A common response I hear from my clients when I ask to see copies of their performance evaluation used to write their resume is, “oh, those are in my desk at work, I’ll have to get those to you later.”
That is scary to me, and here’s why. You never know what prying eyes are going through your things after hours. It may be the janitor, or it may be a co-worker.
I remember years ago when I worked at a radio station; one of my co-workers filed her employment contract in her drawer along with all sorts of other business-related documents. The station sold and when she went to locate her contract to find out what her rights were during a sale, she found it was missing. Not only did she feel violated, but she learned a very valuable lesson. Don’t leave personal and sensitive items at the office, unless you have a backup, or would be okay if they disappeared and you never saw them again.
Here is a recurring story that I’ve heard from a few of my clients. They showed up for work one day only to find the doors had been locked and the company was out of business. You just never know what can happen.
Therefore, if you have employment contracts, pay stubs, old job applications, evaluations, or even the official job description; take it HOME and put it in a personnel file of your own. These items will come in handy when you need them most-when you need to find a new job.
All the best in your job search!
Sincerely,
Susan Geary, CERW
1st Rate Resumes