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Ski and Intern?

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Danoo
Posts: 77 - Karma: 146
So I'll be going to University of Denver relatively soon to go after my MBA and I was looking into some sort of marketing internship with a ski company for college credit and the experience. I mean, if I have to get a real job I may as well ski too, right?
Line has a specific page just for marketing internships so it seems to be a pretty common thing. Have you done any work for a major ski company and if so what did you think, did you enjoy it etc.
Nov 15 2011 11:34PM
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Sklar
Posts: 8864 - Karma: 31,612
possibly going to du for business
/threads
Nov 15 2011 11:38PM
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jdilla
Posts: 706 - Karma: 41
dont mean to sound discouraging but goooooooooood luck. there's a few thousand kids looking for the same perfect internship you are. I knew a few people that got internships with snowboarding companies through CMC's ski and snowboard industry program (one of which now works for tech nine, another for neversummer) so it's not impossible but it's all about who you know these days. it's worth a shot but i'd recommend focusing on your actual degree and getting a dope job doing whatever you can get work doing. there aren't that many ski companies based in denver so that puts odds against you even more...line is based out of seattle.
Nov 15 2011 11:44PM
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Mr.Bishop
Posts: 22708 - Karma: 76,635
Come to montreal.

I know a little website here that loves interns. Especially if you can program.


Nov 15 2011 11:46PM
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Rime.
Posts: 632 - Karma: 615
If you're around Seattle, we're looking for an intern...we abide by the 4 inch pow rule - whenever there is more than four inches of fresh snow, go shred it. Happens pretty frequently in the PNW
Nov 15 2011 11:53PM
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Gman094
Posts: 147 - Karma: 115
if you're going for an MBA prepare to be way overqualified, under-utilized and generally frustrated with the way the industry is run.


Not one to air my dirty laundry publicly so PM me if you want details.
Nov 15 2011 11:53PM
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k-fred
Posts: 5363 - Karma: 1,598
do you think you guys will need some in 2 years or so?

cause I'm actually studying marketing and i live 30min away from MTL.
Nov 15 2011 11:53PM
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hot.pocket
Posts: 4226 - Karma: 10,626
I intern here in Reno at Moment Skis, such a kick ass deal.

If you can find one definitely do it.
Nov 15 2011 11:55PM
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gravel
Posts: 5518 - Karma: 42,202
I interned at Icelantic over the summer, which is on the really close to the central city of Denver... Check them out. You can see if they can take you by emailing ashley@icelanticboards.com
Nov 16 2011 2:09PM
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J.DUKE
Posts: 1233 - Karma: 38
I did mine with Specialty Sports Ventures/ Vail Resorts and they are located in within greater Denver
Nov 16 2011 2:13PM
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jensen
Posts: 2576 - Karma: 1,267
I interned in the marketing department at Steamboat. Excellent experience and tons of fun, but, as someone else said, if you are going to school for an MBA prepare to be way overqualified and frustrated. The ski industry, even more than any industry I have ever seen, isn't about what you know but who you know. If you are looking to pursue a career in the ski industry don't waste your time and money on an MBA from DU. That's my two cents.
Nov 16 2011 7:04PM
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Danoo
Posts: 77 - Karma: 146
Where would be a good place then, Seattle? Because I'm not set on DU it just happens that my cousin lives in Denver and can give me a free place to live. I'm open to other similar caliber, or even slightly more selective business schools. Not to brag but I have a 4.0GPA, a 32 SAT, and letters in sports on my resume so I can get accepted almost anywhere. I'm not set on working in the ski industry, I just would really enjoy it and I find it more interesting then some other potential jobs I've looked at.
Nov 17 2011 9:28AM
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titsLOL
Posts: 7485 - Karma: 396
As someone with an undergrad business degree I would never give a ski company any of my powers for free, let alone as a MBA student. Odds are you're more qualified than anyone you'll be interviewing with if you did business undergrad. I'd recommend trying to get to know people in the industry and get a feel for it, and until then seek work elsewhere. If you want it to involve skiing I'd go for a hospitality angle and work at a resort, or try to work at a resort's marketing department.

Unpaid internships at strong businesses that can seriously offer a salary job afterward if you do well is legit, unpaid internships at small ski companies who just need more work done and can't afford employees are not legit. No offense to small ski companies I think you guys are awesome and I'm sure you don't expect MBA students for your free interns.
Nov 17 2011 9:59AM
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Mr.Bishop
Posts: 22708 - Karma: 76,635
Depends what you do. : ) Marketing we don't do a ton of, so depending on the specifics of what you learn you might be way better suited at a different company.

We do definitely take on interns from time to time though when the needs and skill sets are a good match.
Right now we'd kill for a programming intern.


Nov 17 2011 10:01AM
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SFBv420.0
Posts: 2539 - Karma: 3,124

My BRO @http://pmgear.com scores french engineerin interns every year

Click for larger image

Jerome or frenchy intern bro as I call him is havin a blast pressin/designing skis in the biggest little city.

He will return with great experiences some sick carbon fibered sticks and his college internship completed.

Had a great week hangin in the pm gear factory, touring the nearby moment factory and skiing on skis you made with your own two hands is a special feeling

Nov 17 2011 10:11AM
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Mr.Bishop
Posts: 22708 - Karma: 76,635
There is some real truth in this.

If you truly want to work in the ski industry forever, working your way up at a company is an extremely good way to do it. If you spend the years you would have been in college just making connections and climbing the ladder... you'll get there probably quicker than the college route.

However, take that experience and try to get back into the outside world down the road when you get frustrated that the pay sucks... and you're going to wish you'd finished that degree so many years ago.

Lets face it - school is rad... There's chicks everywhere.


Nov 17 2011 11:11AM
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SFBv420.0
Posts: 2539 - Karma: 3,124
lets face it chicks are everywhere not just college and that peice of paper/degree don't mean as much in this economy
Nov 17 2011 11:20AM
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Jeff_Lo
Posts: 5809 - Karma: 263
Don't mean to sway you from the industry, but if your going for an MBA at DU, your best bet is not to look in the ski industry. 

I have friends going to DU that get plenty of ski days and are paying off school with what they make working part time.  I've had jobs in the ski industry and I may be at the mountain 30-50 days a year, but I usually only get to ski 4-5 of those days.  My 2 cents.
Nov 17 2011 11:28AM
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Mr.Bishop
Posts: 22708 - Karma: 76,635
NO way man... way easier to meet girls in college. After you graduate, you either are hooking up with someone at work (which is a terrible idea), meeting friends of friends or going to bars.

None of these things have the ease of meeting members of the opposite sex as classrooms and passing in the hallways of an educational institution.


Nov 17 2011 11:56AM
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Rime.
Posts: 632 - Karma: 615
The man tells no lies, all truths here. It's especially tough to meet girls outside of college who share similar interests to most ski bums, IE drinking/drug/lifestyle habits and the shred addiction.
Nov 17 2011 12:04PM
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SFBv420.0
Posts: 2539 - Karma: 3,124

if only there was a job where you were in the bar meetin chicks, makin their drinks and getin paid

oh wait

first season in the wasatch slingin drinks @ steins for the wealthy DV groominators

Holy rich milfy cougars. Made more $$$ than a journeyman carpenter

Them chicks is in the grocery store, lift lines, libraries, gyms , yoga classes, etc etc my bros tell me you can score mad tang online matc zoosk clist, don't know met my spanser by gettin drunk and takin her home.

think I slaid it in tips as well that night

poor crafsmen blame their tools is a little sumthin we say in the nailpoundin bidness

last calll you don't need to go home but you can't hang here

if your hot & horney lets go to my home

is another sayin

Nov 17 2011 12:56PM
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iLLbiLLy
Posts: 2865 - Karma: 2,631
A. Is your internship paid?

&& if !

B. If you bring in someone fresh out of school with a CS degree is NS capable improving this individuals abilities as a professional?

Not sure about canada, but it's illegal to not pay interns if their skills are being used as a resource without improving there professional skill set through a mentor-type relationship.

A good example I heard in the news lately is a CPA had an internship with the production crew for 'Black Swan'. He was put in an unpaid position where he handled the accounting needs. As he is already a qualified CPA, it was illegal for the company to require that he do CPA type stuff without getting paid, as he is not 'being taught' by the company.

You could say, 'well now this guy has more experience and his abilities have improved', but the point is that his abilities improved through his own effort and not through the guidance of a mentor.

Even though I know I would gain a lot of experience programming for NS, I don't think that would qualify as learning new skill, as I already know and understand all of the languages NS is composed of (PHP, JS, JQuery, mySQL, etc).

On the other hand, someone still in school who doesn't already know these things might benefit greatly from an internship with NS.

This point really applies to all internships, I just wanted to point out that an internship should not be about getting free labor. The purpose is to improve the professional abilities of the intern.
Nov 17 2011 1:06PM
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Schoellkopf
Posts: 1300 - Karma: 122
I think I've finally begun to understand what in the hell you are saying. This was the first time I haven't had to reread your post more than once.
Nov 17 2011 1:12PM
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afterbang_me
Posts: 385 - Karma: 152
Its still better than not having one.  You definitely should get an education to go along with your experience in today's economy.  Not to mention the pool of girls at college is definitely better.
Nov 17 2011 1:37PM
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gwhitey
Posts: 2249 - Karma: 312
if you are in need of one in 2 or 3 years, i would be very interested.
Nov 17 2011 1:44PM
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onenerdykid
Posts: 6657 - Karma: 10,899
Quoting for truth.
Nov 17 2011 1:49PM
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SFBv420.0
Posts: 2539 - Karma: 3,124

peeps tell me if you speak and not read the sfb streamostonerness it is more dechipherable

did i mention the boatload of frailain butt i scored in Germany

join the army, see new places, kill bad guys and der poopenhausin ftw

Nov 17 2011 2:09PM
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afterbang_me
Posts: 385 - Karma: 152
quoting the truth for truth.
Nov 17 2011 2:19PM
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Schoellkopf
Posts: 1300 - Karma: 122
Oh yeah, and to answer your question.. I'm a senior at DU interested in working in the ski industry as well. Although my main focus is graphic design I'm very interested in all aspects of the snowsport world, including the business side. So far I think people have touched on most subjects that are pertinent to what you are looking for but not one person has it entirely right. Personally, I think that Denver is a great place to network within the ski industry and receive a degree that you can always fall back on. Being based out of Denver gives you (semi)easy access to over 8 ski resorts that all have a significant presences within the ski world. Not only do you have access to these places but you are also surrounded by the people in Denver and mountain towns who love to do just what you love to do, RIDE! I don't know about available internships per say but I do know that if you put in the effort you will begin to meet the people you need to around here. Not only that, but the SIA trade show now resides in Denver. There's no better way to connect with the ski industry than being in a city where everyone who is involved in snowsports is here. I've managed to attend SIA both years it's been in Denver and I have learned a significant amount about the snow world in general.

Getting an MBA at DU is supposedly (from what I've heard) a pretty good thing to do if your planning on doing some serious business management down the road. I think that if you can afford to go through with the program even without finding an internship to accompany the degree it would still be worth it. Obviously this economy doesn't look very good right now, so being in school might be the best thing you could do (again, if you can afford it). I think what it boils down to is that if getting an MBA is really what you want to do you should go ahead with it whether you find an internship or not. The best part about being an intern, besides getting hooked up, is the networking. So if you are already in a place with an established network I feel that opens a lot more doors for you. Finding an internship would just be another benefit.

Just my two cents. Hope it helps.
Nov 17 2011 2:29PM
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pghjibber
Posts: 1298 - Karma: 329
I'm confused...

Are you going for a Undergrad/Joint MBA program or something?

You sound like you're bragging about high school credentials.

Any serious MBA program wants your undergrad GPA, work experience and GMAT score.

My two cents:

I graduated in Spring 2009 from a top-10 BBA program. Originally I wanted to go into i-banking but decided I'd rather do something I'm passionate about after seeing wall street essentially implode during fall 08.

I interned at a shitty ski media company just to get my foot in the door and meet industry people. The internship sucked and violated every law there was related to interns, so I quit. I then went the resort route and did some instructing for a season where I gained more on-snow experience and met more people.

Facing the prospect of unemployment at the end of ski season, I accepted a full-time position with the same shitty company I previously interned for. I hated it, and had to find a way out. I was offered a coaching position for a well-known freeride program, but felt by accepting I would be moving away from my educational background. Feeling like nothing to lose, I called up the head of a prominent ski company that I had previously met and begged him to let me intern. Thankfully, he accepted, and after 6 months scraping by as a full-time intern I was hired on as a full-time employee.



Spark notes: Meet people, take risks, and be humble. You probably don't need an MBA in our industry. Take a look at the top guys even at massive companies like Hurley, Quik, etc. Most of them have their bachelor's and not much else. Experience trumps all.
Nov 17 2011 3:02PM
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hiphophobo
Posts: 81 - Karma: 7

damn. I am a freshman at colorado mesa university and I want my MBA from CU.....

THIS is one of the most helpful threads on NS i have ever read.... THANKS TO ALL

Nov 17 2011 3:05PM
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Danoo
Posts: 77 - Karma: 146
I'm in high school so those are the only credentials I have. I know that the GMAT is a huge deal, and that once I'm in college high school grades don't matter. And I'm not trying to brag, I'm stating that if there are a lot more jobs in a certain area and people to meet, and that if the area is better that I could go to college there regardless of the caliber of the school.

I'm saying that I am going to choose where I go to college based on the opportunities in the area and that I'm not limited by my high school career. I apologize if I came off as cocky or something. Thanks for your story, I appreciate the input. Do you think actual skiing ability has anything to do with getting a job in the industry?
Nov 17 2011 7:30PM
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skiingpimp
Posts: 1176 - Karma: 31
disagree. I have some encounters with experienced ladies in towns of vail/ breck/ beaver creek/ aspen who fancy themselves to jump on young cubs. Just don't expect this "relationshit" to last more than 2 hours but do expect to drink some nice vino or Dom P.
Nov 17 2011 8:09PM
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pghjibber
Posts: 1298 - Karma: 329
i didn't mean to come off like i was saying you were bragging...

it's the internet, everyone is a little cocky behind a keyboard, myself included

if you're hell bent on getting your MBA, I would go for like a 5-year program where you earn both your undergrad B.S. degree and MBA at the same time.

The traditional formula however is go get your Bachelor's in something and then go work 2-3 years to gain practical work experience. In fact the admissions process more or less required it. This norm however has changed a bit since the economy shit the bed, as more people are going back to school earlier and earlier...

Realistically I know of only a handful of top execs in action sports who went through the process of getting their MBA. Example: Jeremy Andrus, CEO of Skullcandy. Most people simply did what I'm doing and got their undergrad, networked, and worked their way up throughout the industry.

As for skiing ability, I definitely think it helps but it isn't a deal breaker. You will hold more klout with a company if you live and breath the lifestyle, and it might be a chance encounter on the mountain that gets you an interview in the first place.

PM if you have any more questions or want more details.
Nov 17 2011 8:45PM
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