Our friend Dr. Woody, who in the past has contributed many posts and tips to our Eye of the Intern blog, writes a weekly column for FoxBusiness.com covering all aspects of the job search and workplace.

One topic he covered was Starbucks etiquette and mobile workplace violators. As a student, Starbucks (or your favorite local coffee shop) becomes a second home during crunch times like exams and the last-minute internship search. Just like the on campus library, this isn’t your actual home and there are many unspoken rules to consider.

Dr. Woody lists the types of people who violate these unspoken rules:  The Squatter, The Aristocrat, The Line Diva and The Broadcaster. You do not want to be one of those people. Be considerate of the people working around you and check out Dr. Woody’s tips on what not to do.

Click to read the full article, Starbucks etiquette and mobile workplace violators.

Spending all of your time and money at Starbucks? Get a part-time job there! Check out student job opportunities at Starbucks.

BY SYNTHIA SALAS

Your internship may be coming to an end, but there’s still some work to do:

1. If you didn’t like the internship, evaluate the reasons why before making any drastic decisions. While it may have been the fault of the company, it also may have been that your expectations were not realistic. More tips on what to do.

2. Keep in touch if you had a great experience and think you may want to return to the company in the future. Be proactive about ways that you can continue to be a benefit to the company, and end on a good note.

3.  Ask for references. This may be the most important and valuable thing you do at the end of your internship. Get a great recommendation by properly asking  for one (and by being a great intern, of course).

4. Thank the people who have helped you during your internship, create a list so you don’t forget about anyone. Who to thank and how to thank them.

Saying Thank You to those who helped you during your internship is must.

5. Update your resume! That was the whole point of this, wasn’t it? Don’t wait until you need your resume; update it while your accomplishments are still fresh in your mind.

Depending on what kind of experience you had, the end of your internship may be the best or worst part. Use this time to decide what you want to do next!

Have anything to add to this list? Let us know in the comments below.

A strong reference can differentiate you from the stack of applicants with similar experience. But should you choose the middle manager who knows you, or the C.E.O. who smiles while greeting you by the wrong name?

Give your writer at least two weeks and a brief outline to put together your reference.

By Alex Braun

It’s about that time, summer interns. As your last weeks wind to a close, you’ll want to make sure you take away something tangible from your experience that can help your career. A reference is one good place to start.

Here are some tips for getting great recommendations.

1. Limit reference requests to people familiar with your work.

As tempting as it may sound to get a top-level executive as your advocate, it’s very easy to tell when reference writers are grasping at straws. Plus, being put in that situation can damage the writer’s opinion of you.

2. Decide what type of reference letter would suit you the most.

If you’re applying to graduate school or have a specific job in mind, it can be especially powerful to have the letter addressed and written specifically for that purpose. However, if you’re still on the fence, you might prefer to have something general that can be reused.

3. Draft an outline of suggested topics, including successful projects you worked on.

This saves time for your writer and will probably result in a clearer and more compelling finished document.

4. Make an appointment.

Choose a time — ideally  a couple weeks before your internship ends — when your writer is not likely to be very busy. Begin by thanking him or her for guiding you throughout your internship, and then ask  politely for a one-page letter of reference.

5. Repeat with someone else.

It may be that your top choice lags or simply forgets to write your letter before you leave. In that case, it’s better to have a backup plan than to pester the same person repeatedly. In any case, some jobs or schools ask for multiple written references.

6. Send a thank-you note.

Writing a thoughtful reference can take some not insignificant effort, so make sure you show your appreciation with a thank-you note. Gifts aren’t appropriate, but a few kind words can go a long way to cement a lasting, positive impression.

David Qaoud (@DavidQaoud on Twitter) is a marketing and advertising student at Northwest Missouri State University who is on track to graduate in December.

By David Qaoud

For the past two summers, I have done an Internship with AT&T Services downtown St. Louis, Mo. To say that I have learned a lot would be an understatement. I want to give you some helpful advice on how you can absolutely thrive during your internship. Of course there’s more than 10, but the following are the top 10 things every intern must do:

Tip #1: Take Initiative.

Inspired by a recent Harvard Business Review Article, taking initiative is the single most important thing you must do during your internship. Your job is to make your boss’ life easier and produce results. Always try to anticipate what your boss needs and deliver it before he or she asks.

Tip #2: Work Hard.

To state the obvious, you must work hard. Every day you must have the mentality that you’re going to give 110% effort in all that you do. Once you leave after completing your internship your boss may forgot a lot about you, but if you worked hard, he or she will never forget that.

Tip #3: Be Humble.

Most interns aren’t humble. Don’t be that intern. Cultivate a sense of humility in your life in and out of work. Nothing is more attractive than humility and nothing is more unattractive than arrogance. Pride comes before destruction and humility comes before honor. Which do you prefer?

Tip# 4: Under Promise and Over Deliver.

This is a sure fire formula for success. Credentials are good but results are better. You got in the door but to stay in the door you must produce. Period. Under promising and over delivering in everything will help you in that area.

Tip#5: Be Quick to Listen and Slow to Speak.

The last thing you want to be known for is the intern who talked too much. The more you talk the less people listen. The more words you use the less power your words will have. Listen twice as much as you talk and you will thrive in your communication.

Tip #6: Treat Everyone Equally.

I met Randall Stephenson who is the CEO and Chairman of AT&T. I have also interacted with most of the custodians on my floor. Always show respect for everyone and never show partiality because of someone’s status or position. Treat everyone the same and treat others the way you want to be treated.

Tip #7: Never Feel Inferior.

The moment you feel superior or inferior your identity is in the wrong place. In one sense you must be humble, but in another you must have confidence. If you don’t believe that you can get the job done, no one else will. Be confident and don’t feel inadequate.

Tip #8: Ask a Lot of Questions.

I can’t stress this enough. Ask as many questions as you can. It’s better to ask a stupid question than it is to make a stupid mistake that could have been avoided. Your boss knows you’re an intern and they expect you to ask questions. Never hesitate to do so.

Tip #9: Be Observant.

Perhaps the most shocking thing I learned while interning is the amount of gossip and immaturity that is prevalent within the workforce today. Some people in their forties still act like they’re 14. Take note of everything—avoid the negative things and imitate the positive ones.

Tip #10: Take Advice.

I have met a lot of senior executives within AT&T. The main question I always ask at the end of our time together is, “What’s the biggest piece of advice that you have for me?” Executives love to answer that question and I have learned a great deal from doing so.

My advice for you? Follow those ten steps.

Work It! is a series focusing on workplace wardrobe and fashion.  Each week, we will feature a new blogger offering their advice and answering your questions. This week, it’s Kimberly Pearl, whose blog, A Bit Coquettish, “presents her take on fashion & her perspective on life, love and style.”

By Kimberly Pearl

It’s an art. Is it a melodramatic statement? More than likely (life can be a bit boring otherwise). But it is valid. When they say “Casual Fridays” in the office, it’s not really casual. At all. Rather, it’s essentially the usual business attire sans black pants- or dress-suit. Think black pants or denim, tailored, dark wash denim, white denim. All done smartly. And instead of the usual sleek ’60s-inspired dresses, opt for something lighter like a sundress or class wrap a la Diane von Furstenberg.

It’s not to say that you should go in with your usual Monday through Thursday uniform; it’s not disallowed, per se, but there isn’t anything wrong with sprucing up the usual wardrobe choices and letting a bit of your non-work personality show through. Do keep in mind, however, that there is a time for a work and play: being serious is still of utmost priority here. You’re still in the office, casual Friday or not. Superiors – bosses – are still there, and if you dress too casual, you run the risk of conveying the wrong message.

“You’re still in the office, casual Friday or not.”

It’s unfortunate, yes, and superficial even, but in a world where appearances will always count for something, looking less of the part is an indication that you’re too young, too unprofessional, too frivolous to work full-time.

Don’t draw attention to your age; dress up, literally and figuratively, so they view you as an equal to everyone else in the office. You want to command their respect. Thus said, avoid jeans and sneakers. Light-colored and colored denim are a no if you want to look sophisticated; the one exception is, however, the ever-classic combination of a white tee and the blue jean, paired wither a nude or black pump or flat (no sandals – it’ll look too beach-y).

“Nothing should be above the knee, or the slightest bit see-through.”

Opt for pumps, flats and dress sandals; pumps with skinny or wide-leg jeans look especially smart. Chic. Sophisticated. Avoid graphic tees (words and otherwise), strappy tanks (follow the three-finger width rule). Nothing should be above the knee, or the slightest bit see-through. Just recently Teen Vogue beauty editor Eva Chen tweeted that an intern was spotted wearing a thin white tee, black lace bra showing – a current trend never renders itself acceptable, even in the fashion industry.

Linen or khaki shorts are lovely, but if you’re ever second-guessing the length, stick to pants. And as always, keep accessories to a minimum for a clean, polished finish.

The abridged version? Dress for the job you want, not that job you have.

By Alex Braun

The summer I turned 21, I worked next to Wells Street in Chicago’s South Loop, the domain of commodity traders and storied watering holes like Alcock’s, the Billy Goat, Poag Mahone’s and the always-classy Cactus Bar.

Like the traders, I worked with a relatively young staff that liked to go out once or twice a week for after-work drinks. So, within the first couple days on the job, my fellow interns and I were invited to join.

I was a little hesitant. My landmark birthday wasn’t for another couple weeks, and I wasn’t sure I wanted to be the only person drinking a water.

I miss you, Poag Mahone's.

If you’re under 21, it’s pretty obvious that you shouldn’t be drinking at an after-work event. Even if you don’t think coworkers know your exact age, some may have figured it out through your Facebook profile, your application materials or things you’ve mentioned in office conversation. Besides, getting busted with a fake ID in front of your boss is one embarrassing way to nullify a whole summer of hard work.

So I didn’t drink on that first trip. But I have always felt it’s very important that you go to social events when you’re invited, unless you have other pressing plans.

If you’re “old enough to party,” as McLovin once said, have a drink or two – but not more than that.

I walked with the group down to Mahone’s, and surveyed the scene with one of the other underage interns. Despite the razzing we received about our youth, it ended up being a pretty fun time. We got to see which quiet coworkers became 30 decibels louder outside the office, and heard stories that made them seem more like us – past jobs, disgruntled girlfriends and which video games they’d been battling through on Xbox Live.

In an internship, where so much of your five-year outlook rests on the trust you build and the connections you make, all those little things matter.

If you’re “old enough to party,” as McLovin once said, have a drink or two – but not more than that. Make sure you’ve had a bit to eat – even two drinks on an empty stomach can make you a little careless.

If you're not 21, don't drink around coworkers. But still tag along if you can.

If possible, order last, and see what everyone else is getting. Like it or not, people look to anything to form opinions when they don’t know much about someone. So if your favorite drink legitimately is a Long Island iced tea, even if you’re really diligent about sipping it slowly, definitely consider downgrading to the house margarita — or, better yet, a standard beer.

Remember also the cruel trick that someone who’s nervous about slipping up in a new situation tends to drink faster without realizing it. That’s why it’s better to stick to comparatively low-alcohol drinks at after-work get-togethers, especially when you’re just an intern.

And if you don’t drink at all? Go anyway, and stay active in the conversation. You won’t get accused of being no fun if you can socialize at everyone else’s pace.

Have a different opinion? Share it in the comments below. For more tips on after-work socials, check out intern coach Colleen Sabatino’s article in our Student Resources.

By Alex Braun

It’s a good problem to have. You find out you’ve been accepted to an internship you would have been happy with three weeks ago, but now something bigger and better has come along. So how do you break the news to the other employer?

Not all rejections need to be as harsh as this presidential veto. (Photo: The White House)

First things first: You DO have to break it to them. Leaving an employer hanging isn’t just rude – it can cost them expensive work hours and make a number of people seriously bitter.  You’ve given these people a lot of personal information when applying, and odds are, someone can use it to blackball you. You don’t want to take that risk.

Here are three more tips for gracefully declining an offer.

#1: Be respectful.

It doesn’t matter if the interview went awkwardly, you were asked unfair questions or you even suspected the whole setup was some kind of scam. Suspicious employers should be reported to the proper regulatory body (or flagged, if they list on Internships.com), but you should never be disrespectful or outright accusatory towards them. It’s a small world out there, and you never know who knows who.

#2: Be kind, but firm.

It’s OK to approach this “regretfully,” “unfortunately” or armed with some other adverb of mild sorrow to demonstrate that you care about the employer. It’s a nice gesture to wish them luck and leave yourself open to being contacted or consulted for future projects. But you must make it clear that you’re turning down the position that was offered. If your communication is ambiguous and you have to do the “breaking up” later, it promises to be significantly messier.

#3: Be brief.

Although you do need to inform the employer of your choice, there’s no need to get melodramatic and outline the entire history of whatever caused you to make this decision. (Hi, Lebron.) To be perfectly frank, the employer doesn’t care. They just want to know whether they can expect you at work next Monday or not.  The more you say, the more likely you are to say something that gets taken the wrong way.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Always, always thank the employer for the interview. If you can refer another qualified candidate for consideration, that may also earn you a bit of karma.

But above all things, move on. An employer shouldn’t be able to make you feel guilty about turning down a position you never committed to, even if they hadn’t made contingency plans. As long as you handle yourself professionally, any tension should be soon forgotten.

Agree? Disagree? Have any personal stories or additional tips? Leave me a comment.

This guest post is part of a series for new grads, written by the career experts at our sister company, CareerBeam. Read on for tips about handling the negotiations for your first job, from Christa Juenger, a CareerBeam Career Management Fellow.

By Christa Juenger

Congratulations, you have a job offer – but now what do you do? Negotiating in and of itself does not get relationships off to a bad start, but a poorly managed negotiation can cause unnecessary conflict. There is a protocol for negotiating that needs to be adhered to during the process.

Here are the guidelines to follow:

• Do not accept the first offer immediately. Request that you be given time to consider the offer and discuss it with family. Ask how much time they can permit.
• Do not expect them to give you a lot of time but do not offer to get back to them in a day if they will give you four days. Let them define the timeframe you have rather than imposing one on yourself.
• Do not negotiate over the phone if at all possible. It is more difficult to judge the other party’s response to your negotiating tactics over the phone. Being able to read and react to non-verbal language is very beneficial in negotiation. When you call to schedule a negotiation meeting, say that you are pleased to have received the offer and reiterate your confidence in being able to make a significant impact on the organization. State that you have several items you would like to discuss in person.
• Do not position your negotiation strategy on past compensation if your salary history is not reflective of the new salary you are trying to obtain. Instead, position your negotiation to address the value of what you can do for the employer and the value you place on your abilities. If your past salary has been confined to standard incremental raises that are not reflective of your actual performance, discuss your salary requirements as they relate to your ability to outperform and exceed expectations. Request a slightly higher salary than the one offered (typically 10-15% higher) and offer justification for this adjustment.
• Do not negotiate more than once. If an employer meets your stated salary requirements, it is considered inappropriate to push for more. If the employer is unable to meet your stated salary requirements, inquire about possible adjustments that may be affordable in other areas of compensation. For example, if salary is non-negotiable, might there be flexibility regarding vacation, continued training, benefits or perks. Another way to reposition the negotiation process if your salary requests are not met is to request increased responsibilities to justify a higher salary or ask for a performance review within six months instead of waiting a full year.

It is more difficult to judge the other party’s response to your negotiating tactics over the phone.

There are certainly exceptions to the above guidelines. Some employers do not negotiate offers at all. When this is the case, employers will typically state this up front. They will also be forthright with the budgeted salary parameters. Some employers adhere to hiring procedures that prohibit negotiation for equal employment reasons. When you receive an offer from one of these employers, it is considered inappropriate to engage in negotiation strategies. The good news is that these employers will almost always make their policies known up front.

More Tips and Suggestions:

Negotiation begins the minute one side wants something the other side is not ready to grant.

You really begin negotiating when you present your credentials in a way meant to convince the employer to make the offer. They’ve got the position. You want the position. Once they’ve made the offer, they want the acceptance. You’ve got the final answer. They want the final answer.

You are not adversaries. You are collaborators. Your mutual goal is a win-win solution.

Once they’ve made the offer, they want the acceptance. You’ve got the final answer. They want the final answer.

Stephen Covey’s chapter on win-win relationships develops this work principle beautifully. Your goal is to work together with the employer to find terms that both parties feel good about. It can even work very well for you to voice this intention.

You do not need to close the deal in one conversation. Instead, seek to expand the conversation to explore possibilities.

Again, because the offer is often seen as the end of the process and not the beginning, there is a strong tendency to want to get it over with. Resist this temptation. A few more days of patient, focused work will bring rewards beyond dollars.

CareerBeam is the industry leader in Virtual Career Success Centers for colleges and universities, providing assessments, resume and cover letter development tools, search strategies and research databases and integrating them into one online portal.

Ashley Peek is a junior sports communication major at Indiana University.

Ashley Peek works a fan event during her internship for the Indiana Pacers' promotions department last summer.

By Ashley Peek

It is a sunny, crisp morning as you drive down the road and into the parking facility of your summer internship. You’re nervous, slightly under-prepared, and you may have forgotten to put on deodorant — but none of that matters right now. You get to intern in the wonderful and exciting world of sports. But this is not for everyone, people. It gets extremely cutthroat.

Sure, every internship can potentially make or break your career, but in the sports world it seems that everyone knows everyone. If you make one bad impression, it can cost you other favorable positions down the road.

So, if you’d like to ruin any chance of working for a front office, here are some of the guidelines I give to you:

Don’t arrive on time!

Being on time is for weenies. Your boss probably won’t even know that you strolled in 15 minutes late — you are an intern, after all. Act like you got there on time and it’ll be fine!

(Fact: NEVER DO THIS. Being prompt, or early even, is one of the easiest ways to make a good impression. In the sports industry it is common to not just work in the office daily, so arriving on time to game events, fundraisers, special events, and other programs that might be associated with the organization you are working with always shows that you are responsible. If you do happen to think you are going to be late, we are all humans after all, just give your boss a call. They’ll understand.)

Hound the players for autographs!

If you ever get the chance to meet a player for the team you are working for, make sure to always ask for an autograph not only for yourself, but for your Mother, your boo, and the kid down the street. Take advantage of getting to know the athletes in your facility; your bosses will take kindly to you rubbing elbows with the stars instead of sending the emails you were asked to send an hour ago.

(Fact: I’m obviously lying to you here. Remain professional at all times. You are working to help promote these individuals and to do so in a positive light. Bombarding them for their autograph will not impress the people you’re working for. Keep a business attitude and show you do not get star crazy or bashful.)

It's one thing to have a few legitimate work-related queries, and another to nag your bosses with questions like, "When did the arena get built?"

Learn about the franchise after you’re hired!

Remember, an internship is an opportunity to learn. So expect to learn everything about the team, franchise, and front office policies from your bosses. They’ll love to sit down in their busy days and go over the corporate diagram of the organization with you. They expect you to have little to no knowledge of the organization when you get there.

(I don’t mean to lie, but it is somewhat entertaining, isn’t it? Do your research before you start interning. They’ll be happy to know you want to be a part of the organization, and understanding who does what before you start will make you stand out for the right reasons.)

By Synthia Salas

You have a bangin’ bod and that theme-party last weekend was ridiculous – but unless you’re applying to be my BF/BFF, I don’t really care to see it.

Today, we are going to briefly discuss profile pictures. This will be relevant for current interns, future interns, potential interns, and anyone in general who doesn’t want to look foolish.

• WHY are you flipping me off? OK not me, the camera, but still.
  

  Not the finest way to greet an employer.

• If the outfit you are wearing in your picture isn’t something you’d want to be wearing when you run into your boss on the weekend – time for a new pic. This includes, but is not limited to:
  • The dress you were wearing when you met Lil’ Wayne in Vegas
  • Your sexy ________ Halloween costume
  • Swim trunks

• 

  The Myspace era is so over. Stop it with the Myspace pics. You know what I’m talking about.

• Making out: The line between “aw sweet” and “ew gross” is a fine one.
• I’m just throwing this out there in case you weren’t sure: Your mug shot might be funny to your friends, but it’s probably going to be frightening to employers.

Take it or leave it! Leave your photo tips in the comments below.