Man Fails His Job Interview Immediately Following Trick Test At Reception

Oct 21, 2021 by apost team

Job interviews are pretty nerve-wracking, so it’s common for people to feel worried or anxious going into the interview. Most job interviewers are looking for candidates who are friendly, pleasant to be around and, of course, great workers. Even though it can be hard to show off our best sides when we feel pressured, stressed or worried, it’s something that we need to strive to do in order to get the job.

First impressions can be long-lasting for some people, so it’s important to show off your best attributes during the initial stages of the interview. That initial stage may even start before the interview does. According to one person on Reddit, interviews typically start the moment you set your foot in the door of the place you’re trying to get hired at. However, a man that had come in for a job interview that day seemed to forget this very important lesson.

The original poster (OP) had previously decided to set up a test at the receptionist’s desk. Unfortunately, the man in search of a job at the company failed the test and his job interview within just the first few minutes of being in the building. The story was shared on the r/ProLifeTips forum on Reddit back in November 2020 and has since shed light on how critical the first few moments of meeting someone new and interviewing at a new place can be. Read on to find out more about this failed interview and how important it is to show kindness to everyone you meet.

“Today, a candidate blew his interview in the first five minutes after he entered the building,” the OP said, starting off his Reddit post from Nov. 17, 2020. The OP explained that the man was extremely dismissive of the receptionist and her efforts to make small talk. “She greeted him and he barely made eye contact,” the OP explained. “She tried to engage him in conversation. Again, no eye contact, no interest in speaking with her.”

What the potential job candidate did not know was that the entire set-up was actually a test. The person that he thought was a receptionist was actually the hiring manager filling in at the receptionist’s desk as a test to see how people would treat her based on her title change.

The OP continued, “She called him back to the conference room and explained how every single person on our team is valuable and worthy of respect. Due to his interaction with the ‘receptionist,’ the hiring manager did not feel he was a good fit.” The hiring manager had continued on and essentially said, “Thank you for your time, but the interview is over.”

The OP edited the original post to add more context about just how dismissive the interviewee had been. The OP explained, “It wasn’t just lack of eye contact. He was openly rude and treated her like she was beneath.” However, it seemed like the man was able to be respectful and friendly, but only to people he thought were above him. His attitude completely changed the moment he realized he was speaking to the hiring manager.

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The OP said, “When he thought he was talking to the decision maker, personality totally changed. Suddenly he was friendly, open, relaxed. So I don’t think this was a case of social anxiety.” The OP explained that the position the man had been trying to get was a client-facing position, meaning candidates needed to be warm, approachable and outgoing in order to be successful in the role.

Reddit users added their own experiences in the comment section, explaining how kindness and respect should go both ways between an interviewer and the interviewee. One user said, “Goes both ways. I once turned down a job because of the way the HR guy spoke to the receptionist.” the OP agreed and said, “Very true! Interviews are a great chance to see if this is (the) place where you will enjoy working.”

Another user talked about her own situation similar to the one the OP shared. She works as a store manager and was filling in for one of her cashiers when the interviewee came in early. The person was extremely rude and undermined her. Once the cashier returned, the woman brought the man back to her office. She explained, “I did not interview him. I told him I wouldn’t hire someone who wasn’t willing to treat people with respect and he showed absolutely none.”

Every person in an office serves a purpose and plays an important role in the company’s success. Not only that, but people in general deserve respect, no matter what title they hold at their place of employment. The moral of the story: be nice to everyone.

What do you think about this interview test? Have you had any bad experiences during a job interview? Let us know, and feel free to pass this along to your family members and friends, too.