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by DregsInTheCrowd_Archive
When I was interning, somebody gave me ten bucks. I don't remember who it was. I felt weird about it, so at first I politely declined. Dude offered again. Me: "I appreciate it, but that's too much, and I shouldn't. Thanks though!"Dude: "Buy yourself lunch or something. You've been making us coffee all week."Me: "Well, alright. Thank you very much. Is there anything else you guys need at present?"In that situation, I felt OK because it was a show of gratitude. I think when you get three adamant offers in one sitting, it becomes acceptable. I've done my honest best to give the person an opportunity to keep their money. Whenever it's happened to me at any job, I've declined, because I'm already being compensated in some way (as an intern, I was being compensated in experience and sometimes lunch), and I don't need to receive extra money for doing something that is just part of the job. When somebody insists more than a couple times because they have some sort of special appreciation for something you've done, go ahead. That person is trying to do something nice for you. I think I would have felt VERY uncomfortable if I were offered tips for every service I performed for a client, as though I were a bellhop or something.
Mike McGovern