Monthly Archives: February 2012

New Google Privacy Policies Begin

Since Google privacy policy changes begin March 1, 2012, some users are using Leap day to clear search diaries in browsers, as well as online.  The Washington Post, among others, provides instructions to remove this information. 

For me, it was a trip down memory lane to review two years of online search data at http://www.google.com/history.  Let me just say that as an instructor of a wide variety of courses and topics, I had some very interesting search data.  By the way, if you like, be sure to share your #stupidgooglesearches!


Note that Google captures search data, when searching with Google, regardless of the browser “privacy” settings.  If you are logged into one of the sixty Google applications, the search data is also personally tracked to you.


Benefits from tracking search histories includes targeted advertising, such as Amazon’s “here are some books in which you may be interested”.    Of course, until the bugs get worked, out this can backfire.  This in fact happened when a joke posted by Nick Bergus on Facebook (see CNET article) made him an unwitting pitchman to his Facebook friends for a 55-gallon tub of Amazon.com lubricant on sale for $1,495.

Reading–Not just the “what,” but the “how”

My first ebook platform was the Kindle app on an iPad.  Dr. Pete Forster had recommended Marcus Luttrell’s Lone Survivor: The Eyewitness Account of Operation Redwing and the Lost Heroes of SEAL Team 10, describing events of posthumous Medal of Honor recipient and Penn State alumni, Lt. Michael Murphy.  Since I am not a fan of reading long articles on a computer, I was skeptical of this experiment.  To make the test even more difficult, I planned to begin reading the ebook in bright sunlight while attending a men’s slow-pitch softball game.

I was hooked immediately.  By itself, Lone Survivor is a remarkable introduction to SEAL training in general, and the Operation Redwing tragedy in particular.  I am sure I would have put up with any ebook challenge to finish this gripping story.  However, unlike bulky computers, the ebook actually facilitated reading by enhancing reader control and flexibility.  For example, I found I prefer a large font in white characters on a black background.  This combination works well, I discovered, in both bright sunlight and dark rooms.

“What” to read has not been a challenge, but there are some strategic “how” issues emerging.  For example, I enjoy collecting free Kindle classics, or an occasional Project Gutenberg book.  I love knowing I can bring my entire library with me to the doctor’s office or on vacation.

I selected the Kindle version, since comments and highlights in hardcopies are difficult to retrieve.  Kindle, however, allows readers to make and export notes and highlights.

Hardcopies are still needed, especially if I want to share them or include contents in a lesson plan.  In these cases, I comply with Stanley and Danko’s[1] research that suggests beginning with a library copy.  This was recently the case with Washington Post reporters Priest and Arkin’s Top Secret America.  In just a few dozen pages, though, I realized I would need to purchase this book to make highlights and notes. 

I selected the Kindle version, since comments and highlights in hardcopies are difficult to retrieve.  Kindle, however, allows readers to make and export notes and highlights.  They are automatically tracked at https://kindle.amazon.com/.  In fact, you can keep your notes private, or make them public.  You may also review public notes and highlights from other readers since Amazon lists “Highly Followed People” and “Books With the Most Public Notes.”

To read Former hacker Kevin Poulsen’s Kingpin: How One Hacker Took Over the Billion-Dollar Cybercrime Underground, I checked out the digital copy from our local library.  The library-required iPad Overdrive App is a compromise, since it allows me to “check out” new books on an iPad, but not the ability to make notes.  In this case, I will probably end up purchasing the book;  I now know it will be necessary in lesson plans.

Some books are available in browsers with Internet access only, such as the “on line” books listed in the Penn State Library “Cat.”  To click on these links, log in to the library before clicking on the online link.  Google Books and the Google Books Project at Penn State are other browser options requiring Internet access.

So as you can see, the question now is not just what to read, but also how. 


[1] Advice to borrow library books and not purchase, comes from researchers Stanley and Danko in The Millionaire Next Door

Good Career Advice

Penn State students find opportunities on campus to begin a professional career.  At University Park, for example, many colleges offer career fairs for students to meet recruiters, mock interviews to refine student introductions, and résumé review and feedback sessions. 

This is also possible at the campus-wide level in the Division of Student Affairs Career Services.  The summary below can help orient students:

1.     Résumé:  The purpose of the résumé is to quickly and effectively communicate an individual’s unique strengths to a target organization.  The résumé “advertisement” is “consumed” in less than twenty seconds.  It is rare, in my experience, for an individual to craft a “perfect résumé” absent outside feedback.  My suggestion is to begin with a college (e.g., IST Résumé Samples) or university template, or edit one at Microsoft Office.  Next, present the résumé for feedback to many people who know you (e.g., family, faculty) AND who know résumés (e.g., career counselors, recruiters).  Since it is your résumé, you decide which recommendations to actually implement.  The résumé is a work in progress that is never fully done, especially as new skills and experiences are added.  Thus, expect to continue making improvements to your résumé in perpetuity.

2.     Career Fairs:  The purpose of the career fair is to connect students with organizations that have full time, co-op (two semester) and intern (one semester) employment opportunities.  Multiple University Park career fairs are offered by Student Affairs at the beginning of each semester.  In addition, some departments (e.g., Smeal’s Supply Chain) and colleges (e.g., IST’s Fall ProExpo and Spring Future Forum) may also host career fairs for their students.

3.     Strategy:    The purpose of a strategy is to prepare the student prior to meeting recruiters. The strategy has two parts:  first, learn about the company, and second, practice promoting the student’s unique strengths.  The former can be found at company websites, and the latter through Penn State “30-Second Introduction” tips.  The introduction, and the résumé objective, quickly “qualify” organizations by explaining the student’s employment objective (e.g., full time, co-op, internship), availability date to begin employment, and interest or degree.  If any of these do not meet an organization’s need, the student can immediately move on to the next organization.

4.     Advocate Yourself:  The purpose of meeting recruiters in person is to exude confidence in you (i.e., the “product”).  Confidence, passion and enthusiasm, as every advertising pitchman knows, are infectious.  Unfortunately, the absence of these is infectious in a bad way.  Job candidates need to know two or three top personal strengths (e.g., refer to these nine action verb categories for ideas), and have several personal supporting stories ready (i.e., consider using the S.T.A.R. model).  Since “practice makes perfect,” practice “the pitch” alone (e.g., in front of a mirror), with friends, and counselors.  Attend as many career fairs as possible to practice “live” with recruiters.  In time the handshake, eye contact, voice, body language, and stories will all combine to your maximum benefit.

5.     GPA:  The purpose of GPA is to summarize classroom performance given the context of a student’s unique undergraduate commitments.  GPA (grade point average) is not a measure of intelligence (i.e., all college students are intelligent).  It is easy to misconstrue many metrics in life, including GPA.  In my opinion, the GPA does not summarize hire criteria such as creativity or passion.  GPA is important, but it is only part of a unique student’s total “package.”  A student that has worked hard and been active should never feel inferior because of a GPA.   A recruiter from a major technical company laughed and agreed when I shared this common student misunderstanding.  He told me they had just hired a student with a 2.7/4.0 GPA, because of excellence in the student’s “total package.”