My first week waiting tables was certainly not my best. I only started getting the hang of it after I shadowed some more-experienced servers. I learned the ropes -- from tricks and timesaving habits they had learned -- by watching the servers and then applying that knowledge to my own work.

A couple of weeks ago, a friend of mine was in the final stages of securing an internship position with a company. He was caught off guard by the fact that his employment could not be guaranteed until his I-9 came back clear (as his father had been with the company for decades prior). The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, has issued fines and penalties reaching of dollars, leaving companies big and small feeling vulnerable.

As an intern and college graduate, I have many friends who are already working for “the man.” When I ask them how they like their job, what they do or how work has been, the response is always the same.