Going to the office, securing a stable income, establishing a life that fulfills all the purposes is a dream that many of us harbor. A journey that represents the balance of security and determination. This future may seem simplistic, with clear goals outlined, but in actuality is very difficult. An important part that acts as a stepping stone to the start of this journey is getting through a job interview successfully. With financial security, all our aspirations find wings and flutter smoothly in the sky of lovely beginnings. Let us see about Work ethic in this article.
There are various hurdles that you may face during a job interview, yet the most prominent of them all are the questions. Inquiries are aimed at you to verify if you are the one they are looking for. It may seem like the most common thing to encounter during the interview, but the hidden meaning attached to it could turn out to be a surprise. Fulfilling the requirements with your response that the question seeks is an art. Execution of which determines if you are one step closer to your destination or farther away.
These interrogations are used to peel off the layers within which lies the core. The crux that makes us who we are. A hiring manager uses these questions to discover who you are. Once selected, you will become an integral part of their functioning. So it is implied that they want to know you as closely as possible. The most recurring yet prominent question that you face regardless of the position you apply for is – Describe your work ethic.
What does work ethic exactly mean?
Before we go on our journey understanding how we must answer this question, it is equally crucial to uncover the meaning of work ethic. It is one of the most sought-after soft skills of today. The distinction is that it is often seen as an inherent aspect of one’s personality. Work ethic is an individual’s ability to demonstrate a positive attitude in professional matters, by reinforcing certain core values, which in turn helps them maximize the corporate goals and avoid any moral ambiguity.
What is the purpose behind asking this question?
Any company is cautious with two things. Their shareholders and their employees. Equity and workforce decide the future of a corporation. Will it create a niche or just be one of the players that perished away with the swing of time? Nobody wants to be forgotten and so to make a name and space in the market, a corporation requires jobholders who know the implications of their decisions. A company wants to hire people that have a positive outlook towards the workspace and prioritize the correct set of values.
Hiring managers use this question to first evaluate whether you truly cherish the importance of a clear conscience. This will be assessed by how prepared you are with your answer. Fumbling through the words and a disorganized answer would indicate that you never thought about your moral compass. A person that does not take time to reflect on the beliefs by which they govern would be reckless in all walks of life, including their professional world.
Secondly, the recruiting body also wants to ensure that the prospective employees’ working ethics are in sync with the corporation’s belief system. Companies are looking for candidates who complement the organizational goals and that is reflected in their work. They want employees whose working standards match theirs in the sense that they can self-manage their objectives helping in culminating a collaborative bigger picture. A tapestry that has various patchwork yet a common theme.
How to answer the question – ‘Describe work ethic’
After understanding what the requirement of the question is, it is now time to focus on the execution. You have to prepare to deliver your only yet best take while answering this question. To be ready with the reply does not imply learning it thoroughly, rather sketching out the plot points around which you must compose your input. Framing an appropriate response is not like a predetermined college trip that has an itinerary with every specific detail mentioned.
Rather consider this opportunity like a solo trip, where you have sketched the approximate schedule, yet there is room for spontaneity. Nothing is better than allowing the present to take charge and being in the moment. Similarly, when you speak before the recruiting panel, the flow should be natural and confident. Allow yourself to frame your answer according to the situation. Now that we have established the approach, let us get on the ride to find our way out with an effective solution.
Use the steps mentioned below to curate the most appropriate answer:
Reflect and research
First and foremost, take a deep breath and sit down. Try analyzing your behavior that was executed in your previous working experiences. Whenever there was a crisis at the workplace which were the values that helped you navigate around it. If you are a fresher, do not worry. You still have plenty of life experiences to rely on and reflect on. Work ethic is an extension of your conscience.
Research about the values that the corporation believes in or sometimes also known as the company’s culture. Another thing that you must keep in mind is the job requirement. It will help you modify your response and clear your confusion.
Be specific
Ambiguousness will get you nowhere. While answering you must eliminate any space for confusion. If you have a past professional experience that demonstrates your work ethic as a clear hero, then build your response around it. The premise must contain all the detail required to picture the problem. Make sure you do not end up being on a roll and narrating a fictitious event. So when describing the problem, keep it objective.
The company is not looking for someone who is a star performer in one week and is out of the chart in the next. They want a consistent team player. Someone that can perform well every day. Keep this in mind when choosing the ‘incident’ you would share.
The action that sets it right
After retelling the situation, it is now time to direct the flow to the demand of the situation. The task on hand to be solved must be highlighted as distinctly as possible. Following it should be the steps taken by you to combat the issue. How did you analyze the problem? How were you able to recognize the cause of it amid mayhem? What was the way you followed to work out a rescue operation?
All of the above-mentioned questions must be addressed in your response in that very particular order. Keep it uncomplicated by avoiding any twists and turns. It will indicate that you can counter complexities with a simplistic approach.
Sum up the consequences
This is like the last 20 minutes of the movie where everything that happened prior starts to make sense. Start wrapping the conclusion by telling the interviewers how the problem was solved. Summarize the after-effects as well. The benefits must be included and listed craftily. Remember the response should not reflect ‘problem vs you’ instead ‘problem vs your work ethic’.
Guide them through the learnings and tell them about the positive implications of the solution you devised. Reinstating your value as a potential employee. Honestly, what will work here in your favor is – Express to impress. It by no means indicates that you have to fabricate things. Instead, you have to link the positive outcomes as a course of your actions.
How not to answer the question
Now that you know how to answer, it is time to focus on how you should not answer. Lesser the harm, the greater the impact. Listed below are the pointers to keep in mind to ensure that you deliver your best take without compromising it.
Eliminate obnoxiousness
Most of the time, we focus so much on the technical aspect of our job, that we lose sight of the ethical part. So it may happen that you have mentally prepped yourself to face questions circling the specificity of the job position. But when the interviewer asks you about your work ethic, receive it with respect. Be humble while answering. It carries equal weightage.
Connect your answer
This is not an ask for listing common positive adjectives. When you are formulating your response, be careful to connect the incident to the attributes you mention. There should be an angle of honesty. You can be cross-examined on your retelling, or your past performance may be reverified. Remember, conviction follows truth.
Avoid a negative spin
In your job interview, you must try and put your best face forward. Thus, you must be cautious when speaking about past experiences. Avoid coming off as a pessimistic individual. For which, you must stray away from throwing dirt on your ex-colleagues. If you speak positively, they will see you as someone who can radiate positivity around.
Sample answers:
- I have always considered my work ethic to be centered around my analytical skills and perseverance to find a way out. At my previous workplace, this belief was reinstated when we faced a crisis. We were working on an ad campaign for one of the oldest clients of the corporation. Realizing the importance of repeated service demands from the other side, my team did its best to deliver on the expectations. We kept the clients in the loop throughout the process.
But in the final stages, we were informed that the center of the campaign has to shift from emotional connect to data interpretation. The copies for the advertisement were already in place. My teammates started panicking, but I took the lead. I used my data science knowledge and analytical skill to zero down the data into the most simple and interpretative format. Along with the creatives in my team, we redesigned the idea around emotional connect backed up with data.
They were pleasantly surprised by this solution. The result was that our previous work was not wasted and even the new demand of the client was met. Happy client and happy teammates. It was a win-win situation for me.
- Creativity and a positive outlook have helped me navigate in the working space as well as my life in general. Due to my role in the HR department, I had various opportunities to ensure that my colleagues get exposed to the right environment. There was a major project, which we were all working tirelessly on. As soon as it ended, I had a meeting with the higher management where I convinced them to organize a fun session for our employees.
While planning this retreat, I ensured that the activities were centered around the value of team building but were still lively and relaxing. It became a success story because all my colleagues came even more energized after it. They felt even more connected and dedicated to each other.
- My work ethic consists of two core principles. They include adaptability and passion. I choose to not work in the stream that I studied in because my passion was my calling. I choose to be a content writer because it doesn’t feel like work. Instead, it feels like spending leisure hours. It flourishes my soul. I knew it would be a slow march to the top of the game, yet I was ready for all of it.
I was hired as a junior freelance writer, at my first workplace. As it was a startup, there was a lot to dabble into and I was all for it. Just a few days left for our products to launch, the content head resigned without prior notice. It was then that I was suddenly promoted to the position of the Head of Content. It had only been 6 months, but my passion and willingness to learn and adapt helped me climb that ladder swiftly.
I had already been observing the process of management closely and so took charge and the launch was successfully delivered. The profits earned were more than estimated due to the strong narrative that was curated under my leadership.
- I am very dedicated and meticulous with my work. I am always on the go. I plan everything and deliver well within time limits. This helps me with an ample amount of time to help my colleagues or take up the charge and execute new tasks. Thus, benefitting me as I get exposed to a new skill. One such instance was when during my previous job there was a last-minute confirmation on a foreign client.
As the chances of that meeting occurring were bleak, the presentation was not prepared. Everyone was occupied with their share of work. I talked to my supervisor and assured them that as my task for the day was completed, I have no issue in preparing the presentation. The meeting was successful, and after it ended my manager approached me to ask about the layout I had used for the presentation.
Conclusion:
This question intends to see if you are a good fit for the company or not. A consistent individual would be valued over a sometimes remarkable one. Weave the story around your work carefully. Make sure you do justice to your potential when responding. Reflect, research, craft, and conclude.
FAQs
- What are some characteristics that can be used to describe work ethic?
Characteristics that could be used to give a positive spin to your personality are:
- Consistency
- Problem – solving approach
- Dedication
- Teamspirit
- Adaptability
- How to convey a strong work ethic through the answer?
Use positive attributes to represent your work ethic. Connect them with the job requirements. Make them unique by sharing an anecdote where these traits helped you solve the issue.
- Why is a strong work ethic important?
Having a strong work ethic indicates that an individual values their job and wants to work on increasing their productivity. Such an employee is viewed as an asset.
- Are work values and work ethics the same?
Yes. Positive work values or ethics indicate that a person is committed to their work, focuses on improving the functioning of the company, and is consistently striving to achieve the objectives.
