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Written for the Employmentpaper.com.
Work Ethics
By: Joyce Bender
As we begin the new millennium, the pursuit of employees with good
work ethics seems more critical than ever before. With the success
and explosion of "DOT COM" companies, also comes the need for talented
employees to work in a fast-paced and demanding environment. One
question frequently asked on interviews today, targeted to determine
the level of an individual's work ethics is - "How do you feel about
working overtime?"
Overtime, a word that may conjure up feelings of despair for many,
is a word that is a way of life for others today. Gone are the days
of the "9 to 5" job in any technology driven company - today "24X7"
(24 hours per day, 7 days per week) seems to be the mindset at
Internet companies. Last year, an article in USA Today described the
young professionals that made millions working for Internet start-ups
after the IPO. The question raised in the article was "Are you
willing to work 80 hour work weeks for the big pay-off?"
So does work ethics mean you have to work at a company where you
work outrageous overtime on a regular basis . . . absolutely not.
Work ethics means you are willing to work overtime when the company
needs you to be there for them. For some companies, such as emerging
"DOT COM" companies, it could be 60+ hour weeks. For other companies,
it could be forty-five hour work weeks.
Work ethics translates into an attitude about work. In a recent
meeting with an executive at a multi-billion dollar external service
provider, a director interviewed, listed the key traits for an
information technology project manager position as "Let's start with
finding people who really want to work and appreciate work." Having
good work ethics means you value the opportunity to work . . . it is
an attitude. For the over thirteen million working age Americans with
disabilities unemployed in the United States today, the ability to
work really means freedom and independence in this country. For those
people, their attitude towards work is that being able to work is a
treasure.
When employers promote an individual, they list work ethics as a
key issue in their selection process. Ina Lavin, Director of Human
Resources for Be Free, Inc. stated "Good work ethics is an expectation
of our managers. If you do not have good work ethics, you will not be
successful."
If you are not moving up in the company, ask yourself the following
questions about your attitude towards work. If your career is really
important to you, it may be time to do an honest self-evaluation.
- Do you have a positive attitude about your job and the company
you work for on a daily basis?
It is really hard for an employer to believe you exude strong work
ethics, if you do not project how much you love your job and the
company. If you are grumbling, complaining or part of the "whiner's
club" at work, you will never convince your boss that you have good
work ethics, or that you should be promoted.
- Do you have a high-level of energy at work?
To be appointed to manage a large project, you need to make the
boss believe you can handle it easily. This is where a healthy
lifestyle is critical, with proper rest, nutrition and exercise
all-important to your success. Burning the candles at both ends will
burn you out.
- Do you do your job right the first time?
This question really comes back to attitude about your job. If you do
your job in a haphazard fashion, you really display a poor attitude
about work. In addition, this situation causes a real productivity
problem for your company. If you do it wrong the first time, you will
be doing it over and over until you get it right.
- Are you willing to work overtime when the company needs you?
The employer today needs employees who will be there for them when it
counts. In information technology, you will most likely work overtime
if you are part of a start-up company or if you are working on a
project implementation. In many cases, many high-paying positions do
require overtime. This is not an unusual way of life in IT, as well
as in many white-collar positions today. If your company needs you
and you are not willing to put the time in, you should not wonder why
you are always passed over at promotions.
- Do you realize how visible "work ethics" are in a small
company, or in a team?
Paula Ballog, CFO at Bender Consulting Services, Inc. said, "Good work
ethics are critical in hiring any employee for any small company in
the United States today."
It is amazing how quickly people forget how visible they are in a
small company, where every employee must handle multiple tasks. Even
in a large corporation, in a team environment, the team player that
does not put in their share is quickly labeled as "lazy". Pittsburgh
is a town that lives on reputations, and you do not ever want that
label.
Remember there are millions of people who would give anything to
have what you possess today - employment. Good work ethics means
pride in your work. Employment is a treasure you never want to
lose.
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