Transportation Security Administration includes 'integrity' in its core values. Talk about a time you acted with integrity.
Integrity is a core value of the Transportation Security Administration and the cornerstone of its mission. The TSA looks for Screeners who embody integrity by committing to making the right decision at all times, including reporting any breach of integrity ever observed.
Integrity means possessing 'the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles.' The TSA wants to see how you have exercised integrity in your work and personal life.
First, talk about what integrity means to you. Then, offer an example of a time you faced the temptation to do the wrong thing when nobody was looking. What made you do the right thing in the end, and how did it make you feel?
To organize your answer, use the STAR method, which is a beneficial approach when answering behavioral-based interview questions. STAR is an acronym for Situation, Task, Action, Result, and it can help you to frame and organize your response in a way that will resonate with your interviewer.
"My definition of integrity is to choose to do the right thing, even when nobody is looking. I possess your core value of integrity because I do what is right, no matter the alternatives. (Situation) When earning my diploma in Criminology, I received a higher grade on my transcript than I earned. (Task) I am an honest person and knew it was up to me to report the error. (Action) I brought the error to the attention of my administrator, who then had the grade reversed. I could have taken credit, but in the end, I didn't earn that grade. I was determined to start my career off on the right foot, which is through complete honesty. (Result) Today, I can attend this interview with the TSA knowing full well that I earned this meeting through hard work and acts of total integrity."
"Integrity is a core value, and I know TSA lists integrity as one of its core values. I would have no issue living up to TSA's established guiding principles and standards of conduct. Everyone is accountable for their actions and inactions. I am ever conscious of this. Anytime I have witnessed or been invited to participate in unethical conduct, I have declined. Anytime I was invited to remain silent and look the other way, I also declined. In those instances, I've invited them to rethink their actions, suggested they admit to their misconduct, and conduct themselves with integrity moving forward. If they choose to continue on their ill-advised course of action, I inform them it leaves me with no choice but to report their behavior to the proper authorities. As I see it, if they involve me, and ask me to betray myself and my values, then any consequences to their actions belong to them, and them alone."
Community answers are written by other candidates practicing this set. Reading how others frame the same question is one of the fastest ways to sharpen your own.
Anonymous Answer
I believe integrity is how you behave when no one is looking. Most recently I registered for two civil service promotion exams. They both had the same length-of-service requirements; however, I received a notice that I did not qualify for one of the exams. I called to find out why I did not qualify and was told I had not fulfilled the length of service requirements. I could have ignored the fact that they allowed me to register for the other position, but that did not sit well with me, so I told her. Rather than disqualify me, she thanked me and said since that was her error she would allow me to take the exam.
Cindy's Feedback
This is a good start. You show honesty through your answer. Can you also talk about other ethical strengths that connect to the job?
