Occasionally, we hear about companies who place help-wanted ads in the newspaper, even though they have no openings in the foreseeable future. These ads do not mention the name of the employer; they usually ask that résumés be sent to a "box" at the newspaper. HR then will cull through the résumés they receive to determine whether any of their employees are looking for work.

It is uncertain how often this happens, and the extent to which such stories represent myth, rather than fact. However, if it is happening, it strikes us as a particularly ill-advised practice.

If an employer does this, it represents a breach of trust. If word of such a résumés solicitation program reaches the employee population, employee satisfaction almost certainly will decline. Ironically, the attempt to solicit résumés from current employees can result in more employees looking for work.