When was the last time your sense of ethics were put to the test?
"I worked in a retail job where I caught a mother stealing formula. On one hand, our policy for theft was clear, and on the other hand it was a terrible situation, and I felt very sympathetic towards this mother. I wanted to just let her go, but that would've put my integrity on the line, and I promised my employer of how I would conduct myself in the event of catching someone in the act of theft. So, I informed the store owner, and offered to pay for the product for the mother. The store owner came out, and she spoke with the woman. She said that she had her own surveillance, and would press charges if she ever entered the store again with the intent of stealing. The mother promised she wouldn't do it again. Then the store owner gave this woman several bottles of formula and said that the next she sees it she should be to pay her for this formula, and made her write a promissory note to pay. She then wrote down several resources she could turn to get help."
"I worked with a supervisor who demanded I do something unsafe to speed up a job. I valued my personal safety, yet they clearly didn't, and I refused. They threatened to document my insubordination, so I told them I would rather have our manager do it. And walked up to them and confessed to my insubordination. In the end, I received praise for upholding my commitment to the safety practices of the workplace, and to reporting harassment of any kind."
Many of the questions you'll be asked test your familiarity with the Civil Service and DWP, and how well suited you are for the role of a Work Coach. For example, when performing your research, you'll learn that the Civil Service Core Values are 'integrity', which they define as "putting the obligations of public service above your own personal interests." 'Honesty', which they define as "being truthful and open." 'Objectivity', which they define as "basing your advice and decisions on a rigorous analysis of the evidence." And 'impartiality', which they define as "acting solely according to the merits of the case and serving equally well governments of different political persuasions." So when answering this question, make sure your example outlines how you embrace these values, and how you already live a professional life according to their culture.
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