How to Answer: Tell me about an ethical dilemma you faced in the workplace and how you handled it.
Advice and answer examples written specifically for an ADP job interview.
18. Tell me about an ethical dilemma you faced in the workplace and how you handled it.
Why the Interviewer Asks This Question
Integrity is listed as one of ADP's core values. This question allows the interviewer to discover more about your character. It's not uncommon for ethical dilemmas in the workplace to come up from time to time, so speak openly about any relevant experiences you've had. Think carefully about your answer, as it will leave a strong impression.
Written by Jaymie Payne on November 13th, 2022
How to Answer
Demonstrate your ability to follow a company policy for this type of issue and your commitment to honesty, integrity, and loyalty to your organization. Show examples of how you've "done the right thing," even when it may have cost you personally or professionally. Demonstrate how you bring honesty and fairness to the team and how you have been a good role model to others.
Written by Jaymie Payne on November 13th, 2022
1st Entry Level Example
"In school, I realized there was an error with the grading system, and I received perfect scores prior to submitting the assignment. I could have kept quiet and continued to receive those grades for work I didn't complete, but I knew that was not the right thing to do. I made my professor aware, and he thanked me for my honesty because it appeared that the error was widespread and happening to several other students."
Written by Jaymie Payne on November 13th, 2022
1st Answer Example
"When I worked in the office at my last job, we had a strict policy against taking office supplies. I had a coworker who took home several items like paper, printer ink, staples, etc. I reminded her that the company that a strict policy regarding taking home office supplies, which could result in a write-up or termination. She put the items back, but I witnessed her doing the same thing a week later. I notified my manager of the situation, including the first time that I reminded her that it was against company policy. It's never an ideal situation to turn in a fellow coworker, but it's important to speak up and do that right thing, even when it's difficult or uncomfortable."
Written by Jaymie Payne on November 13th, 2022
2nd Answer Example
"I once had a manager that would berate other employees, and, on several occasions, I witnessed them cursing and yelling at my coworkers. It was a tough situation because normally, I would confront the person I believed was acting inappropriately. However, I was afraid of retaliation. It just so happened that our company's annual code of conduct training came out, and it listed specific steps for reporting this type of behavior. I was able to report the incidents to the corporate employee line anonymously, which allowed me to speak up without fear of my personal information being shared and my manager retaliating against me. After investigating the matter, the company took swift action, and I felt assured that I did the right thing by speaking up for others."
Written by Jaymie Payne on November 13th, 2022
About the Author
When I started my career in business management, branding, and marketing, I mistakenly assumed hard work and integrity alone would get me noticed. Back then, I assumed the harder I worked, the faster I’d rise through the ranks. Yet, even in a meritocracy, this is rarely the case.
The goals of my peers competed with mine, and too often, they were better at getting noticed for their accomplishments. And, some of them were all too happy to watch me working harder, as they worked smarter, rising through the ranks faster than me. At one point, a boss of mine labeled me a stealth worker. They said they had no idea I was the one performing all that great work. If only I’d drawn more attention to what I was doing, maybe I would have gotten rewarded for it. So I learned most of my leadership skills the hard way, and the journey was long.
As a leader, my favorite part of the job came to be coaching others. I took pride in sharing the secrets to my eventual success, and offering my outside-of-the-box view of the role. Where other leaders were only in it for themselves, I was genuinely in it for the company and the team. So I taught those I mentored not only what they needed to do, and how to do the job right, but why each step was important. I spelled out how everything fit into the big picture and shared every trick of the trade that no one shared with me. Every single individual I mentored advanced far ahead of their peers, surpassing those who were only in it for themselves.
Another favorite part of the job was recruiting and building the perfect teams. For me, conducting an interview was an art form. I later volunteered my services at career fairs and trade schools, offering advice, from crafting the perfect CV and resume, to delivering a perfect interview, to negotiating a decent raise. Now I am a full-time writer, and left my management career behind me. Yet, I still love coaching others to succeed, and I love writing for mockquestions.com for this very reason.
Here’s what I said to a friend of mine whom I mentored a long time ago: “Every single thing you do, at every stage, can alter the perception others have of your professional worth. My goal is to make you look like an asset worth fighting for.”
Learn more about Kevin Downey