I’ve been temping for a few months with the same company, and I’m hoping to land a full-time staff position. I recently stumbled on some highly inappropriate and offensive downloads on the computer of a vacationing person I was filling in for. Should I say something or pretend I didn’t see it?
Well, a Machiavellian plan would be to tell the employer what you discovered, expressing concern for the other workers and reputation of the company, hope they fire the individual and then offer you the coveted staff position you’ve been waiting for. But that is not a career strategy.
A lot depends on the nature of the material. I can envision a scenario where you’d ignore it or at most tell the person whose workstation it is what you found. I can also see a situation depending on the material where you should definitely notify someone in management or HR.
Bottom line, this is a judgment call that really doesn’t have anything to do with whether you are a temp or staff person, because the laws governing offensive material apply to everyone in the workplace, regardless of job status.
I accidentally discovered that my boss makes more than 10 times what I earn. This is obscene, particularly since I can do his job and we are told each year that the company can afford only small raises. Is there any way I can use this knowledge to secure a bigger raise, or a promotion?
Assuming that you like living and working in the United States, then the free market system works for you too. Your value is primarily determined by the demand for the skills and abilities you have and how successfully you use them to add value to an employer. As you grow, you become more marketable, increasing your opportunities and value with prospective employers. That is the best way to earn promotions and raises, and otherwise build a career.
Or you can move to France, where the baguettes and the brie are better, but the pay differential — and the opportunities — aren’t so great. Bonne chance.