My goal for the summer was to cross the line from investor to employee and work within an operating company. I sought to build on the sector knowledge I gained while working on investments in the communications and data service industries. Loudcloud was the right opportunity at the right time, and I feel lucky to have had the chance to spend a summer there. The bidding system is an asset for people looking to work outside their areas of prior experience. Companies are allowed to fill half their available slots based on interviews they have selected, while the other half are open to bid.
Students have a fixed number of points per quarter, and high bidders win the remaining slots.
I bid for the interview that led to my summer internship with Loudcloud. Richard Scarry posed this question in a book for children, but I think the question is one for all ages. I wanted a detailed answer. I wanted to know the jargon, the number of late nights, the magazines read, the valued outcomes, the practiced cultural values, the performance measures, and the other real details that define a career. My summer at Loudcloud provided that answer.