These days I’m spending a good deal of time counseling students as they gear up for internships and their first gigs, post-university.

We recap what they’ve learned, we reset priorities and put some final polish on their personal paragraphs.

Our department competencies are pretty strong – these kids are headed out with relevant kills that employers want and need.

So what’s next?

I urge both my clients and students to spend some time on Glassdoor, a decent site for investigating companies and industries. I found this post the other day that I will now share in my one-on-ones.

They seem simple, obvious. Sadly, these are mistakes that are repeated over and over again. The “C’s get degrees” kids tend to roll in to internships unfocused and feeling somewhat entitled. They’re going to blow it within the first week. A 24 year-old manager is going to have the same feelings as a 45 year-old. The dress code and culture is casual and relaxed, but the bottom line remains – you need to get it done and ramp up to the vibe of the office quickly.

Congratulations on getting that new position. Now’s the time to lay a foundation of professionalism that will turn into faster promotions, more income and greater satisfaction in the new workplace.

John Scott is the carer services manager, the national online learning coordinator and a media history instructor at the School of Multimedia Communications, Academy of Art University, San Francisco. He also counsels clients and groups on the art of reinvention. His debut book Broken Glass and Barbed Wire will be released soon. Follow John on Twitter @johnscottsf.