What are good work ethics?
I talk with hundreds of companies. They range in size from one person just starting to hire his or her first employee all the way up to large corporations. They can be local, nationwide or worldwide organizations.
One of the major complaints I hear from all of them, no matter the size, is “Where are the employees with good work ethics?”
By definition: “An ethical principle that places greatest value on hard work and diligence.”
What hiring managers are looking for is:
- An employee who cares about the company, the product, the service, the mission, and its customers
- Punctuality and attendance! Someone who comes to work when they are supposed to be there
- Someone who will come in earlier or stay later if there’s a need, without complaining
- Dedication to getting the work done (i.e., figuring out what’s going wrong and fixing it or asking questions if they are stuck)
It doesn’t seem like a huge order to fill, however, not a day goes by that I don’t hear from someone who is trying to fill an opening:
- We’re flexible on the skill requirements if they have a good attitude, are willing to learn and have a good work ethic.
- We prefer a college degree but if they have a good work ethic and can be trained, we will consider someone without the degree.
- As long as the candidate has a good work ethic, we can work around whatever else they are missing.
When you are interviewing for a new opportunity, listen to the questions and think about your response and how you can showcase your skills as well as your passion, drive and ethics.