When it comes to the job hiring process, first impressions make a huge difference. That’s why one job candidate was kicked out of the interview within the first five minutes because he was rude to the receptionist in the main lobby. According to an employee from the company, the receptionist was actually the hiring manager in disguise, and the prospective employee was both “dismissive” and rude to the “receptionist” because he thought he was above her in terms of authority and power.
Little did the arrogant job interviewee know, but the receptionist that he treated like crap was actually the hiring manager in disguise. The manager wanted to put themselves into the position of the receptionist to test how the job applicant would treat other people at the company, even those who are lower on the totem pole when it comes to authority within the business – like those running the reception desks and stuff.
According to the employee who shared the incident on Reddit, the job interviewee lost his chance at the position before his sit-down portion of the interview even got underway. Because he was so rude and mean to the receptionist, he lost his chance at the job before he even got a chance to speak out about his qualifications and his accomplishments at previous work positions.
The anonymous employee wrote on Reddit, “Today, a candidate blew his interview in the first five minutes after he entered the building… He was dismissive to the receptionist. She greeted him, and he barely made eye contact. She tried to engage him in conversation. Again, no eye contact and no interest in speaking with her. What the candidate did not realize was that the ‘receptionist’ was actually the hiring manager. She called him back to the conference room and explained how every single person on our team was valuable and worthy of respect. Due to his interaction with the ‘receptionist,’ the hiring manager did not feel he was a good fit. Thank you for your time, but the interview is over. Be nice to everyone in the building.”
Many people shared their reactions to the story in the comments on Reddit. One person suggested that even if the receptionist was not the hiring manager in disguise, the fact that the prospective employee was rude to her meant that he was not a good fit for the company culture.
“‘I’ll add as someone who’s been on every step of the hiring ladder, even if the receptionist wasn’t the hiring manager, the receptionist will still get her two cents in at the water cooler while decisions are being made,” the person wrote.
The commenter added, “In a few fields I’ve worked in, it wasn’t just the people in the conference room that were consulted before making an offer. Be on point at all times, every employee is a potential teammate, and they’re all assessing you.”
Do you think more companies should test interviewees like this?