Finance for Dummies, er, I Mean ‘Non-Financial Professionals’

WEEK 18 (October 10-16)

My week starts out on Tuesday after the long weekend and is jammed packed! You see, I’ll be out of the office on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday for a “Finance for Non-Financial Professionals” course being taught on site at GE.  With, essentially, one day of work this week you can imagine all that I have to do.

I start out my morning with a dry-run of a conference call. I’ve never worked the GE phone system as an ‘administrator’ so a helpful co-worker offers his time to assist me. The call will take place next Thursday with a group of recruiting representatives from other GE businesses and I’ll act as a Northeastern representative so I want to make sure everything goes smoothly.

After the practice session goes by without a glitch I send out my official meeting invitation with the call in code, a reserved room and all! I feel so professional, especially when a slew of confirmations are sent my way within the hour! Who knows, I might even set up a WebEx presentation if I’m feeling daring.

But I don’t have much time for revelry because it’s off to the makeup session for last Friday’s cancelled parts procurement meeting. I’m a bit nervous to present my deliverable (the center of the whole meeting). We get in several key people and are able to cover all of the procurement lists through the next several months. I come out of it much clearer on what I need to do to proceed after encountering a few roadblocks leading up to this point.  I promise to update the Excel file categorizing all of the necessary parts and save it to the shared drive for the program.

When I return to my desk I find that my boss has dropped off two versions of a proprietary agreement statement. He asks me to scour the document for discrepancies. We want to make sure GE is covered and properly protected and that any changes since the last run of this document do not infringe on that.

The rest of the afternoon is spent deflecting teasing remarks about my Boston Business Journal article. You see, I had brought it into work to show my boss.  Another employee asked to ‘borrow’ it and instead made several photocopies and pasted my mug all over the office! I was humiliated and had to endure relentless teasing the rest of the day. Ugh! I just hope people don’t think I was causing a disruption in the work place or that I’m conceited.

That night my Market Research group and I come to the executive decision that we will need to pursue a new company for our marketing research consulting project: TRU Chocolate. We are all excited about taste-testing the new product and interacting with a company that is very responsive to our project needs. 

Later I get an e-mail from the Northeastern Career Center letting the second-years know that we should expect first-year students to begin contacting us soon regarding our corporate residencies! I’m so excited and hope that at least ONE will call me up for an informational interview.

Wednesday is the first day of my ‘Finance for Non-Financial Professionals’ course (but really, let’s call it what it is: Finance for Dummies). I have completed (nearly) all of my pre-work and am excited to be in a classroom setting again. I walk in and am greeted by a lovely spread of breakfast baked goods, coffee, fruit and a granola yogurt parfait. I’m also handed a pristine binder for the class, a name tag and crisp version of GE’s 2010 annual report. I soon learn that our professor for the course is from the Wharton school of business- wow! Nice job GE!

While the day is long, we cover a ton of useful information and the professor is great at applying all of the concepts to ‘real world’ GE business issues. It was a really great refresher of both Accounting and Finance from my first year and I was pleased to realize how much I remember! I even contribute in the class on topics regarding stock repurchase, dividends and more (I did my Finance case write-up on that topic, after all).

By Thursday we are really getting into the nitty-gritty of GE's financial statements. It was always a wonder to me how much information is out in the public sphere if only you know how to read it! All of GE's various business as diverse as GE Capital, GE Energy, GE Home and Business Solutions, etc. make for amazing material for discussion and analysis. During lunch that day, I check my work e-mail to find that my cube-mate and I have been directed to move cubes. While I'm a bit bummed initially I cheer up when I find out that we will be taking over the home of a former co-op we befriended during the summer months.

By the end of class on Friday I am filled to the brim with financial knowledge (and am consequently, a bit tuckered out). While all of the topics covered in the class ended up being review for me, I felt that having these three days to dedicate solely to finance really helped to solidify the subject.

When I return home that night I see that I have received not one, but TWO interview requests from first-years! Yay!  I immediately set about writing both students back. I will meet with one tomorrow and the other later in the week.

On my same e-mail list I receive a notification from Northeastern that the time has come to register for graduation! EEEK! Yikes! How can that have come so soon?

Saturday morning I’m up early go to pick up my iPhone 4s but, alas, just 24 hours after its release it is already sold out! Ugh! I will have to wait 3-4 weeks for it to come in the mail. Since I’m still rockin’ a 3G (yes, that’s 3G, not 3GS) I hope I can make it that long…

Roxy's Gourmet Grilles Cheese

After my phone debacle I'm a bit dejected but luckily I spot The Boston Book Festival occurring in Copley Square. Besides books, which I love, there are also food trucks (which, as we all know, I also love!). I peruse some prints, indulge in Roxy's Gourmet Grilled Cheese (hello mighty rib melt!) and even an apple crumble cupcake from the Cupcakory truck. Fabulous!

Luckily all of the food was of the fast variety because I have to jet back to campus to meet with the first of my first-year interviewers. He seems very excited about hearing about GE Aviation and my co-op and I try to give him the best run-down I can. 

Sunday is my catch up day. But, besides all of that boring stuff like homework and errands (blah) I put in my deposit for my winter camel trek in Morocco! The two-day trek is part of my three-week winter travel schedule that will see me in Portugal, Spain and Morocco. Eeek! I can't wait to spend New Year's Eve in the Erg Chebbi Desert! Now I just have to be patient...

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

My Boston Business Journal Article Plus a Weekend Visit from Nick

WEEK 17 (October 3-9)

Monday morning sees my boss back from his overseas business trip in support of that large international proposal we sent out in September. He brings back some good news; saying he feels confident in our chances of winning the bid but also warns us that the proposal process is not over yet.  You see, our team still has to be prepared for what may be several questions from the client, all of which must be answered within 72 hours!

To help aid in this process, my boss puts me in charge of managing a ‘question matrix’ to log new questions when they arrive, keep track of when they are due and record our answers.

On Monday afternoon we have our monthly ‘Team Time’ meeting which allows our department to get together and communicate on the status of projects, new initiatives and more. This month’s session was particularly fun because we were given a lovely overview of the F414 engine (the engine line I work on) and our first ‘Fun Team’ event was announced. Our department will be hosting a happy hour at Tavern in the Square on October 19^th as part of the new ‘fun’ initiative.

Boston Business Journal Photo

That evening it’s off to my first ever photo shoot! The occasion is my upcoming Boston Business Journal article.  Fortunately the rain holds out and the photographer was able to snap a few good shots outside of Dodge Hall. He says to look for the issue on stands this Friday! 

When I get home I try to be diligent about my networking and so make my first attempt at a LinkedIn introduction request. Luckily, it works! An employee working in the marketing department at one of my dream companies accepts my request.  Now I just have to initiate an informational phone interview.

Tuesday finds me in some more fun meetings. Today I attend a Northeastern/GE lunch event. We have a speaker come in and discuss his role in advanced technologies (a.k.a. all that cool, secret, high-tech engine stuff) while we all happily munching on Qdoba tacos. 

After lunch I sign off on the posters I am creating as part of the PM council’s list of initiatives. Now I’ll just wait for the full-size print out before I sent them to get framed.

I also set about completing my mid-term appraisal. GE requires all of its co-ops to complete an appraisal process workflow which begins when you start your rotation. It involves setting goals, discussing them with your boss and going through periodic reviews to make sure you’re on track.

I also run about tying up some loose ends which include desperately trying to find a solution to the Six Sigma green belt course cancellation. I feel like I’m becoming a stalker of all of the Master Black Belts on the Lynn site and anyone remotely related to Six Sigma.

The afternoon is also punctuated by a meeting with some additional PM Council members to introduce them to my cubicle-mate and I. We will be working with them closely in the future so we thought it would be a good idea to meet first. 

After my long day I jet to campus to meet with my Market Research team to work on our consulting project ‘problem definition’ for the NFPA which is due Thursday. 

On Wednesday I head over to Building 29, where GE tests engines, to physically look for parts I need as part of my engine test procurement project. It was nice to see the engine, test equipment and parts that make up my list of 4,000+ pieces first-hand. 

That afternoon I also send out an e-mail to the individuals from GE Capital and GE Aviation recruiting that I met during ‘GE Day’ at Northeastern with the hopes of getting a dialogue going on potential co-op, full-time and leadership development opportunities for the Northeastern MBA  program. I also spoke to the director of the Career Center at school and she’s all in so I hope something positive can come from this!

Braised duck at Hamersley's Bistro

In celebration of my classmate’s birthday I head to Hamersley’s Bistro that night for an amazing dinner of braised duck, mint and pea risotto and vino. Loved it! 

On Thursday I hand in a draft of a large, standardize action item list based on the steps taken during our most recent proposal process. My aim is to get a generic ‘checklist’ type form that project managers can use for future proposals to help streamline the process. My boss seems pleased with the initial effort and gives me some great pointers to help improve it.

I also get the posters back from the printer today! They look great and I’m super excited to get them framed and up on the walls of our conference rooms.

Before class that night I meet with a first-year MBA student, a former employee of Dunkin’ Brands, to chat about her experience working for one of my dream companies.  I ask for potential contacts she may have in HR, Marketing or elsewhere with whom I might start networking with. Ironically, this meeting takes place at a Starbucks – whoops! Don’t tell Dunkin’ Brands that!

That night in class my group begins to realize that we are not getting the participation we need from NFPA for our research project and will have to request an extension from our professor to complete our proposal. What’s worse, we may even require a company change! Yikes! It’s a tough decision to make but if the NFPA won’t even give us their contact list there’s not much we can do for them in terms of a market research project. Luckily, our professor is very understanding and tells us this isn’t the first time such a setback has happened.

We all agree to give it a few more days before we start contacting our backup company: TRU Chocolate.

Friday is an exciting day! My article for the Boston Business Journal comes out! Eeek! I try frantically to look it up online, but, alas, the newspaper is a paid subscription (even digitally!) and I can only access a small excerpt from the entire article. I immediately set about calling their offices and sending e-mails to the woman who interviewed me to see if I can snag a free hard copy or temporary subscription. 

I also am in high spirits because Nick is coming to Boston for the long weekend! Since he’s still in Montreal on business and has a rental car at his disposal, it is so much easier to visit than if he were back home on the West Coast. I rush home and start cleaning in anticipation of his arrival.

Since I just saw Nick last weekend it was a much less rushed visit. We indulge in the more ‘vanilla’ things in life like a visit to the Laundromat, an afternoon viewing of Moneyball and some other errand running.

Getting excited for BBQ from Spoon Truck

On Saturday we stop by Spoon Truck (owned by my classmate’s husband) for lunch. The newbie food truck serves up home-style barbeque. I order one of their bowls, piled high with pulled pork, burnt ends baked beans, vinegar slaw and bacon scallion hush puppies. Yum! We also splurge on some fried pickles and orange soda and park ourselves on a planter to devour our feast.

Sunday starts off with the best Huevos Rancheros in the city at The Otherside Café, followed by checking out digital cameras, picking out a tie for Nick, a visit the Lindt store, trying to locate my Boston Business Journal article (apparently the Boston Business Journal is not sold anywhere!) and afternoon coffee with my friend at Pavement Coffeehouse. We even do work together at Snell Library! It’s a glimpse into what my life could look like if we lived in the same city.

Pumpkin Ale at Boston Beer Works

That night it’s off to Boston Beer Works for their Octoberfest menu. I, of course, order the most sugary of beers: the Pumpkin Works Ale with a cinnamon sugar rim and to cleanse my palette before my dinner of Wienerschnitzel. 

I have Monday off for Columbus Day so after I see Nick off (he has a long drive back to Montreal) it’s back to work for me. I tidy up, grocery shop, do homework and prep for the week ahead.

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

Tweet Me!

Week 16 (September 26 – October 2)

Monday morning couldn’t have started in a better way! I log into my Outlook account at work to discover that I have been awarded a bronze medal for ‘Above and Beyond’ achievement for my efforts on a recent international proposal. I am certain that this cannot be correct, especially since it comes with a generous monetary award. However, after much checking and re-checking it turns out that I am indeed the correct recipient of that e-mail.  What’s more, later that day, I’m recognized during a quarterly awards ceremony. Not bad at all!

But the week is not all celebrations and awards, I do have some work to do! I start out by submitting some Excel charts I put together that track the 10-year, 5-year and year-to-date currency averages of the Australian dollar as it compares to the U.S. Dollar to a Senior Financial Analyst in my department. I, admittedly, stumbled a bit with the assignment but am happy to have learned and discovered some new GE internal sites like the Treasury page in the process.

I also submit a matrix I put together to track the results of a recent PM Council brainstorming session. I track all of the comments that were made, the level of importance assigned to each comment during the session and distribute my records to the head of the PM Council. I hope that my efforts will help the Council along their route to implementing all of their initiatives.

I also meet with a couple of individuals who work with International Trade Compliance (ITC) issues to sort out a notification I got regarding a suspended DSP-5 License for Australia and Malaysia. While the license doesn’t expire until February 2012, it is essential that we start the renewal process early since getting licenses passed through the government can take upwards of two months.

Tuesday I volunteer as a representative at ‘GE Day’ at Northeastern University. The goal of the event is to bring several GE businesses together to promote their co-op opportunities and leadership development programs. It was an amazing networking opportunity for me and I was able to make some solid connections with other businesses in GE. In fact, through my chats with representatives from GE Capital and GE Aviation, I realized that there was an untapped potential to further align GE's need for corporate residents and full-time employees with the Full-Time MBA program at my school. After some positive response from the GE representatives across several businesses, I promise to send out an e-mail and get an open communication stream going on the topic.

Back at work on Wednesday, I send in my draft of the poster I designed for the PM Council. I should be getting a full-scale mock-up back soon. How exciting!

This is just in time for my meeting with the PM Council, where the sub-team leader I am working with does a dry-run presentation of what he plans to present to the General Manager tomorrow. Now that the posters are done, I have to move on to the next items on the PM Council's ‘Go-Do’ action item list which will involve further exposure to new employees at GE (which I love!).

I am also nearly done with the PBL contract matrix I have been working on for the finance department. After adding a few new contracts, a tab for government support and continuously getting in new documents I am happy to say that I am almost there! The Financial Analyst I have been working with for this project also requested that I create a manual for future co-ops on how to use this reference guide and edit it accordingly. It will eventually be going on our internal ‘Support Central’ site for all of my department to use. How neat!

That evening I get an e-mail from Northeastern University formally announcing the Class of 2013 bloggers! Three girls will be taking over my role as a first-year correspondent. Make sure to check them out at: http://www.cba.neu.edu/grad/fulltime-mba/students/blogs/

In my inbox is also a lovely update from my Executive Mentor. He checks in and asks how I have been doing during the past month. I give him the run-down of some of the great news I’ve had recently and we agree to plan our next meeting for later in October.

I also am proud to say I have booked my first Groupon! I will be enjoying a dinner cruise on The Spirit of Boston later this month in celebration of my friend's birthday. Dinner, drinks and views of the Boston skyline at 50% off? Yes please!

Thursday I get to sit in on a great PM council meeting run by the Lynn Turbofan and Turbojet General Manager and all of the PM Council leaders. The session provides a great overview of the company and some key areas for improvement. It really helps to put in perspective the work I’ve been doing with the PM Council and how, even the small initiatives I’m helping with, can have a major impact on the performance of the division.

Thursday night in my Market Research class our initial problem statement and company background is due as part of our semester-long consulting project. My team and I will be conducting our market research project for a teammate's co-op employer: The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). We will be helping them determine how to better utilize their social media outlets to meet their customers needs.

Feeling particularly excited about social media I decide it is time to set up a *gasp* Twitter account. Now, keep in mind that prior to this I have never even been on Twitter, let alone “tweeted” but I figure I really enjoy blogging, so the next logical step seemed to be to sign over my life to the little blue bird. Follow my handle at @KatrinaGraves for more up-to-the-minute enlightenment about my life as a Northeastern MBA. If you want to comment about something you saw in the blog, please use the hashtag #LivingtheNortheasternMBA.You can even link directly to it from the snazzy Twitter button I've added on the upper-right hand corner of this page. Look at me being all techno.

With the permission of my boss, I throw in the towel early Friday afternoon and head for a weekend in Montreal with my boyfriend! He is there on an extended business trip and I would be remiss not to take advantage of the fact that he’s only a 5 ½ hour drive away! That morning I’m up at 4:45am to pick up my rental car at the airport and still make it into work before 8:00am.

Unfortunately, the high of my approaching trip across the border is dampened a bit by an e-mail stating that all Green Belt Six Sigma classes at GE have been cancelled through the rest of the year! Ugh! I was SO looking forward to it! Well, I’m certainly not going to let it go that easily. I make a note to start sending out e-mails and searching for alternative ways to complete the course and receive my certification.  Cross your fingers that a solution will present itself.

Kind of excited for my poutine

My weekend in Montreal with Nick is fabulous. The drive up north, while long, was beautiful and I could see the leaves starting to turn. When I meet him at the super-chic Le Centre Sheraton Hotel in downtown Montreal we immediately set about getting dinner. I am pleased to report that I indulged in an amazing Poutine from Burger Bar. It was quite possibly heaven- deep fried and drenched in gravy. Yum!

Notre-Dame Basilica

The next day it’s sight-seeing time! We start off our morning with a hearty breakfast at Eggspectation, where I order up an eggs Benedict on crepes (it is French Canada, after all). The rest of the day is spent strolling through the cobblestone streets of  Vieux-Montreal (the Old Town) and taking in all the cute shops, sights and, of course, food. I adore the Chinatown area and the Notre-Dame Basilica (the Canadian version, that is).

That night it’s off to Les 3 Brasseurs for a steaming pot of Provencal mussels, frites and beer spiked with maple liqeur. Love it! And what would a trip to a french-inspired city be without some dessert crepes. Of course, I order up the most grotesquely huge version they have piled high with strawberries, cheesecake filling and ice cream.

Biosphere

While rain did hamper our Sunday morning a bit, we still managed a jaunt to Ile Sainte-Helene to visit the Biosphere, a Calder sculpture (Modern Art History fan squeals in delight) and a gorgeous cityscape.

I don’t make it home to Boston until late that night but it was well worth it for such a fun taste of a new, international city with my lovely boyfriend.

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

Goodbye Graduate Marketing Club!

Week 15 (September 19-25)

This week at work I continue to plug along on my project of researching the procurement of parts for F414 engine testing. I try my best to stay on top of individuals who promised me data but soon realize there are only so many times one can call or send e-mails before seeming stalker-like. I also make a vow to improve my communication with individuals in the group after learning that a task I had been working on had already been completed by another team-mate. I felt so silly for having done the same work twice! But I take all of this as a valuable learning lesson in project management and teamwork.

On Tuesday I sneak away with my work team for a celebratory lunch at Red Rock Bistro in the nearby town of Swampscott. What are we celebrating, you ask? Well the submission of that large international proposal! You see, with everyone being so busy it has taken a couple of tries to get the whole group together. It was wonderful to enjoy a nice meal of lobster rolls and chowder while taking in views of the Atlantic Ocean and chatting about things besides work.

When I get back to the office I begin work on completing a compliance plan for Canada, only this time it’s for a Technical Assistance Agreement (TAA) rather than a marketing license. I enjoy learning even more about the compliance plan process involved in obtaining this more complex license.

Later that day I also put my former newspaper page design skills to work by drafting up a mock poster as part of the PM Council's initiative to keep the office informed on critical financial and product introduction processes. While I only have Microsoft Publisher at my disposal, I still manage to have a great time researching the rules surrounding the use of the GE monogram, color schemes, fonts and more on the Brand Central website.

In my down-time I finish up my report-out presentation for the Northeastern University Career Center Director’s visit this Friday. I’m excited because this time my boss will be able to attend as will a classmate who missed out on our last report-out.

Tuesday after work I jet to campus for a Marketing Club meeting with the first-year MBA class. This is the meeting where we will officially hand over responsibility for the club to the new students. It’s a little bittersweet as the former President, Secretary and I all reminisce on what we accomplished with the club during the past year. We elect a new President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer and make sure they feel comfortable with their new roles. I wish them all the best of luck!

Later that week I hand over a draft of the many country descriptions I compiled for my boss. They included information as far-ranging as each nation's political parties, history and the size of their air force. He seemed to like them and even requested that I add two additional countries to the list. I set about prettying-up (yes, I made up that word) a binder to house them all in.

During the week I also try out a potential new transit option to work: the bus. You see, I was reluctant to ride the bus after having had some trouble with it not showing up at designated stops, but after doing some research and talking to fellow employees who use it, I have decided that starting October I will switch my pass from the Commuter Rail to the bus for a savings of $70 a month. Today's dry run is just to make sure I can handle the trip before committing. Luckily, I survive with the guidance of a fellow Northeastern student.

On Thursday I work on a matrix/reference chart outlining the fine line between licensed production categories for my boss' upcoming trip overseas. He will use the guide during proposal discussions with our international client.

I also take on the rather frightening task of helping a Senior Financial Analyst in my department compile descriptive statistics that compare currency conversion rates over several years. I can't help but have a major flashback to my Statistics course last semester. While I do spend a good while attempting to complete the task on my own I, admittedly, get some help from an undergraduate Northeastern Finance co-op in a nearby cubicle. In doing so, I learned some great new functions in Excel from someone far more skilled in the matter than I!

That night in my Market Research class I get my first taste of working with SPSS, a statistical analysis software used in marketing research. We all bring our laptops to class and practice on a set of real data from a local company. It reminds me so much of Minitab and all of my work with that software package last semester for my interdisciplinary project. I look forward to mastering SPSS and adding it to my toolkit of skills.

During my lunch break on Friday I borrow my cube-mates car for my interview with a reporter from The Boston Business Journal. With my hectic schedule there was really no other time that I could chat with the newspaper. I spend about a half-hour answering questions about my background, goals, etc. The reporter tells me to expect the issue to be on newsstands in about two weeks. I’m so excited but a bit nervous about how she will portray me in the profile.

Photo courtesy of Mary Alice Hewitt

Saturday I wake up early to participate in the Walk for Children’s Hospital in Rhode Island. A friend who is co-oping there picks me up at 8:00am. The event is super fun and includes tons of free swag, complimentary Dunkin’ Donuts and entertainment. Plus, I managed to exceed my fundraising goal, with a final collection tally of $285! 

After our grueling 3-mile walk (note my sarcasm), it is, of course, time to refuel with a trip to Friendly’s. I’ve never been to the East Coast creamery and am told I am in for a treat. I'm glad I scooped up a serving of their pumpkin pie ice cream that weekend because not even a month later I come to find out that the company has filed for bankruptcy!

You know, being domestic - Photo courtesy of Mary Alice Hewitt

That night I assist my friend in cooking up a dinner of pork chops topped with apples from last weekend’s jaunt to New Hampshire and for dessert: homemade apple crisp using more of our fall harvest!This is enjoyed while watching Bridesmaids and imbibing in some vino. Fabulous!

Sunday I reach out to a first-year MBA student I met during the Marketing Club hand-off meeting after learning that she used to work at Dunkin’ Brands. As we all know, I have slightly more than an unhealthy obsession with the brand so I saw this as an excellent networking opportunity. I hope to hear back from her so I can rack her brain on her experience there and any suggestions or further connections she may have for me. See kids, networking isn’t just to be explored with employers and those outside of our program; it can be done with your very own classmates too!

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

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!