THE INTERN DIARIES: Work It!

Someone once told Spexy Lady when she was starting out, "There's no substitute for hard work." For this the legion of interns and intern-wannabe's hitting the streets in January and May, that's what it's all about.

Bosses are impressed by the early birds who are first in and last out in the office. One intern we know and love wouldn't take his nose off the grindstone one early Friday evening until the boss said, "Go home, it's Friday for God's sake!" He noticed.

Bosses notice when a young intern says, "What else can I do for you?"

Bosses notice the friendly attitude toward customers, the cheery voice on the phone.

This year's grads and the ones coming up next year are facing the toughest job market in decades. For those who've scored an internship now, hard work matters more than ever. Who gets the call back for a real position paying real money with real benefits will be based in large part on your internship performance.

High IQ's, a stellar GPA, and a pretty (or handsome) face have little value if the work ethic is an F, and the attitude is negative.

Spexy Lady hired some fab interns, and then again, there were those who strolled in late on Monday morning, left early on Friday for happy hour, or simply didn't show up some days.

They were toast. Out the door. And they lost that important reference on their resume.

Want a call back for a "real job" after graduation? Work it now. Be the intern you'd want to hire if you were the boss...and some day you just might be!

Have a spex-tacular semester!