Center for Career Development

Interview Ethics

• Interview only when you are sincerely interested in a position with an employer.
• Always provide correct information on your qualifications and interests. Never state false information regarding your GPA, major, relevant coursework, or activities on your resume or during an interview.
• If you accept an invitation to interview on-campus and must cancel, notify the Center for Career Development at 931-372-3232 or by email at career@tntech.edu at least 24 hours in advance.
• Always acknowledge an invitation to interview promptly, whether you choose to accept or reject the offer. Only accept an invitation to interview when you are seriously considering a position.
• Notify employers well in advance if you need to postpone or cancel on-site interviews.

Accepting / Rejecting an Offer

Once you accept an offer for a position, verbally or written, you must not renege on the position to work for another employer.  Any questions or concerns you may have regarding offers of employment (ie. timeframe to accept offer) can be discussed with a Center for Career Development staff member.

Always consider the following carefully before you accept a position:

• When discussing an offer of employment with employers, make sure you thoroughly understand the terms and reach a mutually agreeable date to respond to their offer.
• If you need additional time to consider an offer, notify the employer to request an extension. Do not ignore agreed upon deadlines or communication sent from the employer.
• Once you accept an offer, immediately notify any other employers if you have pending offers. Always honor your acceptance of an offer as a contractual agreement.
• Cancel any other scheduled interviews or on-site visits once you have accepted an offer of employment.

* The Tennessee Tech Cooperative Education agreement, professional practices and ethical responsibilities were written with significant assistance from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RIT).