Internships

[davidthefat]

Oh darn, thats not good news for me in the future, I do not use good grammar nor do I use good spelling or high diction... "Davidthefat" also sounds unprofessional, but its also creative? Am I linked to criminal activities? I don't think so, but I do not have the vibe of a very professional person, but a very nonchalant person. But I guess I am also nonchalant in real life too.

[Zach O]

Originally Posted by davidthefat

"Davidthefat" also sounds unprofessional, but its also creative?

Unprofessional? Using "LOLS", "BRB", and random characters for anger, especially on this forum, is also unprofessional. It's completely legal for your employeer to Google you, and if I owned my own business, I'd do it frequently. Generally however, if you don't attach your name to a handle, you're good to go.

[JamesBrown]

Originally Posted by Zach O

Generally however, if you don't attach your name to a handle, you're good to go.

This is definitely not true. Think about how many accounts you have on the internet. If one of them is tied to either your name or the email address you have on your resume then a lot more can be discovered. I went through one day looking my self up and found accounts I had forgotten about. Odds are that your AIM YIM or skype IDs are attached to your forum account. I found my old accounts by searching for my old screen name (which could easily be found by searching for my email address then going through my chief delphi info).

It is important to be aware of your image online. It is not going to kill your chances of getting a job because you have some pictures online, it may raise a red flag but there are many other things to consider. I personally have a few pictures online where I have a beer in my hand (I am over 21). I would be shocked if any employer cared about them. All employers know that people go out and have a life out side of work. Your prior work history and record of academic success (for students and recent grads) as well as your drive are by far the most important things to prospective employers.

[Conor Ryan]

Awesome thread! Great question.

I consider myself an expert on interning. This is my 6th year interning in a row, and I got one more internship to go before I graduate college. I have interned at 6 different companies, left all of them on good terms, loved them all in their own special ways, and right now I am loving my current internship (in a lot of ways I think its the best).

Anyway, internships in high school. I got my first one through the Rutgers Dept of Material Science. They did this Nano-Technology initiative, I found out about it through a high school physics teacher, he wrote me a recommendation along with a chemistry teacher and I found myself developing next generation batteries and fuel cells for a summer. I mostly did lab rat type stuff for the summer, but it was a great hands on experience. I don't know if they still do the same initiative, but it was great. It was my first experience with lab view and some similar software, very cool all around. And they paid!! Not bad for a sophomore in high school.

My second internship in high school lasted for 2 years and it was with a small pharmaceutical marketing research firm, I found out about it through the guidance department. It was sales research, but it was interesting. Let me know if you guys need some advice with anything.

[Andrew Schreiber]

Originally Posted by davidthefat

Oh darn, thats not good news for me in the future, I do not use good grammar nor do I use good spelling or high diction... "Davidthefat" also sounds unprofessional, but its also creative? Am I linked to criminal activities? I don't think so, but I do not have the vibe of a very professional person, but a very nonchalant person. But I guess I am also nonchalant in real life too.

1) You can change your CD username

2) Consider changing your grammar and spelling if you don't think you are professional enough.

And, yes, companies do Google for employees. Where I work does it all the time.

[kjolana1124]

I'll give money to the first person who can find me on Google. I say that because no matter WHAT I DO I can't. It actually kind of depresses me xD Then again, that was before I was really active on Twitter and here, so that may change now. But before getting to my Facebook was impossible. If anyone finds me, tell me because I honestly want to know how to do it so I know what employers will be seeing.

Of course, as soon as I say this I check to find my Twitter as the fifth hit and a topic I started here the 7th

So yeah, they will find you xD

[Andrew Schreiber]

Originally Posted by kjolana1124

I'll give money to the first person who can find me on Google. I say that because no matter WHAT I DO I can't. It actually kind of depresses me xD Then again, that was before I was really active on Twitter and here, so that may change now. But before getting to my Facebook was impossible. If anyone finds me, tell me because I honestly want to know how to do it so I know what employers will be seeing.

Of course, as soon as I say this I check to find my Twitter as the fifth hit and a topic I started here the 7th

So yeah, they will find you xD

The real scary part is that you also have to watch what other people put up. Take for example, the first picture if you google for Andrew Schreiber is me. I did not put it up, nor do I recall giving consent for it to be put up (I don't really care as it was for a programming competition). The number 8 search result for my name and state is the Kettering website with several mentions of my name (including where I work). You could have a pretty good chance of hunting me down based solely on the knowledge that I am in Michigan and my name. Uh, please don't try to stalk me if you all can avoid it. (I'm looking at you Zach!)

[Zach O]

Originally Posted by Andrew Schreiber

Uh, please don't try to stalk me if you all can avoid it. (I'm looking at you Zach!)

That was once! You didn't have to go get the police involved! And it makes it terribly hard to be at meetings while you're mentoring if I can't be within 50 feet of you...

The issue with the internet now is anyone can post anything. It can be of anyone, and even yourself without permission. Just as long as people are conscious of what their doing and what effects it might have, it seems to be no problem.

Yes, James, you're right. It's hard not to connect a name to a handle, but it can be done.

[kjolana1124]

Originally Posted by Andrew Schreiber

The real scary part is that you also have to watch what other people put up. Take for example, the first picture if you google for Andrew Schreiber is me. I did not put it up, nor do I recall giving consent for it to be put up (I don't really care as it was for a programming competition). The number 8 search result for my name and state is the Kettering website with several mentions of my name (including where I work). You could have a pretty good chance of hunting me down based solely on the knowledge that I am in Michigan and my name. Uh, please don't try to stalk me if you all can avoid it. (I'm looking at you Zach!)

The first hit for me is a girl that goes to UNR named Kelsey Starr that plays softball. It's amusing because UNR is one of my top choices and I'm a legacy there.

[Akash Rastogi]

Lucky for me there's a country full of more than a billion people who have many many many Akash Rastogi's to choose from on Google.

But yea, enable all privacy settings on Facebook, Google Buzz, other forums you might be on, and prior to applying anywhere, check online and if you find any content about you that you don't want up, ask for it to be taken down.

I haven't had any problems, yet.
.

[Zach O]

Originally Posted by Akash Rastogi

But yea, enable all privacy settings on Facebook, Google Buzz, other forums you might be on, and prior to applying anywhere, check online and if you find any content about you that you don't want up, ask for it to be taken down.

You even have Buzz turned on? The only results for me is my Twitter, which is "protected", if anything truly can be protected on the internet. A Google Image search brings up my old Twitter picture, which I've since replaced. Luckily, no Facebook page for me, or other forums that connect my name.

[Chris is me]

Originally Posted by Zach O

You even have Buzz turned on? The only results for me is my Twitter, which is "protected", if anything truly can be protected on the internet. A Google Image search brings up my old Twitter picture, which I've since replaced. Luckily, no Facebook page for me, or other forums that connect my name.

It's actually really, really hard to actually turn Buzz "off". But that's for another thread...

Do keep in mind a few things.
1. Changing privacy settings won't hide your information necessarily. If it was already up, it might still be visible. The best defense is to not put up anything you would hate to have anyone see. Don't go to parties where people take your picture, don't use the Internet as your soapbox for anything less than reasonable, etc.

2. Remember what xkcd says on the issue.

[Zach O]

Originally Posted by Chris is me

It's actually really, really hard to actually turn Buzz "off". But that's for another thread...

Do keep in mind a few things.
1. Changing privacy settings won't hide your information necessarily. If it was already up, it might still be visible. The best defense is to not put up anything you would hate to have anyone see. Don't go to parties where people take your picture, don't use the Internet as your soapbox for anything less than reasonable, etc.

2. Remember what xkcd says on the issue.

Oh, of course. With someone who is on the internet as much as me (maybe not in places but in time) I try my best to learn about web security (or the lack therefore of). I've made sure that whenever I post pictures, it's either of just myself, or others in the picture are fine with me posting it.

As for Buzz, that is an issue for a different thread