Did you just get fired? Do you have to give your laptop back to tech support? If so, then you might want to make sure your computer is completely cleaned out. Here are 5 things to do before you give back your work PC in order to avoid any embarrassing situations.
5) Backup all documents to a remote location
It never hurts to hold onto your work documents. You might never use these files again, or they could come in handy in some future project at your next job. Upload all your files to Dropbox or any other cloud hosting service to make sure they’re safe. Or, just use an external hard drive or a USB stick.
4) Decide which programs you want to keep
If you’ve downloaded some free office tools during your time at your old job, then you might not have to re-download those files on your next computer. Transfer any useful programs to your external hard drive, Dropbox, or whatever portable storage solution you’ve chosen.
3) Backup your contacts and email folders
If you use Outlook, then you’ll probably want to keep track of your old emails and contact information. Outlook allows users to easily back up this information by going to the drop-down menu under File, then choose Import and export, then Export to a file, then Personal Folder File. Or, if you just want to copy individual contacts over to your folder, then you can simply drag and drop them from your main Outlook screen.
2) Wipe out your browser information
Whether you’ve been shopping on Amazon or you’ve been doing inappropriate things at work, it’s a good idea to clear out your browser history. Since your employer might not want you to completely reformat your computer, you can at least clear out the most important things. Go to your browser and delete your cache, history, cookies, and any other personal information that has been stored.
1) Delete everything you just backed up
Now that you’ve backed up all your data, it’s time to delete everything personal from your work computer. Delete family photos, personal programs, and anything else you can think of. Do a quick scan of the My Documents folder and other parts of the hard drive to make sure you haven’t left anything behind. Then, log out and get ready to start a new chapter in your life.