professional ethic

I remember in my sociology subject back in college when our professor asked the class,"Do all people with etiquette have manners?" I raised my hand and answered "No!". And then my professor in turn affirmed on me. Our lesson during that time whas about proper etiquette like table manners and the like. I don't know what flashes me back to that lesson but I'm quite sure that this personal experience of mine can relate to it.

I applied in one school without any idea at all that they were actually into immediate hiring. I submitted my credentials but was never hopeful that I would hear from them right away. After an hour, I received a message from the HR personnel asking me to report the following day. The next morning, I went back for an interview. The HR head asked me how did I hear about the hiring. I plainly said that I had no idea at all that there was any hiring. We talked for about 20mins. or so. Our conversation was very casual and the HR head was plain warm and nice during the whole time of interviewing me. Right after our talk, she asked her staff to bring me to the Principal's office, perhaps for final interview. I often perceived school principals to be in their 50's or late 40's. However, to my amusement, the woman sitting inside an air-conditioned room, asking me how I am , was only in her mid 30's. And so I thought she must have been a very intellectual woman to be an achiever already at such an age.

When she was about to interview me, the phone near her rang. And with just a split second I heard her already conversing with the other person on the line. Her words went this way. "I like the other one ( referring to the other applicant who came in first for an interview before me)". She went on saying, "I really like her,.. Yeah, we're eying for her..she's my bet...ok, she's here already(referring to me)I haven't talked to her yet..I still have to talk to her (me)...ok." And then she put down the phone and faced me, asked me only one or two questions and then told me to just wait for their call.

Whoaaa!What would you feel hearing professionals talking in front of an applicant voting for one againts the other? I was so disappointed with what I heard that I so wanted to evaporate from my chair. In my mind, do they know that I have feelings too? Can't she have at least professional decency or ethical manner to talk about this matter with her subordinates in private?

Ethics means the rules or standards governing the conduct of a person or the members of a profession. Was the principal ever aware with her action during that time? or just too overwhelmed to have voted for the other applicant and forgot that I was there? Or was i just being sensitive?

My college professor was indeed right for asking us then. And I was indeed right for saying "No".