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Ethics in College Class?

My wife has always enjoyed medicine…watching shows, studying books, etc. So recently she decided to go to nursing classes (currently in the pre-nursing classes).

In one of her required classes, a Professional Presence class, focuses quite a bit on a professional image and going to a job inteview. Her professor in this class is a human resources manager for a small tech firm.

What I found most interesting is my wife told me the professor, a human resources manager, recommended that all the students lie on their resumes and in their interviews. She told them that if they earned $45,000, they should write $55,000.

And the interview was a “game” where you should lie just so long as you don’t get caught. Exaggerate your earnings, your references, your education, etc.

When she interviewed someone, if she caught someone lying, she could not hire them. Yet, all the students were told to lie, especially on their earnings since it is unlikely they would get caught here.

So in her eyes, lying is highly recommended, but only if you’re really good at it…and people don’t catch you.

I wonder how many people in the business world subscribe to this same ethical opinion?

Take this as a simple warning for when you’re hiring…professional instructors and human resources managers are teaching your future employees how to fool you.

Written by Terry · Filed Under All 

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4 Responses to “Ethics in College Class?”

  1. Jim Galiano on March 11th, 2007 11:36 pm

    It’s not surprising at all to hear this. I recently heard the exact same thing on a talk radio show. According to recent polls that were taken, there are many people believe this way. Basically, most people feel they’re being lied to by just about everyone – from sales people to politicians and everyone in between.

    I believe everyone lies and exaggerates at times, it’s human nature. But adopting that as a lifestyle is another thing even though it’s obviously becoming more commonplace these days.

    The truth is, a lot of people have become jaded these days. They see everything as false and corrupt. So… they just “do what everyone else does.”

    The problem with premeditated lying is… one lie often leads to another… which leads to another, and so on. Life is short to go through covering up one deception after another.

    And even though it may be possible to lie your way to the top… I doubt that there would be much fulfillment in it once you got there.

    The main point the professor gave seems to be – “don’t get caught.” I have to say, though… life has enough challenges and pressures without adding a nice-sized helping of “don’t get caught” on top of everything else.

    I’m sure others feel the same. Especially the ones who “got caught.”

  2. Terry on March 12th, 2007 7:42 am

    Hi Jim,

    Thanks for posting…I agree that it’s human nature to exagerrate. And you have to really concentrate on it to avoid it (or get in the habit of apologizing whenever you do it which definitely helps clear it up).

    The problem is that many people have made it a lifestyle. They think nothing of it. I think it’s sad really. It seems most people use the excuse “everybody is doing it…”

    It reminds me of my mother’s response to that, “Well if everybody was jumping off the bridge, would you do it?”

    If you have to become fake to get the job, get the girl (or guy), or get what you want…you’re now no longer free to be yourself. How in the world can anyone be happy in that situation?

  3. Joy Langtry on March 23rd, 2007 8:38 am

    Thanks for this post. It has become quite thought-provoking for me, and I’ve returned to it twice now before commenting.

    At first I found it really disturbing. As a former HR professional myself, I can’t imagine promoting fraud. I was in the situation of assisting a department head in firing an employee who lied about his degree, back in the day.

    But then it occurred to me that this is just the next step. Companies are constantly spinning official policy statements and requiring staff to stick to the script. Risk managment requires neutrality, which in turn inhibits honesty and candor.

    And this is one of the reasons I chose to leave a corporate employer of almost 20 years… When I look at myself in the mirror, I can see past the Professional Presence and still respect myself.

    Offering value to your customers, clients and readers is so much more natural if you are based on a foundation of truth.

  4. Terry on March 26th, 2007 8:32 am

    Hi Joy,

    Thank you so much for your comment. I think personally I found her referring to it as a “game” to be the biggest problem. It’s one thing to know that people do lie. It seems another thing to me totally that it’s being recommended in college.

    I personally love being in my own business also for this reason. No one can push you into breaking your ethics. When I run into a client I see that’s being unethical, I can easily “fire” them.

    Terry

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