Ethics in Job Hunting

September 2006

Ethics in Job Hunting

President of Workforce Associates

and author of

NetWork: Maximizing Your Career Resources on the Internet

Available online and in print from Author House

I've been very fortunate during August to attend four Shakespeare plays in three days in the lovely town of Stratford, Ontario. Renowned for its outstanding actors and brilliant staging, the Shakespeare Festival offers the Bard at his best.

Having been immersed in Shakespeare, I thought that I'd share one of my favorite quotes to set the tone for this month's article:

"The purest treasure mortal times afford is spotless reputation; that away men are but gilded loam or painted clay."

--The Tragedy of King Richard the Second

It reminded that I haven't covered the topic of ethics in job hunting. In reviewing previous articles that I've written or read, it seemed that most info is at least several years old until a recent article caught my eye:

"Recent research shows that only one in 20 corporate recruiters includes ethics inquiries when interviewing job candidates.

In addition, recruiters report that a rising number of job applicants act unethically during the interview process, such as embellishing a resume or reneging on a job offer."

In response, Patrick Murphy, professor of marketing and co-director of the Institute for Ethical Business Worldwide at the University of Notre Dame, has written a concise guide on ethics for the recruitment process to help job seekers and recruiters. The guide covers the benefits of ethical work environments, includes sample questions which recruiters and job seekers should pose during an interview, and lists unethical behaviors to be avoided.

"This guide will be widely used and valued by our organization in its recruiting efforts," said Harold Tinkler, chief ethics and compliance officer for Deloitte & Touche USA. "The clear, simple and professional approach for providing guidelines to both interviewers and interviewees will help us to more fully integrate ethical considerations into the interview process."

The guide is being distributed to Notre Dame students as well as to recruiters through college and university career centers. It also is available online at www.ethicalbusiness.nd.edu.
In a nutshell, the Ethics Guide covers the following important topics in the ethics of job hunting from the perspective of the job seeker:

1) The Benefits of Working for Ethical Employers:

--Ethical employers create a culture of corporate and personal responsibility.

--They attract capable and qualified prospective employees, who are rewarded on work performance.

--These firms tend to provide guidance to help employees make ethical decisions.

--These organizations do not ask employees to compromise their personal ethics/values.

--Companies with ethical reputations treat employees fairly.
It makes sense to carefully study your potential employer's mission statement on their website to find out if this potential employer considers ethics a vital part of their corporate identity. In reviewing many recruiting websites, I've noticed that recruiters and HR professionals value strong ethical standards from job candidates along with communication, teamwork, and leadership skills. I've also noticed that companies who make it on the "Best Companies to work for" list also emphasize how ethically they operate in spite of the brutal competitive environment that they live in.

2) Ethics Questions that Job Seekers should be asking Companies and Recruiters: According to the Notre Dame Ethics Institute, here is a list of suggested questions that you may want to address in your job interview:

--Is there a formal code of ethics? How widely is it distributed? Is it reinforced in other formal ways such as through decision-making systems and informal ways such as through supervisors?

--Are employees at all levels trained in ethical decision making? Is ethics an integral part of the company's leadership programs? Are employees encouraged to take responsibility for their behavior or to question authority when asked to do something they consider wrong?

--Do employees have formal channels available to make their concerns known confidentially and non-punitively? Is there a formal committee high in the organization that considers ethical issues? How does leadership encourage "getting bad news early," for example?

--Is misconduct disciplined swiftly and justly within the organization?

--Is integrity emphasized to new employees and then regularly to all employees?

--How are senior managers perceived by subordinates in terms of their integrity? How do such leaders model ethics-related behavior?

3) Unethical Behaviors Job Seekers Should AVOID during the job hunting process, per Murphy's booklet:

--Misrepresenting your background and skills, whether in a job interview or embellishing your resume.

--Misrepresenting the status of your job seeking efforts (e.g., number of offers).

--Accepting on-site interviews when you are not seriously considering the prospective employer. Most organizations will invite applicants to attend interviews or written tests before employment. When you are invited, you should take it seriously. Prepare yourself well and be on time. In case you are unable to attend the interview or written test for important reasons, you should inform the employer well in advance and ask him/her, if possible, to make another arrangement.
--Canceling pre-arranged interviews unless you have accepted another offer. When you receive job offers from more than one organization, try to think over the merits and demerits of each post before you make the decision. At the same time, please remember to decline any untaken offers politely either by phone or in writing. When you have accepted an offer, you have to honor your commitment. Be faithful to your choice. Do not take it casually. Be a person with credibility and keep your promise!
--Upholding the work ethics is one of the essential elements of keeping your professionalism and career advancement. Therefore, don't overlook the above mentioned work ethics if you want to excel in your work.
--Acting irresponsibly once you have a new job. Laziness and hastiness are big 'no-noes'. Being late for work, leaving early or not taking the responsibilities of your new job seriously will give strong negative impressions to your employer. Be rigorous in your work.
--Resigning your place of employment early. Unless you have no other alternative, do not defer the date of reporting to duty, quit the job or terminate the contract too readily. In case it is necessary to do so, you should discuss this with your employer as soon as possible, tell him your reasons and apologize. This allows the organization to have ample time to make proper arrangements. Furthermore, when you have to take leave, be prepared to go through the proper administrative procedures as set by the employer.

Remember these common sense ethical questions and points during the job search and you'll be sure to find a compatible employer who shares your outlook and perspective.

All the best for a safe and happy Labor Day weekend and fine September. Keep your comments and questions coming!

Jane M. Lommel, Ph.D.
jlommel@WorkforceAssociates.com

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