Experienced Hire - S&T advice needed

I would like to get the opinion of the masses, preferably those of you in S&T, before I begin to talk to some of my alumni networking contacts and explore the possibility of switching firms to a role that will help me achieve or get closer to my goal.

My goal is to get on to an institutional sales desk at a BB – preferably on a bond desk. Whether I can do this before getting an MBA (I am planning to make a jump, but it is at least 2 years off), I am not sure. If I cant get on a desk now - great, but at the very least I would like to start moving into more of a front office sales role that will help me develop the cumulative skill set for a desk.

For a little over 2 years I have been working at a small shop, 2nd tier sell side firm as a product controller – covering their bond desk. The benefit to this role as opposed to a BB, is that I get to wear many hats, have developed relationships with senior management, and I have made much more of an impact than I could have if I worked in the same role at a BB. I have several accomplishments and projects I have completed here and feel that I have learned a good amount about S&T. Bottom line, I think I have a unique background/experiences which I can use to sell myself on interviews should I decide to go somewhere else.

My questions:
1) Is it possible for someone like me to interview and transfer into a S&T analyst class as a 2nd or 3rd year at a BB or 2nd tier?
2) What other sales themed roles would you suggest I look into? They don’t necessarily have to be on a desk, but as long as it helps me move in the right direction/develop skill set, I will be happy.
3) What about the buy side (would try to come back to sell side after MBA), suggestions as to type of sales positions I should pursue there?

In conclusion, I feel that right now is absolute worst time to try and move as I have been hearing of many lay offs in S&T areas. I tried to move to the front office at my firm this summer and am basically in a holding pattern – I was received warmly, told to update my resume, but then the $hit hit the fan and the credit markets went to hell, many have been laid off at my firm. I was told I might be able to move to an asst. role, but they wouldn’t know till things settled down in a few months. I get my bonus at the end of this year and want to start exploring other options. Suggestions/Opinions as to my next move will be appreciated. Thanks.