MLT Career Prep Coach's Corner
Professional Ethics
By: Lakshmi Ramanathan, MLT Career Prep Coach
We hear the term “ethics” bandied about in Corporate America today- and often understand it to relate to the ethics of doing business; the code of conduct an organization follows as it deals with customers, shareholders and other constituents. And rightfully so.
However what I would like to put forth is a personal code of ethics that I think each of us should adhere to as we engage in the professional world- as we deal with recruiters, colleagues, clients, etc. You have a sense of self, a sense of personal integrity that you need to be true to. And the reality is you bring this personal self to work- and so it is an essential part of your professional self.
It is easy to ask why when we have witnessed several instances where questions have been asked about the ethics of how companies operate. For instance I have had students ask me why it was important for them not to renege on an offer when companies rescind offers. Or why it was necessary for them to tell a recruiter in plain terms that they didn’t receive a full time offer at the end of a summer internship- especially when there wasn’t a chance that the recruiter would be able to access that information. Questions definitely worth considering.
I go back again to the thought that it is important for you to be true to yourself- because that is the kind of professional you want to develop into as you progress through your career. That is the kind of mentor you want to be when it comes time for you to turn around and lend a helping hand to those following.
And then again from a purely pragmatic perspective, this is a small world we live in- and you never know who will turn up where. So it is smart to be sensible and ethical in your dealing with others- as the recruiter at the company you interviewed with today can turn up at another company you might be pursuing a little while down the road!
