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The Ethics of Resume Writing

April 21, 2015

The NY Times recently asked in its Ethicists column  whether one should hire a person to craft his or her resume and cover letter. I read it ­– and the resulting comments – with great interest. Have I made a career out of something unethical , I wondered?

Not just to defend myself, I do believe the work of a highly certified resume writer is perfectly ethical, assuming the following points:

1.  The applicant is honest if asked who wrote the documents.

Although I’ve personally never heard of this happening, I do recommend to clients that they answer honestly if asked, “Who wrote these documents?” An appropriate response might be, “I partnered with a resume writer on crafting the documents to ensure my information was not just accurately represented but clear and concise as well.” If one is looking at a team management or project management role, you could point out that this is similar to collaborating with others on ensuring an optimal outcome. 

2.  The applicant is responsible for providing requested writing samples or anything else relevant for the role itself.

Though this is not common either, there are roles where writing samples, portfolios or other materials are requested and relevant for the job itself. While it’s one thing to have a trusted writer (including your resume writer) review any such work as another pair of eyes, we do suggest clients prep those materials themselves.

3.  The resulting documents accurately portray the background.

I previously hinted at this, but it is essential that the information be fully accurate. Surprisingly to some, this is very much a two-way street: The client must provide accurate information, while the writer must ensure that the content correctly indicates the client’s background, accomplishments, goals, etc.

Additionally, a strong writer will be able to identify opportunities for re-positioning information to best suit a client’s goals but recognizes the line between “well-positioned” and “incorrect.” Lastly, it is not the writer’s job to verify a client’s information – honesty is the best policy, especially in the age of Google!

If you are in the market for a strong resume and cover letter and you are also looking for more than a service that simply reformats your info, I would also suggest considering the following points:

Collaboration : Look for a writer who will partner with you on the project. The ReFresh Your Step philosophy  states that while we are the expert writers, you are the expert in you. You know your background, accomplishments and goals best so it is ideal that we collaborate to ensure truly excellent documents. Not all writers share in this philosophy but many do. All you need to do is ask!

Methodology : Resume writing , similar to the overall job search, has changed quite a bit in recent years. We have found that it is essential for clients to understand why we did what we did with each section on the resume and overall. As such, we provide a methodology overview for each person that is tailored for each client and answers the vast majority of questions. This is especially important for the…

Interview : The resume gets you the interview and the interview gets you the job . If you follow that logic (and we suggest you do), then it is helpful to understand all aspects of the resume so you can speak to it in an interview. A highly skilled resume writer will collaborate with you on the full resume and cover letter project, provide you with the overall methodology and prep you for the interview.

What are you waiting for? It’s YOUR career: ReFresh. Revive. Renew !

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Technical Communication Fall 2014

Blog # 2: The Ethics of Resume Writing

Although one might tend to think of the resume as a relatively stable genre of business communication, research shows resume writing practices–like all communication practices–are influenced by a variety of contextual factors.

In contrast, in China a different set of cultural variables has given rise to a very different set of resume writing practices. Thus, as recently as 2011, Chinese job applicants regularly included “detailed personal information, including gender, date of birth, hukou, and more” in their resumes. Research also confirmed a rising trend among applicants to include a photograph in their resumes or applications, as well as a “self-evaluation section which deviates from the traditional Chinese practice and the popular American practice.” (Li 275). Within a single culture, the resume form can vary from industry to industry or profession to profession. So, where a one or two page resume is the standard for most non-academic job applicants, for those seeking a faculty appointment at a college or university, submitting a CV (“curriculum vitae”) of five pages or more is not at all unusual.

Understanding how resume writing has evolved to fit particular contexts can be useful when one is attempting to follow suggested best practices and “target the content” of a resume to fit a particular job description (Willmer 7). While resume templates can be a helpful place to start, they should not be used as a “one size fits all” solution for what is in fact a complex rhetorical problem. Using the language of a job description to identify and describe one’s qualifications is arguably becoming even more important as non-human readers increasingly perform a screening function in corporate HR departments and in web searches of online profiles (Amare, Manning 35-36). Consequently, current textbooks often advise “students, essentially, to copy job ad language directly into the résumé as a list of keywords and also to construe their résumé as a marketing tool, where no account is given of the difference between ethical and unethical marketing strategies” (Amare, Manning 36).

As important as it may be to ensure one’s resume gets a good look from prospective employers, representing one’s accomplishments and qualifications truthfully is arguably just as important. Research suggests, however, that applicants often tend to suppress or overlook ethical considerations about truthfulness in favor of “selling” their qualifications. In a survey of 357 students to which 211 responded, Amare and Manning discovered “there is widespread acceptance of an ethically questionable use of keywording, although how many students actually commit résumé fraud in any form is debatable.” Of the students who completed the survey, “[m]ore than 50% (n = 107) of the respondents stated that they would use keywords in their résumés to hit the robot’s eye, even if those keywords did not necessarily reflect their actual job skills and experience.” Amare and Manning go on to cite additional evidence suggesting the incidence of fraud may actually be much higher, including one 1996 study that found 95% of recent graduates were willing to engage in at least one factually false statement in order to get a job, and 41 per cent had already done so” (41).

Posting: Group 2

Commenting: Group 1

Categories: Resume Writing, Ethics

For this blog post, consider how ethical and contextual considerations should influence your self-representation in a resume or job application. You could take a position on what obligations an applicant owes to a prospective employer and to the other applicants against whom she may be competing. You could offer an argument about how resume writing conventions need to adapt to conditions in the current marketplace, or discuss how and why resume or job application conventions that are normal in one professional context–the performing arts, for example–might be inappropriate in another professional context–such as the law. You might also discuss issues relevant to U.S. citizens seeking jobs abroad, or to international applicants seeking jobs in the U.S. Consider the questions below (or similar ones you create) as starting places as you craft your post:

• Given the current highly competitive job market, is it OK to “bend” or “stretch” the truth, if you know you will do a good job, even if you lack the requisite experience or credential?
• Who is harmed in a situation where an applicant lies to get a job, but nevertheless turns out to be a great employee?
• Is it dishonest for a woman to use her initials or a nickname and omit other markers of gender in order to avoid discrimination on account of her sex?
• Do employers have a responsibility to verify an applicant’s qualifications or credentials before inviting her to interview, or should the applicant bear the sole responsibility for ensuring her resume accurately reflects her qualifications and experience?
• Is it fair for U.S. employers to apply U.S. standards and conventions when evaluating international job applicants?
• Is it fair for international employers to apply their own local standards and conventions when evaluating job applicants from the U.S.?
• Should international corporations doing business in the U.S. be required to adhere to U.S. non-discrimination policies when hiring international workers who will be staffing offices, warehouses, or manufacturing facilities located in the U.S.? What about when they’re hiring U.S. workers who will be staffing offices, warehouses, or manufacturing facilities located outside the U.S.?

In your Blog #2 post, you need to take a focused position about the role ethics and context should play in your technical communication process rather than taking a scattered approach (which would happen if you simply wrote a few sentences in response to each question). Please carefully read and follow the  guidelines and posting information for this blog . You can quote from additional articles you read as support for your position. You should include specific workplace examples to further support your argument. Make sure to document your sources.

Sources Cited

Amare, N., & Manning, A. (2009). WRITING FOR THE ROBOT: HOW EMPLOYER SEARCH TOOLS HAVE INFLUENCED RÉSUMÉ RHETORIC AND ETHICS.  Business Communication Quarterly , 72(1), 35-60.  http://ezproxy.gsu.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bth&AN=36366031&site=ehost-live

Davis, B. D., & Muir, C. (2003). Resume Writing and the Minority Student.  Business Communication Quarterly , 66(3), 39-51.  http://ezproxy.gsu.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bth&AN=10811798&site=ehost-live

Li, X. (2011). A Genre in the Making—A Grounded Theory Explanation of the Cultural Factors in Current Resume Writing in China.  IEEE Transactions On Professional Communication , 54(3), 263-278. doi:10.1109/TPC.2011.2163354.  http://ieeexplore.ieee.org.ezproxy.gsu.edu/stamp/stamp.jsp?tp=&arnumber=5985497

Willmer, D. (2009). Writing a Resume That Stands Out.  Certification Magazine , 11(9), 7.  http://ezproxy.gsu.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bth&AN=44201871&site=ehost-live

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When You Write

What Is Resume Writing? Definition, Purpose & Examples

Have you ever wondered what goes into crafting the perfect resume? Resume writing is a crucial skill that can make or break your chances of landing your dream job. Whether you’re a recent graduate entering the job market for the first time or a seasoned professional looking to switch careers, a well-crafted resume is essential to showcasing your skills and experience.

In this article, we’ll explore the basics of resume writing, including its purpose and examples of effective resumes. We’ll also provide you with tips for creating a winning resume that will impress potential employers and help you stand out from the crowd.

So, whether you’re just starting out or looking to refresh your resume, read on to learn more about the art of resume writing.

Key Takeaways

• Crafting a perfect resume is crucial for landing a dream job and advancing one’s career.
• A strong resume should be tailored and updated for each job application, showcasing unique talents and achievements.
• Choosing the right format, including relevant keywords, and maintaining a clean and organized layout is important for creating an impressive resume.
• Tips for creating a winning resume include paying attention to formatting, making it visually appealing, and highlighting achievements through bullet points.

Understanding the Basics of Resume Writing

Ready to dive into the nitty-gritty of writing an impressive resume? Let’s start by understanding the basics!

Resume writing is the process of creating a document that summarizes your education, work experience, and skills. The purpose of a resume is to convince a potential employer that you’re the right candidate for the job.

A well-written resume can help you stand out from other applicants and increase your chances of getting hired. Choosing the right resume format is crucial to creating an impressive resume. There are several formats to choose from, including chronological, functional, and combination.

When selecting a format, it’s important to consider your work history and the type of job you’re applying for. Another common mistake that applicants make is including irrelevant information. Your resume should be tailored to the job you’re applying for, so only include information that’s relevant to the position.

By avoiding these common mistakes and following the basics of resume writing, you can create a winning resume that showcases your skills and experience.

Defining the Purpose of a Resume

Hold on to your hats, because we’re about to uncover the ultimate reason why job hunters pour their hearts and souls into crafting a killer document that screams, ‘Hire me!’

The importance of a resume lies in its ability to showcase your skills, achievements, and experience to potential employers. It serves as a marketing tool that highlights your strengths and positions you as the ideal candidate for the job you’re applying for.

The target audience for your resume is the hiring manager or recruiter who sifts through hundreds of resumes to find the perfect match for the job. Your resume needs to grab their attention and make them want to learn more about you.

It should be tailored to the specific job you’re applying for and highlight your relevant skills and experience. In short, your resume is your ticket to the job interview, and its purpose is to convince the hiring manager that you’re the best candidate for the job.

Examples of Effective Resumes

You’re going to love seeing how real job seekers have nailed their resumes by showcasing their unique strengths and experiences. Here are some examples of effective resumes that highlight different formatting tricks and tailoring for specific industries:

• A graphic designer’s resume that uses a creative layout and showcases their portfolio.
• An engineer’s resume that uses bullet points to highlight their technical skills and accomplishments.
• A sales representative’s resume that uses numbers to demonstrate their success in meeting quotas.
• A teacher’s resume that includes specific examples of their lesson plans and classroom management strategies.

Each of these resumes demonstrates how important it is to tailor your document to the specific industry you’re applying for. By highlighting your skills and experience in a way that resonates with potential employers, you increase your chances of standing out from the competition.

And by using formatting tricks such as creative layouts or bullet points, you can make your resume visually appealing and easy to read.

Tips for Creating a Winning Resume

Don’t miss out on your dream job – make sure your resume stands out with these winning tips!

First and foremost, pay close attention to the formatting of your resume. A clean and organized layout will make it easier for potential employers to quickly identify your skills and experience. Use bullet points to highlight your achievements and keep the font size consistent throughout the document. Avoid using fancy fonts or colors, as this can make your resume appear unprofessional.

Another important tip is to optimize your resume with relevant keywords. Many companies use applicant tracking systems (ATS) to screen resumes for specific keywords related to the job opening. To increase your chances of getting noticed, research the job description and include relevant skills and industry-specific jargon throughout your resume.

However, be careful not to overdo it – stuffing your resume with too many keywords can make it look forced and unnatural. With these formatting tips and keyword optimization techniques, you can create a winning resume that will help you stand out from the competition and land your dream job.

The Importance of a Strong Resume

When it comes to landing your dream job, it’s crucial to remember that a strong resume is like a key that unlocks the door to new opportunities. Just like a key needs to fit perfectly in a lock to open it, your resume needs to be tailored to the specific job you’re applying for in order to catch the attention of hiring managers and get your foot in the door.

A strong resume is not only important for getting your first job, but also for career advancement. You’ll need to update your resume and tailor it to each job you apply for throughout your entire career.

A well-crafted resume can make all the difference in the job search process. Job search strategies have evolved over time, but a strong resume will always be an essential component. Your resume is a reflection of your skills, experience, and accomplishments, and it’s the first impression you’ll make on a potential employer.

So take the time to craft a strong resume that showcases your unique talents, and you’ll be well on your way to landing your dream job.

Your resume is your first impression, so it’s crucial to make it count.

A well-written resume can help you stand out from the competition and land your dream job. However, keep in mind that the job market is highly competitive, and a strong resume alone might not be enough to secure a job. Networking, building your skills, and gaining experience are also essential factors.

So, don’t put all your eggs in one basket, and keep working hard towards your goals. As the saying goes, “Rome wasn’t built in a day.”

Patience, persistence, and hard work will pay off in the end.

Recommended Reading...

Academic writing in resume: how to highlight your academic achievements, active vs passive note-taking: understanding the difference, can you claim resume writing on tax here’s what you need to know, best way to take notes in university: tips for success.

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Ethics & Compliance Resume Sample

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Work Experience

• Has final authority to…decide whether to open or close a claim. Determine who investigates a claim (HR, Legal, COBC, etc) Provide advice to LEOs on ethics matters, Determine when, where and how to conduct training
• Makes recommendations to Chief E&C Officer as well as provides input to Audit Committee and Board of Directors
• Relevant experience in Compliance and Ethics program management at a publicly traded company with global operations
• Sound judgment, problem-solving and client management skills
• Applies broad industry and commercial awareness to drive financial and operational performance across business unit, department or sub-functions
• With the support of E&C Manager, ensure that ethics and compliance risks, including legal and regulatory risks, are identified, assessed and mitigated as part of risk management processes adopted by the SA FUELS and NOJV’s
• Participate in compliance risk assessments and reviews of trading activity, strategies and business communications in order to ensure compliance with applicable rules and regulations enacted by external regulatory authorities (i.e., CFTC, FERC, and exchanges) as well as BP’s internal policies and procedures
• Responsible for the Ethics & Compliance programs and policies for the Company that meet the federal sentencing guidelines standards, governmental regulations and industry practice
• Other responsibilities
• Has knowledge of best practices and how own area integrates with others; is aware of the competition and the factors that differentiate them in the market
• Experience in a project management or similar support role in a corporate setting
• Strong attention to detail, well-organized, and able to manage time efficiently
• Team player with ability to deal effectively with individuals at all levels
• Demonstrated ability to produce high-quality work in a timely fashion in a fast-paced environment
• Unquestionable ethics and excellent judgment, ability to maintain confidentiality
• Oversees company-wide employee communications, a comprehensive monitoring system and training programs that focus on the elements of Ethics & Compliance programs. Works closely with the Company’s Executive Leadership Team on business specific ethics and compliance training to ensure business objectives and customer requirements are met
• Develops metrics and key performance indicators that reflect effectiveness of the ethics and compliance programs as well as actions plans to address critical findings. Develops new initiatives to continually improve effectiveness of the Ethics & Compliance programs
• Initiates, maintains, and revises policies and procedures for the general operation of the Ethics & Compliance program and its related activities to prevent illegal, unethical, or improper conduct. Manages day-to-day operation of the Program, including the Company’s Code of Conduct and related policies
• Provides reports on a regular basis, and as directed or requested, to keep the Audit Committee of the Board and senior management informed of the operation and progress of compliance efforts
• Advises Company’s management, including senior/executive management, on ethics/code related matters and facilitates/participates in the self-governance working group forum for compliance subject matter experts. Provides advice and assistance to the Company’s Ethics Officers and Ethics Champions and functional management as needed
• Responds to alleged violations of rules, regulations, policies, procedures, and Standards of Conduct by evaluating, investigating and/or recommending the initiation of other investigative procedures. Responsible for the investigation and disposition of ethics related complaints and helpline disclosures
• In connection with the Legal and HR Department, oversees the system for uniform handling of such violations
• Collaborates with other departments (e.g., Legal, Risk Management, Internal Audit, Human Resources, etc.) to direct compliance issues to appropriate existing channels for investigation and resolution. Consults with the Legal Department as needed to resolve difficult legal compliance issues
• Acts as an independent review and evaluation body to ensure that compliance Issues/concerns within the organization are being consistently and appropriately evaluated, investigated and resolved

Professional Skills

• Excellent communications skills, particularly strong writing skills for policy writing and other communications
• Demonstrated strong leadership skills including the ability to remain self-motivated and operate with minimal direct supervision
• Excellent oral and written communication skills with the ability to apply these skills at all levels of the organization
• Interpersonal skills – sound communication skills and the ability to apply these at all levels of the organisation
• Professional presence, excellent oral and written communication and presentation skills, and experience delivering crisp, clear executive presentations
• Strong verbal and written communication skills to effectively engage and collaborate across functions and teams in the organization
• Strong integrity and excellent organizational skills

How to write Ethics & Compliance Resume

Ethics & Compliance role is responsible for organization, analytical, interpersonal, business, compliance, training, collaboration, english, leadership, finance. To write great resume for ethics & compliance job, your resume must include:

• Your contact information
• Work experience
• Skill listing

Contact Information For Ethics & Compliance Resume

The section contact information is important in your ethics & compliance resume. The recruiter has to be able to contact you ASAP if they like to offer you the job. This is why you need to provide your:

• First and last name
• Telephone number

Work Experience in Your Ethics & Compliance Resume

The section work experience is an essential part of your ethics & compliance resume. It’s the one thing the recruiter really cares about and pays the most attention to. This section, however, is not just a list of your previous ethics & compliance responsibilities. It's meant to present you as a wholesome candidate by showcasing your relevant accomplishments and should be tailored specifically to the particular ethics & compliance position you're applying to. The work experience section should be the detailed summary of your latest 3 or 4 positions.

Representative Ethics & Compliance resume experience can include:

• Assist in the creation of policies and procedures as needed to support AEP, governmental, regulatory, legal and legislative initiatives; implement policies and procedures; support the maintenance of appropriate policies and procedures and assist in the monitoring of policies and procedures
• Work with business unit leaders to increase awareness of the importance of AEP's Ethics & Compliance program. Participate in corporate and business unit initiatives as needed
• Be vigilant in awareness and research of legislative, regulatory, legal and compliance issues affecting the company and support the necessary tasks to accomplish the implementation of legislative, regulatory, legal or compliance requirements
• Strong interpersonal skills -- team building and team management skills
• Strong interpersonal skills, along with excellent business judgment and strategic thinking abilities
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills across various audiences

Education on an Ethics & Compliance Resume

Make sure to make education a priority on your ethics & compliance resume. If you’ve been working for a few years and have a few solid positions to show, put your education after your ethics & compliance experience. For example, if you have a Ph.D in Neuroscience and a Master's in the same sphere, just list your Ph.D. Besides the doctorate, Master’s degrees go next, followed by Bachelor’s and finally, Associate’s degree.

Additional details to include:

• School you graduated from
• Major/ minor
• Year of graduation
• Location of school

These are the four additional pieces of information you should mention when listing your education on your resume.

Professional Skills in Ethics & Compliance Resume

When listing skills on your ethics & compliance resume, remember always to be honest about your level of ability. Include the Skills section after experience.

Present the most important skills in your resume, there's a list of typical ethics & compliance skills:

• Demonstrated strong problem solving, strategic thinking and decision-making skills and ability to analyse complex regulatory or business issues or problems
• Highly organized; good analytical skills; able to prioritize and multitask
• Communication skills to effectively impart detailed compliance information to wide audiences
• Demonstrated skills in conducting complex employment-related investigations, writing reports on investigations, and interviewing witnesses
• Problem Solver - Excellent analytical, planning and problem-solving skills and an in-depth
• Strong issue spotting and problem solving skills

List of Typical Experience For an Ethics & Compliance Resume

Experience for director, ethics & compliance resume.

• Detail-oriented with strong writing skills
• Good collaboration skills and the ability to work w/ other supporting functions (hr., legal, audit, etc.)
• Data analytic skills with clear examples of demonstrated success
• Outstanding Microsoft Office (Word, Powerpoint, Excel) skills
• Results oriented with a proven track record of making an impact, developing and executing on strategies and delivering excellent results

Experience For Ethics & Compliance Manager Resume

• Strong experience developing global compliance training programs
• Ensure that we have effective reporting mechanisms, including a highly effectivre hotline and other effective technologies
• Qualifications, Required Knowledge Skills & Abilities and Working Conditions
• Facilitate compliance risk assessment and effectively execute the compliance program meeting IST Compliance functional standards within the GOA Business Unit
• Effective manager capable of mentoring a team focused on excellent results and client service
• Prepare periodic reporting on the status and effectiveness of the Integrity Line and Ethics Program to senior and executive management and Board committees

Experience For Analyst, Ethics & Compliance Resume

• Conduct an ongoing risk analysis of global operations and identify and prioritize the company’s global compliance efforts
• Influence business leaders to prioritize and provide time for associates to participate in compliance training initiatives
• Experience in successfully implementing ethics and compliance initiatives required
• Demonstrated capability of executing strategy into daily operations
• Excellent working knowledge of Excel, Word, and PowerPoint (Visio desirable)
• Strong working knowledge of applicable state and federal employment laws and regulations
• Project management experience, including the ability to manage a number and variety of mission-critical projects
• Consistently demonstrates sound judgment in working with global, multi-cultural personnel
• Proficiency with MS Office and strong aptitude for learning new databases

Experience For Dir, Global Ethics & Compliance Resume

• Comfort with and proven track record of learning new systems, reports, and excel
• Experience in the implementation and management of compliance programs in the practice of regulatory compliance, enforcement, compliance auditing or forensics
• Strong technical understanding of HR subject matter and practices
• Proficient in Microsoft Office, including strong knowledge of Excel
• Practical experience in Oil & Products trading business
• Strong work ethic and ability to work creatively to achieve identified goals, both individually and as a team player working in a global function
• Act with integrity and honesty, be willing to stand up for what is right, handle unpleasant situations, be decisive and be a good communicator and coach
• Previous experience in ethics & compliance, human resources or other legal-related fields
• Demonstrated sound judgment and an ability to assess risk in a global environment

Experience For Senior Ethics & Compliance Analyst Resume

• Demonstrated highest levels of integrity
• Ensuring proper internal controls are in place by independently assessing the framework & managing outsourced monitoring activities
• Coordinating and supporting corporate monitoring and auditing procedures
• Setting up, managing, and maintaining training campaigns by
• Tracking and logging of all training accomplished
• Creating dashboard for reporting purposes and monitoring of entities compliance efforts
• Acting as a change leader for standardisation where appropriate, to simplify the complexity of practices while maintaining adherence to GSK policy and values

Experience For Ethics & Compliance Graduate Resume

• Reviewing internal audit reports and investigation reports and assuring that appropriate corrective and preventative actions have been taken
• Participating in Compliance Process Reviews and using related resources (e.g., checklists) proactively
• Creating roll-out plans for different types of training
• Preparing courses for training campaigns
• Distributing the Code, as directed
• Coordinating, as necessary, with Shared Service Center (SSC) and Medicare Service Center (MSC) ECOs
• Coordinating, as necessary, with Division ECOs
• Maintaining business courtesies log

Experience For Ethics & Compliance IST Analyst Resume

• Overseeing records retention and management program
• Being familiar with the activities of the facility’s Privacy Official
• Coordinating, as required, with the facility clinical ethics committee
• Overseeing facility compliance with records retention requirements
• Overseeing Government Contract Compliance
• Training and Communications
• Making things happen

Experience For Ethics & Compliance Analyst Resume

• Developing and monitoring the Company’s Code of Conduct and compliance related policies and programs to ensure continuing currency and relevance
• Managing the Company’s Conflict of Interest Program
• Tracking metrics and reporting requirements for management and preparing the required charts, graphs and PowerPoints
• Tracking of compliance to standard
• Perform tasks as needed to complete risk-based compliance operating reviews by compiling required data and assisting with carrying out the scope of review
• Collaborate with compliance team on various litigation and dispute matters including tracking and updating filing deadlines and subpoenas
• Support the Local Ethics Officers (LEO) within the assigned geographic areas by providing training, consulting on specific cases, assisting with approvals
• 5 – 10 years working in or supporting an Oil or Petroleum Products trading business
• Function as the ombudsman for the Ethics & Compliance program and related Ethics Line which includes investigating and addressing complaints

Experience For Ethics & Compliance Programs Manager Resume

• Assist with developing and maintaining the Code of Conduct site on the organization’s intranet
• Manage third-party compliance issues including due diligence, training and investigations
• In collaboration with other Ethics & Compliance personnel and the business, identify key risk areas needing customize training to raise awareness
• Coordinates and supports Corporate monitoring and auditing procedures
• Monitors physician relationships including contracting, payments, and expense reimbursement

Experience For Manager, Ethics & Compliance Resume

• Coordinates and monitors compliance training requirements for employees (i.e. Code of Conduct Training, EMTALA, Physician Relationships, ADA)
• Manage on a day-to-day basis, ethics and compliance related activities and leveraging existing resources for support
• Assist in the management and implementation of the Company’s global trade compliance program, including specifically the following matters
• Overall Ethics and Compliance team support including training, due diligence and other tasks, as needed
• Deep understanding of Oil and Refined Products trading business (i.e., instruments, exposures, valuations, strategies and vernacular)
• Commitment to the highest standards of business ethics and doing the right thing – That’s a given
• Develop ethics training and communications content and produce regular communications on important ethics matters
• Ensure timely resolution of systems issues by working in close collaboration with IT

List of Typical Skills For an Ethics & Compliance Resume

Skills for director, ethics & compliance resume.

• Good verbal and written communication skills in English (Intermediate/Advanced)
• Impacting and Influencing – the ability to effectively influence
• Supporting businesses and functions in meeting their ethical and legal obligations and effectively manage/mitigate identified ethics and compliance risks
• Experience developing presentation and training materials using PowerPoint and consolidating data into dashboards
• Synthesize the results of investigations, including trends, risks, and root cause, and communicate results effectively to
• Strong decision-making capabilities and ability to identify problems and propose creative, effective and practical solutions
• Advanced business finance analytical skills

Skills For Ethics & Compliance Manager Resume

• Providing meaningful reporting around the effectiveness and efficiency of the call center
• Experience designing and managing SharePoint sites and SharePoint analytic tools such as Business Intelligence
• Development and implementation of effective Compliance Program, including adoption and following
• Experience in Chemicals, Manufacturing or related industry
• Knowledge on Data Protection and experience in implementing data protection programmes

Skills For Analyst, Ethics & Compliance Resume

• Experience implementing Anti-Corruption programmes
• Support implementation and delivery of effective compliance training
• Deep experience with the preparation of compliance communications and training
• Experience with the design and implementation of compliance controls, and the forensic monitoring of those controls
• Lead the development and implementation of required effective EC training and awareness programs across key risk areas
• Possess excellent integrity in handling confidential information
• Experience working with Convercent Case Management system
• Superior Microsoft Suite experience including Excel, Power Point and Outlook

Skills For Dir, Global Ethics & Compliance Resume

• Experience serving as departmental SharePoint administrator
• International experience and/or foreign language
• Experience in relation to data privacy, sanctions and export controls compliance
• Four or more years’ experience in utilities, cyber security, auditing, compliance, regulatory or related
• At least two years’ experience working with NERC standards and requirements
• ABPI Code knowledge & experience
• Deep experience in relation to FCPA, UK Bribery Act and global competition laws
• Deep experience with SAP, HR and compliance-related systems (e.g. investigations case management, third party risk management platforms)
• Experience in code of ethics administration and compliance or other risk management disciplines such as audit, data analysis, or data management

Skills For Senior Ethics & Compliance Analyst Resume

• Managing, developing and coaching a team of staff, assisting with goal setting, and providing an appropriate level of support to the team
• Developing and presenting training
• Managing daily staffing of a team including offshore team members
• Managing and developing E&C personnel supporting NAB
• Assessing operational efficiencies and modifying them as the business environment changes
• Understanding of complex legal compliance issues in a manufacturing or distribution environment is required

Skills For Ethics & Compliance Graduate Resume

• Monitoring energy regulation compliance and reporting status and/or process changes required to senior management
• Monitoring transactions to verify compliance with policies, procedures, support documentation and controls
• Answering simple consultations about policies and procedures
• Administering TAC’s annual compliance plan
• Perform regular self-monitoring (management monitoring) in the area of compliance within GSK Switzerland according to the annual audit schedule
• Role modelling - High ethical standards and an unwavering commitment to ethics and compliance
• Provide oversight, coaching and direction to individuals conducting investigations, such as HR, Finance, Internal Audit, and Law
• Provide oversight, coaching and direction to individuals conducting investigations, such as HR, Finance, Internal Audit,

Skills For Ethics & Compliance IST Analyst Resume

• Ensure proper record keeping relating to internal investigations of compliance issues
• Schedules meetings, arranges meeting locations and takes meeting minutes as requested
• Provides training, communications and counselling in relation to Albemarle’s Code of Conduct, associated procedures and guidance notes
• Support the open door policy by providing direction and guidance on applying the business process and procedure
• Update indicators, metrics and training materials
• Proactive, problem solving, teamwork, etc

Skills For Ethics & Compliance Analyst Resume

• Responsible for (2) Ethics staff members to assist in carrying out responsibilities of department
• Develops, monitors and controls Ethics & Compliance operating and capital budgets
• Work with key risk area managers to develop and deliver awareness messaging for example on topics such as corruption, data privacy, and export controls
• Administer the ECO Share Point site including update and changes
• Knowledge of the US Sentencing Guidelines (USSG) 8b2.1 and the ability to apply in day-to-day business
• Knows the business and anticipates future opportunities
• Elaboration of documentation list support users
• Execution reinforcement activities in specific events
• Knowledge in MS Office (OM Design, illustrator, etc.)

Skills For Ethics & Compliance Programs Manager Resume

• Organized with the ability to innovate, automate and drive continuous improvement
• Superior oral and written communication skills with a strong detail and analytical skills and the ability to identify and explain complex compliance requirements and convey difficult messages to all stakeholders
• Demonstrated ability to challenge and go beyond the status quo to generate and champion innovative solutions
• Demonstrated sound judgment and an elevated level of integrity, professionalism and work ethic
• Lead implementation of a comprehensive ethics & compliance program in Greece

Skills For Manager, Ethics & Compliance Resume

• Oversee Takeda’s systems relating to transparency in respect of Takeda’s dealings with healthcare professionals, healthcare entities, patient organizations and other relevant third parties
• Implement and track training programs and systems to support Takeda global ethics & compliance programs
• Implement and oversee Takeda’s third party anti-corruption and bribery due diligence policies, procedures and systems
• Continually provide advice and guidance to the business on compliance related topics and compliance aspects of major initiatives
• Ensure country management is updated regularly on compliance and on all relevant compliance issues
• Manage assigned projects and follows project parameters
• Identify areas of risk or knowledge deficiencies and in consultation with the Regional Ethics & Compliance Officer (ECO) develop risk mitigation strategies monitoring of business activities that pose the highest compliance risks to our business

List of Typical Responsibilities For an Ethics & Compliance Resume

Responsibilities for director, ethics & compliance resume.

• Supports the Director, Ethics & Compliance in the development, oversight and monitoring of the implementation of Sysco’s corporate ethics and compliance program and controls
• Conducts and/or oversees internal investigations (e.g., responding to reports of concerns, Alertline (Ethics Hotline) concerns or suspected violations) and advises on and assists in documenting resulting corrective actions. Ensures proper reporting of violations or potential violations into the employee concerns management system
• Manages, from development through delivery, educational and training programs that focuses on the key elements of the Code of Conduct, and seeks to ensure that employees and management are knowledgeable regarding the Company’s compliance resources and pertinent policies and standards
• Assist in ensuring investigations are conducted professionally, legally, ethically, and in a timely manner. Effectively manages internal and external investigative resources as appropriate
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, as well as demonstrated ability in working closely with and advising senior executives of an organization

Responsibilities For Ethics & Compliance Manager Resume

• Demonstrated experience conducting and managing complex corporate investigations involving all areas of
• Draft and deliver engaging and effective compliance training, presentations and communications
• Experience investigating or analyzing financial fraud and/or anti-corruption best practices
• Experience focused on legal compliance, including export controls, conflicts of interest, FCPA and other anticorruption regulations required
• Experience conducting channel partner due diligence reviews required
• Experience in developing communications to a multicultural employee base in support of the compliance and ethics programs
• Legal and management experience (including employment at top tier law firm; relevant government office; and/or in-house counsel)
• Compliance & ethics experience in the mining, petroleum or petrochemical industries

Responsibilities For Analyst, Ethics & Compliance Resume

• Identifies year over year trends and assessing effectiveness of initiatives implemented as a result of the Alertline metrics and Sysco Speaks feedback
• Reporting:Prepares regular updates and audit reports to the RECM by detailing compliance issues, alerts and corrective actions
• Managing the Company’s Ethics and Compliance hotline and conducting related investigations
• Oversees and manages Regional Ethics Advisors and Ethics Advisors, including onboarding, training and mentoring
• Respond to alleged violations of rules, regulations, policies and the Code of Conduct in the region by evaluating incidents and recommending appropriate action
• Interface with IT, user support and vendors regarding E&C system upgrades, maintenance, and troubleshooting
• Plans, directs and manages on a day-to-day basis, ethics and compliance related activities, leveraging existing resources for support

Responsibilities For Dir, Global Ethics & Compliance Resume

• Contributes to periodic compliance & ethics reporting to senior management and the board, and supports the continuous enhancement of associated metrics
• Administers all global E&C systems and tools (e.g., training, document management, etc.)
• 5) Copy and file; execute conversion to e-filing system
• 9) Exercise considerable discretion and independent judgment, particularly in handling sensitive information
• Lead the annual, global Code of Business Conduct training and various other trainings and drive employee completion rates

Responsibilities For Senior Ethics & Compliance Analyst Resume

• Devise compelling, innovative and relevant compliance communications for global workforce
• Point of contact for executives and staff regarding ethics and compliance matters
• Advice: Acts as a trusted and responsive compliance partner by providing appropriate opinions/advice to the business in a timely manner
• Manage Lenovo's internal whistleblower hotline and other reporting channels
• Organization of data management and filing schemes
• Execute components of E&C Program and facilitate the ongoing development of the E&C vision and programs
• Monitor, compile and report on key E&C metrics and KPIs and benchmarking

Responsibilities For Ethics & Compliance Graduate Resume

• Establish Anti-Corruption program controls and monitoring processes and manage implementation
• Background working with SAP (FI, SE MM, COPA modules) and/or procurement and/or commercial sales processes
• Conduct auditing of Compliance processes as part of due diligence
• Set up reporting and risk matrix for each entity
• Encourages reporting without fear of retribution
• Performs Ethics and Compliance employee orientation and refresher training
• Orients new managers/directors on their role and responsibilities regarding the Ethics and Compliance Program

Responsibilities For Ethics & Compliance IST Analyst Resume

• Heads the Facility Ethics and Compliance Committee to assist in accomplishing the Ethics and Compliance Program mission
• Provide advice and interpret the Code of Business Conduct, including the applicability of the organization’s policies and programs to specific situations
• Develop live and online compliance training and communications programs
• Serve as resource and key advisor for senior executives regarding ethics and compliance matters
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications (including PowerPoint, Excel, Word, and Visio) and Outlook
• Thorough knowledge of business operations, standards, values, code of ethics and regulations affecting ethics and compliance
• Travel, including international travel, is required
• Works collaboratively with management and teams, takes direction and feedback well, welcomes active coaching and
• Brazilian Clean Companies’ Act and related enforcement training

Responsibilities For Ethics & Compliance Analyst Resume

• Reviews written and oral interim status updates, final written investigation reports and internal memoranda prepared by investigators
• Ensures the Company’s case management system is updated with status and outcome of assigned investigations
• Assists the Director Ethics and Compliance in performing outreach across Sysco to introduce the Ethics & Compliance; and is a trusted and valued partner that is viewed as a subject matter resource for ethics and compliance expertise
• Prepares ethics and compliance materials for board and senior management meetings
• Assists in developing and periodically updating compliance policies and procedures, including the Code of Conduct, investigation protocols and other related policies and procedures
• Creates quarterly reports for the Audit Committee and senior management on the operation and progress of ethics & compliance efforts
• Prepares ad hoc reports upon request for senior management
• Serves as the primary liaison to the members of the Company’s Global Ethics & Compliance Team
• Develops and periodically reviews and updates the Company’s Code of Conduct to ensure continuing currency and relevance in providing guidance to management and employees

Responsibilities For Ethics & Compliance Programs Manager Resume

• Provides guidance on proposed commercial programs, identifies basic legal, regulatory or other relevant issues referring matters to respective departments, analyzes alternatives and propose solutions to the business
• Develops, implements, modifies and execute Affiliate local system for reporting, responding to concerns as well as corrective actions. Oversees the tracking and trending and proposes recommendations for corrective actions
• In partnership with the Ethics Officer, maintain, enforce, monitor and evaluate the Ethics Program for the organization and continuously improve the Ethics Program
• Effectively manage the operation of the whistle-blower hotline for the organization
• Establish effective working relationship and work closely with other Compliance, HR, Legal, Audit, and Business Unit personnel to share information and knowledge and collaborate on ethics matters
• Revise and coordinate Code of Conduct and other ethics-related policies and procedures
• Develop and conduct an Ethics Risk Assessment
• Act as Ethics SME and be accessible to employees

Responsibilities For Manager, Ethics & Compliance Resume

• Stay abreast of new rules, regulations and trends in the industry
• Develop and implement ethics initiatives for the organization
• Coordinate activities for the Risk and Compliance team
• Manage the Enterprise Ethics Office’s mailbox and provide responses to general questions, requests for forms or policies, etc
• Review, update and draft Ethics and Corporate Compliance policies and procedures to ensure the company’s compliance with the laws

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Publication Date: May 19, 2008

You are an up and coming leader and have just found the perfect stretch job opportunity. How much can you "dress up" your resume to make yourself as strong a candidate as possible without crossing the ethical line of deception? Consider a few conflicting thoughts: • Over 50% of people lie on their resume. • [...]

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Best Ways to Display a Strong Work Ethic on a Resume

A strong work ethic is essential for achieving success in any industry. It refers to an individual’s attitude towards work, their dedication to completing tasks with excellence, and their ability to consistently meet deadlines. Work ethic is a critical component of any job, and employers often prioritize candidates who exhibit strong work ethics during the hiring process.

Work ethic involves several critical skills, including time management, attention to detail, and a commitment to excellence. A strong work ethic means striving to achieve the best possible results, even when faced with difficult or complex tasks.

Importance of Work Ethic on a Resume

Employers rely heavily on resumes to evaluate candidates for job openings. A strong work ethic is a characteristic that employers look for during the hiring process, and it is essential to highlight this quality on your resume. Having a strong work ethic on a resume demonstrates your ability to work hard, your commitment to excellence, and your dedication to achieving success.

Employers look for specific indicators of work ethic on resumes, such as evidence of job accomplishments, leadership roles held, and experience working on challenging projects. Ensuring that these experiences are well-documented on your resume can help you stand out from other candidates and increase your chance of being called in for an interview.

A strong work ethic is essential for success in any field. By emphasizing this quality on your resume, you can showcase your commitment to excellence and increase your chances of landing your dream job.

Highlighting Work Ethic in Your Resume

When it comes to display your work ethic on your resume, it’s crucial to effectively showcase your work experience, highlight your achievements and accomplishments, and identify your skills and abilities.

A. Showcase Work Experience

Your work experience section should focus on the roles, responsibilities, and tasks you have performed in your career. It’s essential to highlight the details that demonstrate your work ethic, such as deadlines you’ve met, goals you’ve achieved, and how you have aligned with the company’s mission and values.

When creating your work experience section, make sure to provide concise and clear descriptions of your past job responsibilities. Use strong action verbs and quantify your accomplishments with data and numbers whenever possible. This will help hiring managers understand your experience and work ethic better.

B. Highlight Achievements and Accomplishments

Employers are interested in a candidate’s achievements and accomplishments that demonstrate their work ethic. Highlight the most significant accomplishments that showcase how you have gone above and beyond in previous roles.

It’s essential to emphasize how you have positively impacted the company and contributed to the team’s success. Showcase how you have solved problems and improved processes, providing measurable results.

C. Identify Skills and Abilities

Finally, identifying your skills and abilities is critical when it comes to highlighting your work ethic. Your skills and abilities should align with the job requirements and responsibilities.

List your skills and abilities in a bullet-point format and focus on those that demonstrate your work ethic, such as attention to detail, time management, and communication skills. You can also highlight skills and abilities that show your passion for the field, such as certifications you have acquired, industry knowledge or relevant courses you have taken.

Showcasing your work ethic on your resume requires effectively displaying your work experience, highlighting your achievements and accomplishments, and identifying your skills and abilities that align with the job requirements. By doing so, you can prove to employers that you’re a reliable and dedicated candidate who is committed to success in their career.

Tailoring Your Resume to Highlight Your Work Ethic

When it comes to showcasing your work ethic on a resume, it’s crucial to tailor your resume to the specific job listing you are applying for. This means creating a new resume for every job application instead of using a generic one for all applications. Here are some tips to help you customize your resume:

A. Customize Resume for the Job Listing

Read the job listing carefully and try to understand the job requirements and the company culture. This will give you an idea of what to include in your resume. Highlight your skills and experiences that match the job listing and the company’s needs. If the job listing mentions specific software or tools, make sure to mention your experience with them.

B. Use Relevant Keywords

Many companies use applicant tracking systems (ATS) to screen resumes before they are even seen by a human. These systems scan resumes for specific keywords that match the job listing. To pass the ATS screening, make sure to include relevant keywords in your resume. Use industry-specific jargon and phrases that match the job listing.

C. Include Relevant Experience

Your relevant experience is the most critical element of your resume. When it comes to showing your work ethic, highlight the job responsibilities that required you to work hard, be reliable, and show commitment. Quantify your achievements in each role and demonstrate your impact on the organization.

For example, did you increase sales, reduce expenses, or improve customer satisfaction? Did you receive any awards or recognition for your work? Including these details will help the employer understand your strong work ethic and what you can bring to their organization.

When tailoring your resume to highlight your work ethic, it’s essential to customize your resume, use relevant keywords, and include relevant experience. Doing so will help you stand out to employers and ultimately land your dream job.

Formatting for Optimal Display of Work Ethic

Having a strong work ethic is essential in today’s job market. However, simply listing your past achievements and work experience on your resume is not always enough to effectively showcase your work ethic. To truly stand out, you need to use formatting techniques that emphasize your strong work ethic. Below are some tips for creating a resume that highlights your work ethic:

A. Use Active Language

When creating a resume, it’s essential to use active language. Active language is more engaging and compelling than passive language, making it more likely to capture the reader’s attention. For example, instead of saying “tasks were completed,” say “I completed tasks.” Using active language not only conveys a greater sense of responsibility and action, but also gives the reader a clearer idea of your specific contributions.

B. Choose Specific and Descriptive Words

In addition to active language, it’s important to choose specific and descriptive words. The more specific and descriptive you are, the more likely you are to make a strong impression on the reader. For example, instead of using vague words like “worked,” use more specific words like “collaborated,” “managed,” or “created.” This shows the reader that you have a diverse range of skills and are capable of taking on multiple responsibilities.

C. Use Strong Action Verbs

Finally, when creating a resume that emphasizes your work ethic, it’s important to use strong action verbs. Strong action verbs are verbs that convey a sense of urgency, action, and accomplishment. Examples of strong action verbs include “achieved,” “delivered,” “generated,” and “initiated.” Using strong action verbs not only highlights your accomplishments, but also conveys a sense of confidence and competence to the reader.

When crafting a resume that showcases your strong work ethic, it’s important to utilize formatting techniques that will emphasize your skills and accomplishments. This includes using active language, choosing specific and descriptive words, and using strong action verbs. By following these guidelines, you can create a resume that not only demonstrates your strong work ethic but also sets you apart from other candidates in a competitive job market.

Demonstrating Work Ethic through Previous Work Experience

A. connect your work experience to your values.

When discussing previous work experiences, it’s important to connect them to your values. This shows that you have a sense of purpose and that your work is driven by something larger than a paycheck. Think about what values are important to you, such as honesty, integrity, or creativity, and how you embodied those values in your previous roles. Providing examples of how you lived those values in your work can demonstrate your passion and commitment to your profession.

B. Describe Challenge and Persistence

Employers want to see that you are willing to take on challenges and that you have the persistence to see them through. When discussing your previous work experiences, highlight any projects or tasks that were particularly challenging, and describe how you overcame them. Be specific about how you tackled the task and the steps you took to see it through to completion. This can demonstrate your problem-solving skills and your ability to adapt to difficult situations.

C. Explain Your Work Ethic in a Team Environment

A strong work ethic isn’t just about your personal drive and dedication, it’s about how you work with others. When describing your previous work experiences, provide examples of how you contributed to a team environment. Discuss times when you worked collaboratively with others on a project, how you communicated effectively with others, and how you provided support to your colleagues when they needed it. This can demonstrate that you are a team player who understands the importance of working well with others to achieve a common goal.

By connecting your work experience to your values, describing how you overcame challenges, and demonstrating your strong work ethic in a team environment, you can display a solid work ethic on your resume. These qualities are highly valued by employers, so it’s important to showcase them as effectively as possible.

Highlighting Work Ethic through Achievements and Accomplishments

A strong work ethic is a valuable attribute that employers seek in their candidates. One of the best ways to display your work ethic on a resume is by highlighting your achievements and accomplishments.

A. Use Metrics to Demonstrate Your Achievements

Using metrics is an effective way to demonstrate the impact of your achievements. Metrics help quantify the results of your work, allowing potential employers to see the tangible results you have achieved in your previous roles. For example, instead of simply stating that you increased sales, use specific metrics such as “Increased sales revenue by 20% in the first quarter of 2021 by implementing a new marketing strategy.”

B. Highlight Specific Accomplishments

When highlighting your accomplishments, it is important to be specific and provide examples. Potential employers want to know how you added value to your previous companies and the specific results you achieved. For instance, instead of saying that you had a successful marketing campaign, provide specific details such as “Launched a successful marketing campaign that resulted in a 30% increase in website traffic and a 15% increase in sales.”

C. Connect Your Achievements to Your Work Ethic

It’s essential to connect your achievements and accomplishments to your work ethic. Highlighting specific examples of how your strong work ethic contributed to your success shows that you are a dedicated and hard-working individual. For example, you can mention that you consistently exceeded your sales targets by working long hours and diligently following up with potential clients.

Showcasing your achievements and accomplishments is a great way to demonstrate your work ethic on a resume. By using metrics and highlighting specific examples, you can effectively convey the value you can bring to a potential employer. Remember to connect your achievements to your work ethic, and you’ll be on your way to landing your next job.

Identifying and Describing Relevant Skills and Abilities

When it comes to displaying a strong work ethic on your resume, it’s essential to identify and describe the skills that are relevant to the job you’re applying for. This section of your resume should showcase your expertise and experience in applying these skills, as well as your willingness to learn and adapt to new situations.

A. Identify Skills Relevant to the Job

The first step in identifying the skills relevant to the job is to carefully read the job description and take note of the required qualifications. Look for keywords and phrases that indicate the skills and abilities the employer is looking for. These may include technical skills, such as proficiency in a particular software program, or soft skills, such as communication or teamwork.

Next, assess your own skills and determine which ones match the requirements of the job. You may have gained these skills through previous work experience, education, or personal projects. Be sure to focus on the skills that are most relevant to the job and that will make you stand out as a qualified candidate.

B. Describe Your Experience in Applying Relevant Skills

Once you’ve identified the relevant skills, it’s essential to provide concrete examples of how you’ve applied them in previous positions. This will demonstrate to the employer that you have real-world experience and can contribute to their organization from day one.

When describing your experience, use action verbs to highlight your accomplishments, and quantify your achievements with specific numbers or percentages. This will help you to stand out from other candidates who may merely list their skills without providing evidence of how they’ve used them in the past.

C. Highlight Your Willingness to Learn and Adapt

Finally, it’s important to showcase your willingness to learn and adapt to new situations. In today’s fast-paced work environment, employers are looking for candidates who are flexible and open to new challenges.

You can demonstrate your willingness to learn by highlighting any additional training, certifications, or education you’ve completed. Additionally, you can mention any past experiences where you had to adapt to new roles or responsibilities quickly.

Showcasing your relevant skills and abilities, along with your experience and willingness to learn and adapt, will help you display a strong work ethic on your resume. Taking the time to identify these skills and tailor your resume to the job you’re applying for will make you stand out as a qualified candidate and increase your chances of landing that dream job.

Showcasing Your Work Ethic through Education and Certifications

Education and certifications play a crucial role in demonstrating a strong work ethic on a resume. Hiring managers are looking for candidates who are continuously learning and improving their skills, and showcasing relevant education and certifications is one of the best ways to display that.

A. Highlight Relevant Education and Certifications

When it comes to education and certifications, it’s essential to highlight the relevant ones. Relevant education and certifications are the ones that align with the job requirements and responsibilities. For instance, if you are applying for a job as a software developer, highlighting your computer science degree and programming certifications will be highly relevant.

However, if you hold a degree that is not related to the job you are applying for, it’s not necessary to leave it out. You can still include it in your education section, but make sure to emphasize the relevant ones.

B. Connect Your Education and Certifications to Your Work Ethic

Connecting your education and certifications to your work ethic is crucial. It’s not just about having the degree or certification; it’s about the effort and dedication it took to earn them. Use your resume to illustrate how you’ve applied the knowledge and skills you gained through your education and certifications in the workplace.

For instance, you can mention how your project management certificate helped you coordinate a team of developers to complete a project on time and within budget. Lauding your education and certification in this way demonstrates to the hiring manager that you take your work seriously and are committed to delivering results.

C. Explain How Your Education and Certifications Demonstrate Your Work Ethic

Realize that your education and certifications can speak volumes about your work ethic. For example, earning a degree or certification requires self-discipline, hard work, and determination. In this section, use targeted examples to highlight how your education or certification displays your excellent work ethic.

Furthermore, describe how you contribute to the knowledge base of your industry by keeping up with continuing education through professional associations and training programs. Continuously learning and expanding your skill set shows that you are always looking to grow professionally.

Education and certifications can be excellent evidence of your work ethic when written correctly on your resume. They not only demonstrate that you have the necessary qualifications for the position but also show that you have put in the time, effort, and dedication necessary to obtain them. Remember to highlight your education and certifications and connect them to specific job requirements and responsibilities, highlighting your work ethic. Doing so can make the difference between a hiring manager passing you over or considering you for an interview.

Demonstrating Your Work Ethic through Volunteer Experience

Volunteering can be an excellent way to demonstrate your work ethic on a resume. It shows potential employers that you are committed and willing to go the extra mile. Here are some ways to use your volunteer experience to showcase your work ethic:

A. Connect Volunteer Experience to Professional Values

Volunteer work is often aligned with the same values that are important in the professional world. For example, if you are seeking a job in the healthcare industry, volunteering at a hospital or local clinic shows that you value compassion, empathy, and helping others. Similarly, if you are seeking a job in education, volunteering at a school or tutoring program demonstrates your commitment to learning and supporting students. By connecting your volunteer experience to the values that are important in your desired field, you can demonstrate that you have a strong work ethic and are dedicated to making a difference.

B. Use Volunteer Experience to Demonstrate Skills and Abilities

Volunteer work can provide an opportunity to develop and showcase important skills and abilities. For example, volunteering at a nonprofit organization may require strong communication and organizational skills. Serving as a volunteer team leader or coordinator could demonstrate your leadership and project management abilities. It is important to highlight these skills and abilities on your resume and explain how they can benefit a potential employer.

C. Highlight Your Willingness to Make a Difference

Volunteering is all about making a difference, and by doing so, you can showcase your strong work ethic. Employers look for candidates who are passionate and driven, and volunteering can demonstrate that you are willing to put in the time and effort to make a positive impact in your community. When describing your volunteer experience on your resume, focus on the impact it had, the goals you helped achieve, and the challenges you overcame. This will show potential employers that you are a dedicated and hardworking individual who is committed to making a difference.

Volunteering is an excellent way to demonstrate your work ethic on a resume. By connecting your volunteer experience to professional values, showcasing your skills and abilities, and highlighting your willingness to make a difference, you can effectively demonstrate that you have a strong work ethic and are a valuable asset to any organization.

Avoiding Common Mistakes When Highlighting Work Ethic

When it comes to creating a strong resume, highlighting your work ethic is a crucial aspect of the job application process. However, there are several common mistakes that applicants make when trying to showcase their work ethic on their resumes.

A. Overgeneralizing or Using Generic Language

One of the most common mistakes applicants make is overgeneralizing or using generic language when discussing their work ethic on their resumes. Terms like “hard-working,” “reliable,” and “dedicated” are often used in resumes but have become cliché and generic, making them less impactful.

Instead of using vague language, it is essential to use specific examples that demonstrate your strong work ethic. For instance, you can mention volunteering for extra projects, working overtime, or taking on leadership roles. By using concrete examples, you can show potential employers that you have a strong work ethic and the determination to go above and beyond your job duties.

B. Exaggerating Accomplishments or Skills

Another common mistake that job applicants make is exaggerating their accomplishments or skills. Though it can be tempting to inflate past achievements to make yourself stand out, this can often backfire. Employers are savvy enough to spot exaggeration and embellishment on resumes, and it immediately raises questions about your integrity and trustworthiness.

Instead of exaggerating, it is better to focus on achievements and skills that you can genuinely claim. For instance, if you were part of a team that successfully completed a project on time, mention your role in that project and what you learned from it. Be specific about your accomplishments and how you went above and beyond your job duties.

C. Failing to Connect Your Work Experience to Your Work Ethic

It is not enough to state that you have a strong work ethic on your resume without providing evidence to back it up. Failing to connect your work ethic to your work experience is a significant mistake that can cost you an interview or a job offer.

To connect your work experience to your work ethic, show how your work experience has prepared you for the position you are applying for. Provide specific examples of how your skills and work ethic have helped you be successful in your past roles. For instance, if you managed a team in your previous job, you can highlight your ability to lead and motivate the team to achieve success. By connecting your work experience to your work ethic, you can show potential employers that you have a strong work ethic and the skills needed to succeed in the job you are applying for.

Creating a strong work ethic on your resume is essential to standing out in a competitive job market.

Example Resume Sections Demonstrating Strong Work Ethic

When it comes to crafting a strong resume that highlights your work ethic, it’s important to include specific sections that showcase your accomplishments, skills and abilities. Here are three sample sections that can make your resume stand out:

A. Sample Work Experience Section

Your work experience section is the backbone of your resume. It should list your previous job titles, employers, dates of employment, and job duties. Be sure to include any accomplishments or recognition that you received during your time in these positions. Here’s an example of how to showcase your work ethic in a strong work experience section:

Work Experience: Marketing Manager ABC Company, San Francisco, CA June 2017 – Present

• Develop and execute quarterly marketing plans that consistently generate a 20% increase in sales
• Manage a team of 5 marketing professionals and provide coaching and mentoring to ensure team members reach their full potential
• Consistently exceed sales targets and boost customer satisfaction ratings by 15% through effective campaign management and customer engagement tactics

B. Sample Achievements Section

Employers want to see that you have a record of success and achievement in your previous jobs. This section should highlight any awards, certifications, or other accolades you’ve received throughout your career. Here’s an example of how to showcase your achievements within a strong work ethic:

Achievements:

• Received “Top Sales Performer” award five times in three years for consistently exceeding sales targets by 25%
• Pioneered a new customer service protocol that boosted customer satisfaction ratings by 20%
• Earned the “Team Player” award for demonstrating exceptional collaboration skills and always going above and beyond for my team

C. Sample Skills and Abilities Section

Your skills and abilities section should highlight the various talents and competencies that make you an ideal candidate for the job. This section should include both technical skills and soft skills, such as communication, leadership, and teamwork. Here’s an example of how to showcase your skills and abilities within a strong work ethic:

Skills and Abilities:

• Proven track record of exceeding sales targets and delivering high-quality results on time and under budget
• Exceptional verbal and written communication skills, with a talent for building strong relationships with both clients and team members
• Demonstrated leadership abilities, with experience managing and coaching teams to success
• Highly organized and detail-oriented, with a proven ability to multitask and prioritize competing demands effectively

Showcasing a strong work ethic on your resume takes careful thought and attention to detail. However, by crafting specific sections that highlight your experience, achievements, and skills, you’ll stand out to potential employers and increase your chances of landing your dream job.

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A software engineer shares the résumé he's used since college that got him a $500,000 job at Meta — plus offers at TikTok and LinkedIn

• Hemant Pandey shared the résumé format that has helped him land several software-engineering jobs.
• He keeps job descriptions short and includes points that make for good interview stories.
• Pandey emphasized the growing importance of personal branding in the job market.

Hemant Pandey's software-engineering career was off to a good start.

After an internship at Amazon during his graduate program, he landed a full-time software role at Tesla in 2018. The pay was "top notch" and it was a dream company.

Pandey, who grew up in India, even invited his family to visit him in California that summer.

Two weeks after they visited, he was laid off.

"It was my first job and getting laid off meant having to build rapport all over again in just six months," he told Business Insider. "I needed to prove myself again."

He didn't feel comfortable telling people he was let go and worried companies might see him as a bad performer and reject him before interviews.

But he was proactive about looking for new opportunities and landed a job at SAP within a month.

After a year, Pandey switched to Salesforce, where he stayed for two years. In 2021, he applied to Meta after learning about the company's "crazy" pay packages on tech forums.

Here is the résumé format that Pandey has used since college. It got him a $500,000 senior software-engineer role at Meta and offers from TikTok and LinkedIn. BI has verified his employment history and compensation, which included both cash and stock.

Making conscious résumé decisions

Looking back at his résumé 2 ½ years into his job at Meta, there are a couple of things Pandey said work well and he would keep the same.

Related stories

Limiting descriptions: When it comes to summarizing work experiences, "I like to keep it very ambiguous," Pandey said. In an interview, "if people ask me what I did at Salesforce, I can help them know more by explaining rather than writing a paragraph." He uses one to three bullet points for each role.

Including GPA: While his master's GPA is not very "impressive," Pandey chooses to include it and sees it as an opportunity to share a story during an interview. "I generally share how I bombed my first semester and was intimidated," he said about getting a low GPA and almost losing an internship he was offered. He talks about how he had to push himself to keep up with more experienced students and eventually scored better in the following semesters. "This makes a good growth and learning-from-failures story."

Ability to do basics: As engineers move to more senior roles, Pandey says the job becomes less about coding and more focused on leading teams and delivering projects. "But if I still interview for a startup, they don't really care about how I'm leading or shipping products," he said. "They care about if I can write code, if I'm tech savvy enough." To showcase his technical skills, Pandey lists projects and links to his past coding work.

There's only one change he would make to his résumé if he were to revamp it today:

Personal brand projects: "Your personal brand is now more and more important," Pandey said. "I write actively on LinkedIn and have a newsletter with around 4,000 subscribers," which he would list on his résumé's projects section. He would also include that he mentors students. Those additions "will start to matter more than just my tech skills and certificates."

Pandey is part of a growing group of workers and business owners who embrace personal branding as a way to boost their careers.

Quynh Mai, the founder of a digital creative agency, decided to embrace personal branding nearly 10 years after she began her business. Once Mai began giving talks and promoting herself on LinkedIn and other forms of media, she said potential customers trusted her experience more, she previously told BI.

"Building a personal brand connected to your business is more important than ever because people won't do business with anyone they don't trust," she said.

Some people in 9-to-5 jobs have adopted similar practices.

Sahil Dua, a senior machine-learning engineer at Google in Zurich, told BI that personal-branding projects have given him an edge in job interviews and have boosted his career.

"Tech-speaking experience actually helped quite a lot in advancing my career and came up a lot in interview processes that I was going through at the time," Dua said.

If he were to revamp his résumé today, he said he would add his experience speaking at conferences and a book he wrote in 2020.

"I would change that section to make sure I highlight that I've given these tech talks to increase my credibility and to say, 'Yeah, I know some stuff," Dua said.

Do you work in tech, finance, or consulting and have a story to share about your personal résumé journey? Email this reporter at [email protected] .

Watch: Marketing leaders from Amazon, LinkedIn, Lego Group and more tell Insider what pandemic-fueled business changes are likely to stick around

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You are an up and coming leader and have just found the perfect stretch job opportunity. How much can you "dress up" your resume to make yourself as strong a candidate as possible without crossing the ethical line of deception? Consider a few conflicting thoughts: • Over 50% of people lie on their resume. • [...]

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More From Forbes

The ultimate guide to writing a career change resume.

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Changing careers doesn’t have to be difficult. It all starts with a resume crafted to highlight your ... [+] transferrable skills.

Your resume is one of the most critical tools during a career transition. Crafted thoughtfully, a career change resume can effectively highlight transferable skills and experiences from your old career to the new one, showcasing you as a prime candidate for your dream job .

Career change resumes offer a different narrative of a person’s experience versus someone looking to advance in their current industry. Transferrable skills are the most important to highlight.

What Success Looks Like In A Career Change

A successful career change doesn’t necessarily mean starting over. It can involve leveraging existing skills in a new context or applying knowledge from one industry to another. Success is about finding a role where you can make a meaningful contribution, and it often requires a blend of determination and strategic planning. The story you tell so far in your career that paints you as the right person for the job is vital to your resume being seen by the hiring manager.

Step-By-Step Guide To Writing Your Career Change Resume

It’s a fine line between highlighting what makes you unique and ensuring your document aligns with industry expectations. Here’s how to do it right.

Identify Your Transferrable Skills

Before opening a Word document or choosing a resume template, the first step is to take stock of your skills. Begin by closely examining your previous roles and jotting down the skills they entailed. Try categorizing them into hard skills—like technical skills and software proficiencies—and soft skills—such as communication and leadership abilities.

New FBI Warning As Hackers Strike Email Senders Must Do This 1 Thing

Baby reindeer real martha reveals identity in photo with piers morgan, 2 obvious signs of workplace gaslighting from a psychologist, brainstorm your narrative.

What is your career change story? Who’s the audience that will be listening to it? These are the overarching questions that will guide your resume writing process. You’ll want to combine your reasons for changing careers with your past experiences and future aspirations.

When crafting your career change narrative, consider these critical questions to create a cohesive and compelling story:

• What motivated your career change? Reflect on the reasons behind your decision to shift careers. Was it a pursuit of passion, a need for a new challenge or an inevitable industry change affecting your previous role?
• How do your past experiences contribute to your new direction? Evaluate how your previous roles have equipped you with unique skills and perspectives that will benefit your target industry or role.
• What accomplishments in your career thus far can illustrate your suitability for this new path? Identify specific achievements that demonstrate your capability and readiness for the change.
• How have you prepared for the transition? Consider any additional training, courses or self-led learning you’ve undertaken to bridge any skill gaps.
• What are your long-term goals in this new career? Define what success looks like for you in this new field and how you plan to achieve it.

Choosing The Right Resume Format

The format of your resume is dependent on your career trajectory. A functional resume may be the best way to draw attention to your skills if you’re making a big career leap. A hybrid resume, which combines elements of both the chronological and functional formats, can also work well for career changers, as it allows you to detail your skills while still providing a job history.

Elements Of A Stand-Out Career Change Resume

The typical resume sections are still relevant: Skills, competencies, accolades, experience, volunteer work, education and training. For career changers, add a snapshot of who you are and what you bring to the table. Think of a snapshot as your elevator pitch. Instead of explaining what you are looking for, you highlight your top accolades, position and projects you’re currently working on; it shouldn’t be any longer than three sentences.

For example, “I’m Jane Doe, a marketing professional who brought the newest Target campaign to 100 million Instagram accounts. I’ve excelled in connecting influencers with top brands and have hosted over 150 brand activations.”

Make sure to include all the important elements on your resume to make you stand out. Having a short ... [+] story or narrative of who you are also helps.

Words and Phrases To Include In Resume

When it comes to the actual writing, it’s essential to use language that speaks to both your old and your new career. Choose words and phrases relevant to the job you’re applying for, but also aim to include industry-specific terms from your previous career to highlight the breadth of your experience.

• Cross-functional expertise: Demonstrates the ability to work across various departments, enhancing team synergy and project outcomes.
• Quick Learner: Indicates your capacity to rapidly acquire new knowledge and skills, reducing the learning curve in a new role.
• Innovative Thinker: Shows your capability to think creatively and bring new ideas to the table, driving progress.
• Versatile Professional: Indicates a broad skillset and flexibility, positioning you as a candidate capable of handling various responsibilities

Do’s And Don’ts Of Resume Etiquette

• Do focus on your achievements and how they demonstrate your capabilities, not just the tasks you’ve performed.
• Do quantify your accomplishments with numbers or percentages whenever possible to add weight to your claims.
• Don’t include unrelated job experiences that don’t align with the position you’re targeting.
• Don’t gloss over any employment gaps resulting from your career change. Instead, use these gaps to explain how you spent that time productively, such as through continuing education or volunteer work.

Your career change resume aims to get your foot in the door for an interview. Invest time in perfecting your career change resume, and you’ll find that employers will be more than willing to listen to the rest of your story.

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Enron’s Ethical Collapse: Lessons for Leadership Educators

Craig Johnson 10.12806/V2/I1/C2

Craig Johnson Professor of Communication Arts Department of Communication

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Top officials at Enron abused their power and privileges, manipulated information, engaged in inconsistent treatment of internal and external constituencies, put their own interests above those of their employees and the public, and failed to exercise proper oversight or shoulder responsibility for ethical failings. Followers were all too quick to follow their example. Therefore, implications for teaching leadership ethics include, educators must: (a) share some of the blame for what happened at Enron, (b) integrate ethics into the rest of the curriculum, (c) highlight the responsibilities of both leaders and followers, (d) address both individual and contextual variables that encourage corruption, (e) recognize the importance of trust and credibility in the leader-follower relationship, and (f) hold followers as well as leaders accountable for ethical misdeeds.

Introduction

Enron’s bankruptcy filing in November 2001 marked the beginning of an unprecedented wave of corporate scandals. Officials at Tyco, WorldCom, ImClone, Global Crossing, Adelphia, AOL Time Warner, Quest, and Charter Communications joined Enron executives as targets of SEC probes, congressional hearings, stockholder lawsuits, and criminal indictments. Enron’s troubles, which had been center stage, were soon pushed to the background by subsequent revelations of corporate wrongdoing.

More recent instances of corporate corruption should not diminish the importance of Enron as a case study in moral failure. Enron collapsed in large part because of the unethical practices of its executives. Examining the ethical shortcomings of Enron’s leaders, as well as the factors that contributed to their misbehaviors, can provide important insights into how to address the topic of ethics in the leadership classroom.

Moral Failure at the Top

Events leading up to Enron’s bankruptcy have been chronicled in a host of magazine articles as well as in such books as Anatomy of Greed (Cruver, 2002), Enron: The Rise and Fall (Fox, 2003), What Went Wrong at Enron (Fusaro & Miller, 2002), The Enron Collapse (Barresveld, 2002), and Pipe Dreams (Bryce, 2002). The company’s collapse was ultimately triggered by failed investments in overseas ventures and the unraveling of a series of dubious limited partnerships called Special Purpose Entities (SPEs). These SPEs , backed by Enron stock and illegally run by company insiders, were designed to keep debt off the firm’s balance sheets and helped prop up its share price. However, when the firm’s stock price began to slide, the company was unable to back its guarantees. In addition to charges related to shady partnerships, Enron stands accused of:

• borrowing from subsidiaries with no intent to repay the loans (Wilke, 2002, August 5).
• avoiding federal taxes even though some of its subsidiaries, like Portland General Electric, collected tax payments from customers (Manning & Hill, 2002).
• contributing to the California energy crisis by manipulating electricity prices (Fusaro & Miller, 2002; Manning, 2002).
• bribing foreign officials to secure contracts in India, Ghana and other countries (Wilke, 2002, August 7).
• immediately claiming profits for long term projects that would eventually lose money (Hill, Chaffin, & Fidler, 2002).
• switching account balances immediately before quarterly reports to boost apparent earnings (Cruver, 2002).
• manipulating federal energy policy (Duffy, 2002; Duffy & Dickerson, 2002).

Much of the blame for what happened at Enron (nicknamed the “Crooked E” for its tilted Capital E logo) can be laid at the feet of company founder Kenneth Lay, his successor Jeffrey Skilling, chief financial officer Andrew Fastow, and Fastow’s top assistant Michael Kopper. Each failed to meet important ethical challenges or dilemmas of leadership (Johnson, 2001). Their failures included:

Abuse of Power

Both Lay and Skilling could wield power ruthlessly. The position of vice-chair was known as the “ejector seat” because so many occupants were removed from the position when they took issue with Lay or appeared to be a threat to his power. Skilling, for his part, eliminated corporate rivals and intimidated subordinates. Abdication of power was also a problem at Enron. At times, managers did not appear to understand what employees were doing or how the business (which was literally creating new markets) operated. Board members also failed to exercise proper oversight and rarely challenged management

decisions. Many were selected by CEO Kenneth Lay and did business with the firm or represented non-profits that received large contributions from Enron (Associated Press, 2002; Cruver, 2002).

Excess Privilege

Excess typified top management at Enron. Lay, who began life modestly as the son of a Baptist preacher turned chicken salesman, once told a friend, “I don’t want to be rich, I want to be world-class rich” (Cruver, 2002, p. 23). At another point he joked that he had given wife Linda a $2 million decorating budget for a new home in Houston which she promptly exceeded (Gruley & Smith, 2002). The couple borrowed $75 million from the firm that they repaid in stock. Linda Lay fanned the flames of resentment among employees when she broke into tears on the Today Show to claim that the family was broke. This was despite the fact that the Lays owned over 20 properties worth over $30 million (Eisenberg, 2002).

During Enron’s heyday, some of the perks filtered down to followers as well. Workers enjoyed such benefits as lavish Christmas parties, aerobic classes, free taxi rides, refreshments, and the services of a concierge ( Enron excess , 2002; How Enron let down its employees , 2002).

Enron officials manipulated information to protect their interests and to deceive the public, although the extent of their deception is still to be determined. Both executives and board members claim that they were unaware of the extent of the company’s off-the-books partnerships created and operated by Fastow and Kopper (Eisenberg, 2002). However, both Skilling and Lay were warned that the company’s accounting tactics were suspect (Duffy, 2002). The Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, which investigated the company’s downfall, concluded, “Much that was wrong with Enron was known to the board” (Associated Press, 2002). Board members specifically waived the conflict of interest clause in the company’s code of ethics that would have prevented the formation of the most troublesome special partnerships (Cruver, 2002).

Employees were quick to follow the lead of top company officials. They hid expenses, claimed nonexistent profits, deceived energy regulators and so on.

Inconsistent Treatment of Internal and External Constituencies

Enron’s relationships with both employees and outsiders were marked by gross inconsistencies. Average workers were forced to vest their retirement plans in Enron stock and then, during the crucial period when the stock was in free fall, were blocked from selling their shares. Top executives, on the other hand, were able to unload their shares as they wished. Five-hundred officials received “retention bonuses” totaling $55 million at the same time laid off workers received only a fraction of the severance pay they had been promised (Barreveld, 2002).

Enron treated its friends royally. In particular, the company used political donations to gain preferential treatment from government agencies. Kenneth Lay was the top contributor to the Bush campaign and officials made significant donations to both Democratic and Republican members of the House and Senate. In return, the company was able to nominate friendly candidates for the Security Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). Federal officials intervened with foreign governments to promote Enron projects, and company representatives played a major role in setting federal energy policy that favored deregulation of additional energy markets (Fox, 2003). Anyone perceived as unfriendly to Enron’s interests could expect retribution, however. In one instance, Lay withdrew an underwriting deal to pressure Merrill Lynch into firing an analyst who had downgraded Enron stock (Smith & Raghaven, 2002). Skilling called one analyst an “asshole” when he questioned the company’s performance during a conference call (Cruver, 2002).

Misplaced and Broken Loyalties

Enron officials put their loyalty to themselves above those of everyone else with a stake in the company’s fate — stock holders, business partners, rate payers, local communities, foreign governments, and so on. They also betrayed the trust of those who worked for them. Employees apparently believed in the company and in Lay’s optimistic pronouncements. In August 2001, for example, he declared “I have never felt better about the prospects for the company” (Cruver, 2003, p. 91). In late September, just weeks before the company collapsed, he encouraged employees to “talk up the stock” because “the company is fundamentally sound” (Fox, 2003, p. 252). These exhortations came even as he was unloading his own shares. The sense of betrayal experienced by Enron employees only added to the pain of losing their jobs and retirement savings.

Irresponsible Behavior

Enron officials acted irresponsibly by failing to take needed action, failing to exercise proper oversight, and failing to shoulder responsibility for the ethical miscues of their organization. CEO Lay downplayed warnings of financial improprieties and some board members did not understand the numbers or the company’s operations. Too often company managers left employees to their own devices, encouraging them to make their numbers by any means possible. After the collapse, no one stepped forward to accept blame for what happened. Lay and Fastow claimed Fifth Amendment privileges against self-incrimination when called before congressional committees; Skilling testified but claimed he had no knowledge of illegal activity.

The unethical behavior of Enron’s leaders appears to be the product of both individual and situational factors. Greed was the primary motivator of both managers and their subordinates at Enron (Cruver, 2002). Optimistic earnings

reports, hidden losses and other tactics were all designed to keep the stock price artificially high. Lofty stock values justified generous salaries and perks, deflected unwanted scrutiny, and allowed insiders to profit from their stock options. Greed was not limited to top Enron executives, however. Meeting earnings targets triggered large bonuses for managers throughout the firm, bonuses that were sometimes larger than employees’ salaries. Rising stock prices and extravagant rewards made it easier for followers as well as leaders to overlook shortcomings in the company’s ethics and business model.

Hubris was also a major character flaw at the Crooked E, a fact reflected in the company banner that declared: FROM THE WORLD’S LEADING ENERGY COMPANY — TO THE WORLD’S LEADING COMPANY (Cruver, 2002, p.

3). Skilling, who lacked the social and communication skills of Ken Lay, best exemplifies the haughty spirit of many Enron officials. At the height of the California energy crisis he joked that the only difference between the Titanic and the state of California was that “when the Titanic went down, the lights were on” (Fusaro & Miller, 2002. p. 122).

Even the so-called “heroes” of the Enron debacle failed to demonstrate enough virtue to delay or to prevent the company’s collapse. Former company treasurer Clifford Baxter complained about Fastow’s financial wheeling and dealing, but then retired without going public with his complaints. Vice-president of corporate development Sherry Watkins outlined her concerns about the firm’s questionable financial practices in a letter and in a meeting with Lay ( A Hero , 2002). Later she discussed the same issues with an audit partner at Anderson. While these are commendable acts, in her letter she recommended quiet clean up of the problems rather than public disclosure. She stopped short of talking to the press, the SEC and other outside agencies when her attempts at internal reform failed (Zellner, 2002).

The destructive power of individual greed and pride was magnified by Enron’s corporate culture that encouraged creativity and risk taking. Employees invented a host of new commodity products which earned Enron top ranking six straight years on Fortune magazine’s list of most innovative companies (Fusaro & Miller, 2002). Ken Lay was fond of telling the story of how Enron employees in London started its on-line trading business (which later carried a quarter of the world’s energy trades) without the blessing or knowledge of corporate headquarters in Houston (Stewart, 2001). The cost of freedom, however, was pressure to produce that created a climate of fear. Enron’s atmosphere was similar to that of an elite law firm where talented young associates scramble to make partner (Fusaro & Miller, 2002).

Adding to the stress was the organization’s “rank and yank” evaluation system. Every six months 15% of all employees were ranked in the lowest category and then had a few weeks to find another position in the company or be let go (Cruver, 2002). Workers in the next two higher categories were put on notice that

they were in danger of falling into the lowest quadrant during the subsequent review. This system (a harsher variant of one used at many companies) encouraged cutthroat competition and silenced dissent. Followers were afraid to question unethical and or illegal practices for fear of losing their jobs. Instead, they were rewarded for their unthinking loyalty to their managers (who ranked their performance) and the company as a whole (Fusaro & Miller, 2002).

Lack of controls, combined with an intense, competitive, results-driven culture made it easier to ignore the company’s code of ethics which specifically prohibited conflicts of interest like those found in the SPEs and to seek results at any cost (Hill, Chaffin, & Fidler, 2002). Anderson auditors signed off on its questionable financial transactions for fear of losing lucrative auditing and consulting contracts with Enron.

Enron was also a victim of larger social and cultural factors. Publicly traded firms in the United States are judged by their quarterly earnings reports. Obsession with short-term results encourages executives to do whatever they can to meet these expectations. Enron’s explosive growth took place during the economic boom of the 90s. All the major stock indices soared and billions were wasted on Internet start-ups that never had a realistic chance to make a profit. During this period the Cult of the CEO emerged. Business leaders achieved rock star status, gracing the covers of national magazines and best selling biographies (Elliott & Schroth, 2002, p. 125). In this heady climate, government regulators and investors felt little need to study the operations or finances of apparently successful companies led by business superstars. The recent spate of corporate scandals and the accompanying market crash may be the penalty that society must pay for the excesses and inattention of the last decade.

Implications for Leadership Educators

The lessons of Enron extend beyond the accounting and market reforms instituted in the wake of the scandal. Leadership educators can gain important insights about how to treat the topic of ethics in the classroom from the moral shortcomings of Enron’s top executives. The pedagogical implications of Enron include:

Educators Must Share Some of the Blame

Academics find it easy to distance themselves from the sins of Enron. The college and university classroom seems a world away from the high flying, gun slinging mentality of the former energy giant. Few professors can begin to comprehend the level of privilege and influence enjoyed by the company’s C level executives.

Those who study and teach ethics believe that they would exhibit the virtues that Lay, Skilling, and Fastow seemed to lack.

Disassociating oneself from Enron may be comforting, but this maneuver conveniently overlooks the fact educators must shoulder at least some of the blame for the company’s moral failure (Kavanaugh, 2002). As college graduates, Enron managers undoubtedly enrolled in leadership and ethics courses. Many were also products of Harvard and other top MBA programs. Followers armed with bachelor and masters degrees served as willing soldiers in the army of public relations experts who helped the company maintain its veneer of profitability, lobby government official, and attack its critics. What Enron’s top leaders, lower level managers, and front line employees learned in university classrooms was not enough to prevent ethical tragedy.

Strive for Ethical Integration

Enron is a classic example of a company whose ethical pronouncements were “decoupled” from the rest of its operations (Weaver, Trevino, & Cochran 1999). The key values of the company were respect, integrity, communications, and excellence. Enron also had an extensive code of ethics. Unfortunately, these values and policies had little impact on how Lay, Skilling, and their underlings did business. By the time of its collapse in 2001, the company had been manipulating its books and misleading investors for several years.

Unfortunately, the teaching of ethics, like the practice of ethics at Enron, is typically decoupled from the rest of the curriculum. Discussions of ethics often stand alone, limited to a single unit or to one course in the entire leadership curriculum. Further, the placement of ethical material also diminishes its importance. Ethics units and text chapters sometimes appear to be an afterthought, introduced at the end of a course or book and therefore likely to be eliminated if the professor falls behind during the quarter or semester. To be effective, ethical considerations should be part of every unit, class, and set of readings.

Highlight Leadership and Followership Duties and Responsibilities

Many students study leadership in hopes of achieving the kind of heroic stature that, until recently, they saw reflected in press reports about famous business figures and other prominent leaders. Power, perks, financial security, and recognition all seem to come with an executive title. Instructors cater to this motivation when they act as cheerleaders for prominent business leaders like Jack Welch or Kenneth Lay. They overlook the fact that the same qualities and strategies so often praised in business and other leadership literature can lead to disaster. Enron is a case in point. The company’s leaders did many things right according to the leadership and management literature. Lay and his colleagues had a clear vision and values, pursued excellence, and fostered an extraordinary degree of creativity and innovation. Sadly, their vision was unrealistic, their stated values took back seat to unstated ones (e. g., make the deal at whatever the cost and generate constant profits and growth), and their drive for innovation led them into a host of unprofitable markets that even their management team did not

completely understand. Followers also lost sight of their personal values as well as their commitment to society.

Altruism is a universal value that is particularly important to leaders who, by virtue of their roles, are to exercise influence on behalf of others. Leaders cannot articulate the concerns of followers unless they first understand their needs (Kanungo & Mendoca, 1996). Leaders driven by altruism pursue organizational goals rather than personal achievement and are more likely to give power away. Leaders seeking self-benefit focus on personal achievements, and control followers through coercion and reward.

Communitarianism emphasizes the need for individual and corporate responsibility (Etzioni, 1993). Citizens and institutions have obligations to the larger community. When making decisions, leaders and followers must look beyond the immediate interests of themselves and their organizations to the needs of the local community and society as a whole.

Servant leadership is a model that puts the needs of followers first (Greenleaf, 1977; Spears, 1998). Servant leaders continually ask themselves what would be best for their constituents and measure their success by the progress of their followers. Driven by a concern for people, they seek to treat others fairly and recognize that they hold their positions in stewardship for others.

Address Both Individual and Contextual Variables

Training can help individuals develop sensitivity to moral issues and improve ethical reasoning skills (Rest, 1993). To prevent future Enrons, faculty must help current and future leaders and followers equip themselves with the values, principles, and skills they need to make reasoned moral choices. Nonetheless, an individual focus does not address organizational forces – group culture, high forced turnover, reward system – that played a significant role in Enron’s moral failures. In addition, society’s fixation on short term profits and daily market moves also increased the pressure to manipulate results and to hide financial bad news.

• What organizational controls should be put on innovation?
• How can employees be rewarded in a way that promotes ethical behavior?
• What are the dysfunctional consequences of the rank and yank evaluation system?
• What are reasonable limits on executive compensation?
• What is a corporate board’s role in overseeing the operations of an organization?
• What should be the composition of a board’s membership?
• How should the performance of companies be judged?
• How can society develop a long-term perspective on financial results?

Recognize the Importance of Credibility

Since Aristotle, scholars have examined the factors that make a source believable to an audience, an interest based on the strong correlation between credibility and influence (Hackman & Johnson, 2001, chap. 6). The Enron debacle and subsequent scandals demonstrate that credibility, specifically trustworthiness, is more important than ever. Stock values declined nearly 40% from market highs in July1998 due largely to investors’ loss of confidence in the integrity of publicly held corporations. Employees are increasingly skeptical as well. A 2002 survey by the Ethics Resource Center found that 43% of respondents believed that their bosses fail to model integrity and felt pressure to compromise their own ethical standards at work (Wee, 2002). Modern technology, which enables the rapid, worldwide dissemination of information, makes credibility more important now than in the time of Plato and Aristotle. Leadership faculty need to help students consider not only how credibility is built and maintained, but also how trust is destroyed and at what cost to individuals and organizations.

Followers are Also Accountable

Lay, Skilling, Fastow and other high level executives deserve most of the blame for what went wrong at Enron. It was they who created the company’s culture, approved dubious partnerships, attacked critics, and, in the end, abandoned employees while enriching themselves. Nevertheless, followers, ranging from second tier officials down to receptionists and mailroom clerks, share some of the blame. Many willingly bought into the get rich quick mentality of the Crooked E. During the company’s 15 years of rapid growth, few stopped to question the company’s tactics. They were “bought off” by the generous perks and the thrill of being part of one of the most sophisticated and innovative companies in the world. The constant threat of termination undoubtedly convinced others to keep their doubts to themselves and to support their bosses.

According to Chaleff (1995), courage – the willingness to accept a higher level of risk – is the most important virtue for organizational followers. Such courage was sorely lacking at Enron. Few had the courage to challenge authority. Few had the courage to leave when faced with ethical violations. Apparently no member of the firm had the courage to bring the misbehavior of Lay and his subordinates to the attention of the public before the crisis erupted (Cruver, 2002).

Unfortunately, cowardice is not limited to Enron. Nearly two-thirds of those who witness ethical violations in their companies refuse to report them, believing that reporting problems would not do any good ( Chief Executive , 2002). The final lesson of Enron, then, is that both instructors and students have the responsibility to confront moral failure whenever and wherever it appears, regardless of whether they function in a leadership or in a followership role.

In summary, top officials at Enron abused their power and privileges. They manipulated information while engaging in inconsistent treatment of internal and external constituencies. These leaders put their own interests above those of their employees and the public, and failed to exercise proper oversight or shoulder responsibility for ethical failings. Sadly, the followers were all too quick to follow their example.

Numerous implications for teaching leadership ethics can be gleaned from the Eron situation. Educators must share some of the blame for what happened at Enron. It is important to integrate ethics into the rest of the curriculum.

Leadership educators need to highlight the responsibilities of both leaders and followers along with addressing both individual and contextual variables that encourage corruption. The importance of trust and credibility in the leader- follower relationship must be recognized. And, finally, educators must hold followers as well as leaders accountable for ethical misdeeds.

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An earlier version of this paper was presented at the 2002 National Communication Association convention, New Orleans, LA.

Author Talks: The business of ethics for leaders

In this edition of Author Talks , McKinsey Global Publishing’s Raju Narisetti chats with Alison Taylor, executive director of Ethical Systems and clinical associate professor at NYU Stern School of Business, about her new book, Higher Ground: How Business Can Do the Right Thing in a Turbulent World (Harvard Business Review Press, February 2024). In the book, Taylor argues that ethics should no longer be seen as a defense mechanism, but rather as a fundamental aspect of corporate responsibility. Despite calls for change, organizations struggle to implement ethical practices in an environment of distrust and heightened expectations. Organizations also grapple with discerning when they should lend their voice to an issue—and when they shouldn’t (see sidebar, “Nine questions to ask yourself before you speak up”). Using real-life examples and stories to guide leaders in reshaping their approach, Taylor offers a blueprint for setting environmental and social priorities, navigating contentious social and political issues, fostering a healthy organizational culture, and more. An edited version of the conversation follows.

Why did you write this book now on a not-so-new challenge for CEOs?

The question of the role of business in society, and what it takes to be an ethical business, is a perennial question. We were debating it in Roman times. I’m sure we’ll be debating it forevermore. There are two things, though, that have been going on in the last decade or so.

One is the breakdown of adherence to the Milton Friedman consensus that kept us going for a long time. We had a particular vision of the role of business that has become unworkable. We’ve ended up in the situation where we’ve still got all those shareholder value pressures, but now we’ve got a lot of new pressures as well.

We seem to have lost sight of what the debate is about, to the degree there’s now a lot of jargon and weird terminology. We can think about ESG  [environmental, social, and governance]. We can think about purpose. There are a lot of proxy conversations going on about what the role of business in society should be.

There are three sets of very concrete changes. One is the rise of social media. Hyper-transparency forces companies into a more interactive and fraught relationship with their stakeholders. Another is the increased willingness of business leaders to get involved in controversial social, political, and environmental questions. The third is very profound value shifts among younger generations. These three trends mean that we can’t rely on a lot of old assumptions and old mechanisms and old approaches for being a more ethical and responsible business. It’s almost like our old tool kit doesn’t work anymore.

Why is simply managing reputational risk not good enough?

We have managed to equate building stakeholder trust with managing reputational risk. But managing reputational risk is essentially a communications-heavy defensive strategy that says, “If we have certain sorts of narratives and certain sorts of accounts for stakeholders, stakeholders will like us more. And there will be a more intangible reputational upside.”

There are several problems with this concept. One obvious problem is that if you look at activism, activists target the best performers, as well as the worst. So the idea that reputational risk is a sort of linear accountability mechanism for good behavior is unfortunately not true. It leads companies very often down the path of governance by Twitter [X] or governance by social media. The second thing is that we’ve had this long-standing approach of treating communications efforts and PR efforts as if they can be divorced from what the underlying business is doing.

We get this sort of sunny messaging from sustainability  reports about all our wonderful achievements. And then very often, there’s a different narrative in the annual report or the 10-K, for example. The public has become obsessed with questions of hypocrisy and whether companies ’ operations are aligning with their message to stakeholders.

Finally, all these kinds of very defensive communications-led efforts do not convey the reciprocity that you need to build trust. Academics debate what trust really means, but there’s the expectation that you can rely on someone to treat you in a way you would wish to be treated. And reputational risk management does not convey that. It is a defensive mechanism to protect shareholder value, essentially.

You believe there is an upside to CEOs’ ‘admitting imperfection’?

There is a perception out there that if you admit to imperfection, if you say that something is difficult, if you say you’re not on top of your climate goals, then you will be punished by the public. There is a perception that the public can’t handle a nuanced message.

We end up with these very sunny stories about all the wonderful things companies are doing. And the result is a universal eye roll from the public. We’ve seen all this noise more recently about greenwashing, woke-washing, and that kind of thing.

The reality is that if you are honest and focused about the challenges and the limitations of what you can do with your own internal decisions—where you might need policy action, where you might need collaboration, and where you might need action from other actors in society—counterintuitively, that can help build more trust. It seems more realistic and more honest. We’re desperately lacking a realistic, honest conversation.

Another problem with managing reputational risk is that by the time the risk has manifested, it’s usually too late to do anything about it. If we start with our impact on human beings and understand what is making the public angry and upset, we will have a better chance of managing these things before they manifest as reputational risks.

Is there more of a generational divide in expectations for CEOs?

I love this question of who the book is really for. I was very deep in the worlds of, first,  political risk , and then ethics, compliance, and investigations, and then sustainability, ESG, and culture.

The first thing to say is that this entire conversation is absolutely loaded with dense insider jargon. What I wanted to do was write a book for the general reader, who is not that familiar with how to set ESG priorities, for example, but needs to understand this topic. As you point out, the world has changed very dramatically. So when I was trying to figure out, as I was writing, what level of detail would be appropriate, what level of explanation would be appropriate, I often thought of my interested, passionate MBA students. My hope for the book is that it is a guide for them, because they are the leaders of the future. I want to explain how the world has changed and provide them with the tools, thinking, and methodologies to help them.

I also hope it is a guide for our current CEOs  and leaders, because I talk to so many who are really struggling with this rise in expectations and employee voice. I talk a lot in the book about strategic leaking and the way that young employees today will very often undercut the narrative.

The corporation is putting out a certain view of its priorities and what it cares about, and that is very often being countered by younger employees. There’s been a very recent trend of employees’ sharing videos of themselves being fired on TikTok. That is a very good example of how a company will try to look like it’s managing its people in a compassionate way , but then this different data will emerge.

In the aftermath of George Floyd’s murder, lots of CEOs made very impassioned comments about systemic racism. But then many young employees formed Instagram groups to say, “Well, you know, I know the leader says they care about these things, but here’s what it’s actually like to work there.” We’ve seen the boundaries around organizations really open up.

That need to build coalitions for support from your workforce—if you want to have a consistent narrative and if you want to be able to explain what you are and aren’t doing—is relatively new. And for what it’s worth, I think it’s just getting going.

Are you advocating for ‘corporate political responsibility’?

Before about 2013, there was certainly this consensus in corporate America that business should be politically neutral. We have this joke, right, from Michael Jordan in the ’90s: “Republicans buy sneakers too.” And it’s very intuitive. If you’re Walmart, why would you want to alienate half your potential customer base by making statements or comments or taking positions that might annoy them?

But after about 2014, we saw the massively increased willingness of CEOs to get involved in controversial questions. This started really early in the Trump administration with conversations about climate change and then about immigration. Then, there was a lot of rhetoric in 2018–19 about how CEOs are the new societal activists.

CEOs are the new politicians. We need CEOs to stand up on these issues, because we can’t rely on the political process anymore. Many leaders got seduced by this stakeholder narrative being pushed by everyone. But very clearly, this has gotten a lot more complicated since.

Now, we’ve started to see the expectation that corporate leaders will take stands on far more difficult issues like abortion, gun control, or the conflict in the Middle East. The other ironic consequence has been that once companies start taking public positions on very controversial issues, activists, employees, and other actors in society look at those gaps between what the company says its priorities are and what its political spending indicates (see sidebar, “Nine questions to ask yourself before you speak up”).

Nine questions to ask yourself before you speak up

Ask yourself these nine questions before you lend your company’s voice to an issue. If you answer no to any of them, it’s unwise to proceed.

• Is the issue central to your business’s values, code of conduct, or other existing public commitments?
• Is the issue an environmental or social priority, according to a rigorous materiality assessment?
• Does the issue pertain to commitments you have made to your workforce, such as diversity and inclusion and human rights commitments?
• Has your company done all it can to ensure it isn’t making the problem worse through its actions or business model?
• Does your company have relevant capacity and expertise to contribute to solutions for the issue?
• Is this a new issue that has a proximate relationship to the company’s goals or operations?
• Is there a clear way your business can make a positive contribution in collaboration with others?
• Will acting on the issue support a positive operating environment for business in general? Would it support democratic participation, fair competition, equality of opportunity, and basic human rights?
• Can the company make a statement that’s consistent with its values, prior actions, political spending, and environmental and social priorities?

Reprinted with permission from Higher Ground: How Business Can Do the Right Thing in a Turbulent World (Harvard Business Review Press, February 2024), by Alison Taylor.

It’s relatively common, for example, to say, “I, as an organization, am supporting the goals of the Paris Climate Agreement,” while lobbying via your government relations team for opposing goals. So there’s this focus on misalignment between political spending and rhetoric.

There’s a lot to be said of IBM’s approach. IBM has never funded political candidates in its entire history. There’s mixed evidence on whether [funding PACs] even propels financial value. We’re really entering this era of corporate political responsibility. And we can expect a lot more pressure on these topics in the run-up to the 2024 election, not to mention the other elections globally this year.

Why is not speaking up the best, safest option for CEOs?

I don’t know if it’s always the safest option to say, “I’m not going to get involved.” If it is a question about culture, people, race, gender, or social identity, I don’t think any corporate leader can say, “This has got nothing to do with me.”

I would also query the idea that corporate voice is the same thing as corporate action. I’m not sure that anyone has ever changed their mind on abortion. It’s vastly more important that corporations take the concrete measures to show their commitments to, for example, reproductive rights or one of these other topics than it is that they’re out there making public statements or using their voices or speech. We’ve gotten in a problematic position, wherein we seem to be equating corporate speech with action. And the reality is that there’s very often a huge disconnect between the two.

If it is a question about culture, people, race, gender, or social identity, I don’t think any corporate leader can say, ‘This has got nothing to do with me.’

You want to see CEOs tackle corruption ‘for real.’ How realistic is that?

I started working in the anti-corruption world in the aftermath of 9/11. Back then, the FCPA [Foreign Corrupt Practices Act] wasn’t really being enforced. And there was this very widespread notion, even if people wouldn’t say it publicly, that, “That’s just the way they do business over there,” or, “That’s just the cost of doing business and that kind of thing.”

The story of anti-corruption is fascinating, because we have since then seen the emergence of a very coherent international consensus. There is an understanding of what it takes to have a good anti-bribery program and what companies need to have in place.

Today, your business partners will know they need to sign these agreements with you. So we’ve really seen this transformation of the regulatory environment and corporate practices over the past couple of decades. But as your question implies, there are real concerns that corruption itself hasn’t diminished.

We’ve ended up with a big compliance machine, whereby companies have policies and procedures and they tick the boxes, but we haven’t really made much progress in tackling things like repeated demands for facilitation payments, combined with extortion in the port sector, for example. Nor have we made progress on the very difficult questions of when, how, and whether a big multinational should work in a country that has enormous corruption problems or enormous human rights problems. I fully agree that tackling these wider questions of corporate impact is very, very challenging.

We’re relying on this nexus of policies and procedures, and we’re not really getting to the point. This topic of corruption has a lot of lessons for advocates of human rights and climate change and those kinds of issues.

It also illustrates the limits of regulation. It’s very common for people challenging ESG and these voluntary actions to say that what we really need is more government regulation. The story of anti-corruption tells us both what regulation can achieve and what its limits are because of the way regulatory risk is treated by corporations.

What will real success look like on these issues?

I was asked to write a very practical book. I have tried to do that. There are tips. There are approaches. There are methodologies. There are tools. I want the book to speak to readers at that level. I want to answer the question: “If I wanted to run an ethical business today, how would I realistically go about it?”

But the underlying argument of the book is that the metaphors we use to describe corporate life, the metaphors we use to describe the role of business in society, are not helpful. We treat corporations like self-interested, profit-maximizing black boxes. We personify them. We talk about them as if they’re people with singular brains that can be hypocrites. We talk about them as if they’re entities that can be separated from society. And none of this describes what organizations are.

We treat corporations like self-interested, profit-maximizing black boxes. We personify them. We talk about them as if they’re people with singular brains that can be hypocrites. We talk about them as if they’re entities that can be separated from society. And none of this describes what organizations are.

What I’m really encouraging everybody to do is to think of organizations as the open systems that they are. Organizations are social systems. They sit in other environmental, social, and political systems. They can’t seal themselves off. Nor can they take on every challenge out there. I try to present this idea that we need new metaphors. I clearly do not explore all the implications of that. My hope is that readers will challenge and advance these ideas and that we will have a better debate and a better conversation.

I want to be very clear. I’m a long way from answering all the very profound questions that I raise. What I really hope for is a better discourse about these topics, because it feels like we’re lost in this fog of noise and everybody is yelling at each other. And we’re not even getting to the point.

Watch the full interview

Visit Author Talks to see the full series.

Alison Taylor is the executive director of Ethical Systems and clinical associate professor at NYU Stern School of Business. Raju Narisetti is the leader of McKinsey Global Publishing and is based in McKinsey’s New York office.

Comments and opinions expressed by interviewees are their own and do not represent or reflect the opinions, policies, or positions of McKinsey & Company or have its endorsement.

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