How to Answer: What would you do if a coworker asked you to help steal?
Advice and answer examples written specifically for a Dignity Health job interview.
4. What would you do if a coworker asked you to help steal?
Why the Interviewer Asks This Question
The interviewer would like to know how you would react if put in an awkward or potentially harmful situation like being asked by a coworker to steal with them. Theft can occur in many ways in the workplace and is not necessarily reserved to blatantly taking a product. Ensure that you are aware of the different ways a coworker may try to pass stealing off as 'no big deal.' Some examples include:
- Timecard fabrication, also known as 'buddy punching,' where you punch in for a coworker who is not present
- 'Borrowing' money from petty cash
- Falsifying vendor or expense accounts
- Taking items from the lost and found
- Stealing data or documents containing confidential information
- Taking expensive office supplies like ink or adding personal items to supply orders
- Billing false hours or services to an insurance company
Of course, you already know how to answer this question! Express that you would never engage in this type of behavior and discuss how you would go about reporting this type of situation. If this has happened to you in the past, you can talk about the case without providing the coworker's name.
Written by Krista Wenz on May 30th, 2022
Focus Your Answer On
Focus on letting the interviewer know that you are an honest person with morals and ethics. Make sure they understand that you would never condone or participate in this type of behavior and would report it to your supervisor. You want to avoid saying you would participate in stealing or look the other way if you saw a coworker do something unethical. If the interviewer feels you are untrustworthy, they will not hire you for the position.
Written by Krista Wenz on May 30th, 2022
Answer Example
"If a coworker asked me to help steal, I would be appalled. I do not condone theft of any kind, and I would let my coworker know that. I would report the incident to my immediate supervisor and document the encounter."
Written by Krista Wenz on May 30th, 2022
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