compiling a central reference list of current PBL Contracts (Performance Based Logistics) with contract codes, contract amounts, billing schedules, etc. While the actual task is not that complex, it requires me to interact with a different department and some finance co-ops. It has also given me great exposure into what those support contracts look like and how billing is structured around them.

On the personal and school front, I begin my week by talking to my career adviser about my resume. An updated version is due by the end of the week and I want make sure its in tip-top shape for the resume book being sent out to employers for the career fair on September 13th.

Along the same vein, I also amp up my networking efforts, reaching out to anyone I know who might have a connection to some of my target companies. I scour LinkedIn, talk to the Career Center and rack my Executive mentor's brain for leads.

On Wednesday, Northeastern's new Social Media Dashboard launches with the blog of yours truly on the front page.  Please check it out at http://www.northeastern.edu/social-media/.

On Thursday a tentative employer list for the Career Fair is released. Among the big-name companies attending: Aflac, EMC Corporation, Hamilton Sundstrand, IBM, John Hancock, Liberty Mutual, Lindt Chocolate, Novartis, Raytheon, Staples, State Street Corporation, UPS and more! I make a mental note to get my power suit dry-cleaned.

Along with these notifications I also receive e-mails regarding the potential to either extend our corporate residency through the Spring term or try out a second co-op at a different company. While I don’t think this option is for me (I am trying to graduate early, after all) it’s an opportunity several of my classmates will welcome.

That Friday is the final summer co-op lunch at GE. We all head to Uno's Chicago Grill. I can't imagine what it would be like to be leaving GE already! I feel like I've just started to pick up speed. Seeing all of these interns leaving after a short three months makes me extra grateful for the six-month residency program offered by Northeastern.

Amazing breakfast

This weekend is all about relaxing and playing catch up with errands. However, I do manage to sneak in an AMAZING brunch at Max Brenner on Boylston Street. What I order can hardly be considered breakfast; the cinnamon apple and white chocolate truffle cream french toast with brown sugar spiced pecans and warm toffee sauce is a dessert in true form. Also, definitely the BEST hot chocolate I've ever had the pleasure of drinking. Really, you should go there, just don't follow your visit up with a gym session as I did. In retrospect, not the best idea I've ever had.

Week 10 (August 15 - 21) 

This week at work sees me following up on most of last weeks initiated tasks.

I set up my first meeting to discuss the leasing of the F414 parts for testing on the Indian fighter jet.  I have both a team meeting and make an effort to meet with members individually to keep tabs on their action items. I am also sent off in several directions, making calls across the entire site for information I need. I'm glad to be getting exposure beyond my building and in departments as diverse as manufacturing and finance.

I continue to work on the PBL Contract (Performance Based Logistics) list as well, tracking down necessary documents from many different individuals. I particularly enjoy when I end up being directed to individuals I've worked with on completely different projects. It makes the 4,000-person GE site feel smaller and more personal.

During my boss' absence this week I am instructed to go through all of his pricing files for international proposals around the world and create a template to track the pricing validity of the bids we placed. This will help him keep tabs on which proposals need new pricing strategies or updated forms.

A big event this week at work is I get to participate in the first of two international license owner training courses. My first one is for owners of DSP-5 licenses. These marketing licenses are required for each country we, GE Aviation, wish to communicate engine information to. Without them, we would face compliance violations and be in trouble with the government so the course is no light matter.

Later that week I attend what GE calls an 'All Hands Meeting'. These division-wide meetings give everyone the chance to interact with and ask questions of our General Manager while listening to his forecast of the aviation market, our company goals and upcoming projects.

In my life outside of work I am pleased to say I purchased my Marketing Research textbook. As these are non-refundable the bookstore buy makes my commitment to the class official! Yikes

Masa's dining room

On Wednesday I can't help but visit at least ONE restaurant for the summer version of Boston's Restaurant Week.  That night I dine at Masa in the South End. While the spicy chicken taquito appetizers and half-priced wine are excellent, the remainder of the meal is lackluster. However, I don't mind because I just love the bustling ambiance of restaurant week.

A special random side note: My dinner date and I had the noble intention of hitting up the gym before indulging in our designer Mexican food but we were rudely stopped upon entering the Marino Center. You see, since we are now technically at the end of the Summer II term we had lost gym access. As we are not full-time students the gym fee is not automatically charged to our account for subsequent terms. So, if you want uninterrupted workouts, make sure your Fall term fee is paid well before the end of Summer.

This weekend it's off to Nantucket! I leave work early on Friday for my long, yet pleasant, train, bus and ferry journey the the island off the coast of Massachusetts. Luckily for me, a good friend has a house on the island and has been visiting since she was little. I can't wait for my insider's guide!

And I am not disappointed! As soon as I step foot off the ferry it's right to drinks and then dinner at American Seasons where I indulge in a series of amazing appetizers, a delectable pork entree and rich dessert.

The next day the weather is perfect for a beach to Sconset and breakfast at Black-Eyed Susan's (which included delish pancakes stuffed with Jarlsberg cheese).

We follow that up with a stroll around town, a return dinner at Black-Eyed Susan's where I order up some linguini with local quahogs and finally a night-cap at the ever-popular local spot, The Summer House.

The next day it's back to the beach for some ocean swimming, cookies at Sconset Market (where my friend spent her teen summers working), a bluff walk, four-wheeling it on sand dunes to a 100+ year-old light house and the highest point on the island.

Feeling pretty cool with my front-row seat to this view!

Sadly, the afternoon it's back home, only this time I ride in style, sitting in the co-pilot seat of a 10-seater Cesna. Let me tell you there is nothing quite like it! The smile on my face was so pronounced I was definitely getting teasing looks and remarks from fellow passengers. What an amazing weekend!