I Hold The Torch To: Professional Integrity
Nicholas Luciano, NLC
I Hold The Torch: Professional Integrity
I hold the torch to – bringing the best of you to every situation. We as college students and soon to be professionals know that it is our goal to always conduct ourselves according to the highest professional and ethical standards. Professional integrity and ethical behavior is crucial for personal credibility and future career success. If we aspire to be the best of the best, it is not just about following proper codes of conduct, finishing work in a timely manner, cooperating in a group, and doing our assigned tasks every day. These are simply the basics. Professional integrity involves much more than that. It consists of how others view you in a professional setting especially when managing your own reputational risk. With the media driven and technologically advance world we live in today, we are constantly being watched and scrutinized.
Not only is our behavior in person being judged by professors, co-workers, mentors, advisors, and friends but also now on a global scale with social media. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and yes even Snapchat has revolutionized the term “reputation.” Remember that anything we post is now public knowledge. We must think before we act because perception is reality to our future employers. We have to hold ourselves for the commitment to excellence in our professional lives, always keeping personal and professional separate.
Now think about this:
– No matter what we do and where we go in today’s world, we are constantly under scrutiny through social media. According to a study from the market analyst On Device Research, 1 in 10 young job seekers in 2013 lost a job opportunity because of their social media profiles. 70 percent of young Americans surveyed said they were not concerned that their social media accounts could hurt their prospective careers. Two-thirds said the possibility of social media negatively impacting their future careers wouldn’t stop them from using it. So maybe posting a selfie at a certain party isn’t the best idea…
– We idolize celebrities and athletes who have been questioned about holding up to their professional standards and ethics. Think about the recent Super Bowl that has passed with deflate gate and the New England Patriots. How about baseball players like Alex Rodriguez using steroids to undermine the integrity of the game? Think about who you are and what you stand for. Sometimes there is a situation of being at the wrong place at the wrong time; but don’t give anyone a chance to ever question your professional credibility.
Ask yourself…
– How do we want others to view us in a professional setting?
– Will we make improper decisions that will affect our future career?
– What can we do to minimize damage done to our reputation through proper use of social media?
– Will we think before we act?
– How can we help those around us to also uphold a certain degree of professionalism their daily lives?
Learn all about “I Hold the Torch,” the Integrity Week 2015 Initiative of the NLC! Hold the torch, meet the challenge, and get involved as student leaders on your campus, all across the #NSCSnation!