When people talk about preparing for job interviews, it’s mostly about making a good impression on the employer. But let’s flip the narrative for a second. Isn’t it equally important to gauge if the company and the boss are a good fit for you? Just like employees want to avoid working in toxic environments, candidates too should assess their potential workplace during interviews. After all, who wants to spend 8+ hours a day in a place that doesn’t respect or value them?
Recently, Vibha Gupta, a copywriter, shared her own experience on LinkedIn that serves as a lesson for all job seekers. She revealed how a face-to-face interview with a company made her reject a job offer because of the red flags she noticed during the process. Here’s how the events unfolded.
Vibha was made to wait for 15 minutes before her interview started. She didn’t mind the delay, understanding that higher-ups often have busy schedules.
The CEO asked Vibha if the HR team had sent her a video about the company. When she replied in the negative, he called the HR representative into the cabin and scolded her in front of Vibha. She pointed out how this displayed a lack of respect for his own employees. Mistakes can happen, but reprimanding someone in front of a stranger? That’s unprofessional and humiliating.
“No respect towards his employees. While I understand HR made a mistake but it’s disrespectful to scold your employee in front of a stranger,” she wrote.
During the interview, the CEO referred to copywriting as ‘ChatGPT’, Vibha realized that her skills and profession wouldn’t be respected in such a setup.
“Made me realise my work will not be respected by him,” she noted.
Vibha noticed that the CEO had taken a bio she wrote as part of an assignment and forwarded it to his marketing team.
“Will not be surprised if they update their bio in some days,” she added.
After the interview, Vibha decided enough was enough. She messaged HR to explain why she wouldn’t be joining and withdrew her candidature.
She concluded her post by writing, “I agree that he might have worked hard to get there but man, please be humble and respectful towards people around you. Right after the interview, I messaged HR about what happened in the cabin and withdrew my candidature. He might find someone who’ll be a great fit for his company but he doesn’t deserve me.”
Have a look at her full post here:
Vibha’s story is a reminder for job seekers to observe more than just the salary or perks during interviews. Candidates need to look for signs of how employees are treated, whether their work will be valued, and if the leadership respects their team.