Ethics in Marketing: Landing Your Dream Job While Maintaining Your Morals

If there is one thing a person can count on, besides death and taxes, it is the certainty that at some point in their professional career they will be faced with a decision that has lasting moral and ethical consequences. This decision will have a permanent effect on the remainder of that person's life, and although he or she may be the only person to ever know about their choice, the moral and ethical side-effects will permeate their character for as long as they live. So how do people deal with such situations? Although there are many different outcomes to the same ethical dilemma, I will show insight into just one of those possibilities.

While pursuing my Bachelor's degree, I learned that one of the greatest concerns of most college students is acquiring their first job after they graduate. But what would these individuals do if offered a well paying job in their chosen field? They would most likely accept it. But what if, however, accepting that job meant breaking certain moral or ethical codes? Although not illegal, these ethical issued could cause real problems for the individual. If I were offered a marketing position with a cigarette manufacturer, and were faced with this type of dilemma, I would be inclined to turn down such a position.

I feel that by accepting such a position I would be sacrificing my morals and ethics in a selfish act to benefit myself. I personally feel that smoking has a negative affect on those who smoke and the people around them. It would therefore be professionally inappropriate for me to use my marketing knowledge to sell such products to the people of this country. With all the medical problems associated with smoking, I feel that I would be putting my need to have a job above the health and well being of others. On top of that, the medical problems caused by smoking cause a huge strain on the national health care system. Health insurance companies spend untold amounts of money each year treating these medical conditions. It would be inappropriate for me to contribute to this waste of resources and man power. Another more personal reason is that fifteen years ago my grandfather died of lung cancer. Although there is more information on the negatives of smoking available now than ever before, it would be wrong of me to try to work against the efforts of those who have dedicated their lives to educating and informing others about the dangerous side effects of this deadly habit.

Another reason for me to not take the position is that there is such a negative stigma surrounding tobacco companies. With all the negative press caused by government regulations, anti-smoking campaigns, and lawsuits it would not be beneficial to my career to be associated with such an organization. The image these companies have in the public eye would be transposed onto my reputation as a professional. That image is not something I would want to be associated with.

Although many people are already addicted to tobacco products, I don't think that makes it all right for me to aid in the promotion of these products. Despite the fact that tobacco companies are limited by the government as to the venues they can use to promote their products, they still do enough damage to the American public. If tobacco companies want to promote and distribute their products they will do it without my help. I'm not going to contribute to a cause that causes the deaths of thousands of people both young and old. Cigarettes are an addictive and dangerous product, and I refuse to allow my efforts to be associate with the companies that manufacture and promote them.