Personal values are a part of the moral code that governs our actions and defines

our identity. They are manifested in our actions, words, and behavior. They also carve us

into the people we aspire to be in the future. Our values eventually become ingrained in our

personalities and become a part of who we are. Over the period, I have developed a list of

core values such as integrity, fairness, responsibility, honesty, law-abiding, and many more.

All these values influence me when making decisions and behaving in both personal and

professional settings and therefore, will impact my job search as well.

We all wish to be a part of an organization and an environment where we’re

confident that we will have opportunities to get hired, grow, participate, and be heard

despite our ethnicity, age, gender, religion, sexual orientation, economic status, and other

diverse backgrounds. Hence, "Fairness" in the workplace is one of the crucial prerequisites

for employees’ well-being. It not only includes the hiring process but also encompasses the

relationships between peers in the workplace. It extends to the way management treats

their employees with equity, respect, and dignity. I will aim to work for companies like

Scotiabank, Canada, or CIBC, Canada where the organisations took initiative for gender

equality. 55.4% of women were employed with Scotiabank in 2020 which is exceeding the

industry average by 7% (Scotiabank, 2020, pg. 3). CIBC has 50% of women representation on

the Board of directors (CIBC, n.d.). In my opinion, when employees are treated fairly, they

have a greater sense of team spirit and overall job satisfaction. They are also motivated,

better engaged, and more productive. In contrast, when the employees feel they are being

treated unfairly, it leads to low morale, absenteeism, and high turnover.

 Another important value that I consider before applying for a job is its Integrity. C. S.

Lewis defines integrity as doing the right thing, even when no one is watching. Integrity is a

combination of several personality traits such as honesty, loyalty, reliability, good judgment.

These traits are critical for the success of any organization. Many leading companies like

Nestle, Unilever, PWC have listed “integrity” as their core value. Take Unilever for instance.

According to Unilever, focusing on business integrity makes them stronger. It aids them in

attracting, retaining, and engaging top talent, as well as selecting the finest suppliers and

business partners. It protects their employees, assets, reputation, and stakeholder

relationships. It helps them to create the right environment for collaboration, both

internally and with their partners. And ultimately, it helps them grow sustainably and deliver

on their Unilever strategy (Unilever PLC, 2022). Companies with integrity are guided by a

strong moral code. As against those lacking integrity may very well be profitable but might

threaten their longevity. We have learned about this when big companies like Enron or

Lehman brothers eventually filed for bankruptcy.

Lastly, I would prefer to work in any organisation that is aware of its social

responsibility and believe in contributing back to its employees, community, and

stakeholders. Through corporate social programs, companies can strengthen their image. In

addition, these programs can also improve employees’ morale. As an aspirant accountant, I

am aware of the social responsibility undertaken by the Big Four auditing firm. Firms like EY

and PWC often engage in creating access to education for their employees as well as to

society (PricewaterhouseCoopers, n.d.). I would consider it a privilege if I can work for Ernst

and Young, Canada, which has defined four areas of corporate responsibility- equity,
education, entrepreneurship, and environment. EY is committed to providing equitable

access to education and networks for their women employees and youths from low-income

communities. They have also partnered with many companies such as Hult International

business school, Thrive academy, Udemy, Skillsoft, and so on to develop employees’ skillsets

to achieve their professional goals (EY, n.d.).

My ideal job would be with a company following core values and offering satisfactory

pay. However, the odds of this happening might be small. Especially since not all companies

engage in corporate social responsibility. Many small and mid-sized companies might find it

difficult to allocate a budget for social causes. Hence, if I choose to work in a big company, it

may result in a work-life balance trade-off as working in big companies comes with a lot of

hard work and stricter deliverables. So, to complete work in time, I will need to work faster

and for long hours. Also, the job profiles in big companies are challenging as well. I will

always consider investing my time and effort to gain expertise and enhance my skills and

trading off some time from my personal life will enable me to do so in my chosen role. Since

there are only three people in my family, I can prioritize my work and also, later on, spend

quality time with my family.

My actions are guided by my values. Thus, fairness, integrity, and social responsibility

are the core values that I will primarily consider for my job search. I am eager to be part of

any organisation which includes diversity and believes in giving back to the community.

While searching for a job, as I will give priority to learning new skills, it might result in

working for extended hours. After my graduation, I hope to find a job that I am truly

passionate about.
 References

Scotiabank. (2020). 2020 Employment Equity Report - gbm.scotiabank.com. Retrieved from

https://www.gbm.scotiabank.com/content/dam/scotiabank/canada/en/documents/
ScotiabankEmploymentEquityReport2020.pdf

CIBC. (n.d.). You belong at CIBC. Inclusion and Diversity at CIBC - Our Team. Retrieved from
https://www.cibc.com/en/about-cibc/corporate-profile/inclusion-and-diversity/
team.html

Unilever PLC. (2022, January 18). Business integrity. Unilever. Retrieved from
https://www.unilever.com/planet-and-society/responsible-business/business-
integrity/

PricewaterhouseCoopers. (n.d.). Joining forces to upskill the world's youth. PwC. Retrieved
from https://www.pwc.com/gx/en/issues/upskilling/upskilling-the-worlds-youth.html

EY Canada. (n.d.). Corporate responsibility. Corporate responsibility | EY Canada. Retrieved

from https://www.ey.com/en_ca/corporate-responsibility

EY Canada. (n.d.). Education. Retrieved from https://www.ey.com/en_ca/corporate-

responsibility/education