Your Work Sample Should Show Your Skill—not Someone’s Private Data
Choose a relevant sample, remove sensitive material and explain your contribution.
A work sample can give an employer evidence beyond a résumé. It can also create problems if it contains confidential information or gives you credit for someone else’s work.
Check your right to share it
Do not assume that because you created a document at work, you can publish it. Review permission and ownership before sharing. When in doubt, create a new demonstration using fictional information instead of copying a former employer’s material.
Make the sample easy to understand
Include a short introduction: what the task was, what you personally contributed and what the reader should notice. A team project needs an honest explanation of your role.
“Practice sample: a fictional appointment-reminder workflow. I created the message sequence and tracking sheet to demonstrate clear instructions and follow-through.”
Remove unnecessary details
- Customer names, phone numbers and account information.
- Private staff or financial records.
- Internal passwords, links and access instructions.
- Unapproved logos or business-sensitive information.
Check document properties, comments and hidden sheets as well as the visible page. A screenshot is not automatically safe if it still reveals private information.
Share a focused selection
Choose one or two examples relevant to the vacancy and follow the employer’s submission instructions. Confirm that links work for the intended recipient without exposing an entire personal folder. Be ready to explain your decisions and what you would improve in a second version.