Advice on MBA MM PE Internships and Post-MBA Titles

Hi all,

Currently a HSW first year looking to get into PE. Background is two years MBB consulting without diligence/M&A work, followed by an operator role in a PE-popular industry for the past 3-4 years with very small exposure to deal process (working with a boutique IB to explore selling to sponsors).

I'm aiming for Growth Equity and MM shops specializing in my industry and two questions come up:

1. What advice do you have on networking/positioning myself for the summer/to land a summer internship? - Currently I'm just cold emailing/setting up calls with alums or folks with similar backgrounds at relevant MM shops, asking for advice, and seeing if anything opens up. - Any recommendations strategic or tactical would be appreciated.

2. If going for a FT role, would it make sense to offer to start as an Associate (i.e. pre-MBA title) to get my foot in the door? - I know I won't be as quick or as sharp as a kid fresh out of IB, but the hope would be that I could be advanced to Senior Associate or VP slightly faster assuming decent performance and obviously without the need to head to B-School. - This seems pretty practical to me since most MM PE Associate pay still tracks with non-buyside post-MBA pay anyways.

Thanks in advance everyone.