Job interviews are an integral process to getting a job.
It provides a mutual opportunity for you and a representative to get to know each other and to gauge whether or not you are a right fit for the company.
Redditor walkedofffromit is a 27-year-old guy who recently interviewed for a job as a favor to a friend who is the business owner.
It did not go very well.
Feeling guilty about his reaction to an awkward situation, he visited the “Am I the A**hole?” (AITA) subReddit and asked:
“AITA for talking sh*t and walking out of an interview for the way the guy behaved?”
The Original Poster (OP) explained:
“This is still a little fresh and for some reason when I (27M) told it to a friend they seem to think I was an a**hole for my reaction.”
“I usually work freelance but a buddy of mine owns a small business and desperately looking for new people to hire. He asked me to come in for an interview.”
“This was just a formality since he always wanted me for the position regardless. Tbh I wasn’t so sure I wanted the job but thought it wouldn’t hurt to come in anyways.”
“He said I could start part time and work my way to full-time if I like it.”
“My friend left some other guy in charge of interviews, who’s a manager that works under him. Not only was this dude a half hour late but every couple sentences out of my mouth he’d be telling me to pause because his phone would go off and he needed to respond.”
“I Know for a fact it wasn’t work related because who laughs at texts that aren’t personal.”
“Anyways was already annoyed but what really ticked me off was when he looked at my resume and saw my last name.”
“My last name is Hummingbird, my dad’s dad came from Native American background although he (and I) actually don’t know much about it.”
“This guy sees my last name and laughs. He says ‘wait seriously that’s your last name?’ Told him yeah what’s the big deal.”
“Guy keeps laughing and he says sorry not judging me just still getting used to some of the crazy names people give themselves.”
“He told me this other person who interviewed recently—who according to him was obviously a trans female and her name was this ridiculous idk what—for some reason he found it hilarious.”
“Didn’t think it was funny at all. And he’s laughing because he thinks this is a surname I gave myself.”
“But even if it was I didn’t think it was appropriate at all to laugh.”
“On top of that my dad passed away last year so it got a stronger reaction from me.”
“Well first told him about my surname and what makes him think it’s okay to laugh at somebody’s name. After I just got up and said this isn’t working, I’d rather not work along someone like him.”
“Guy was immediately apologetic and to come back because his boss (my friend) will lose it but I kept walking. The whole thing got on my nerves.”
“Couple hours later my friend is asking me what happened. He wasn’t mad but he wanted to know why I changed my mind.”
“Still haven’t told him exactly what it was since the guy looked panicked so don’t know about getting him in trouble with my friend.”
“But reason friend thinks I’m an a**hole is because it was super rude to just get up to leave when the guy was simply joking around and sure he wasn’t trying to be mean intentionally.”
“Not sure really was I an a**hole for the way I reacted?”
Strangers on the internet were asked to declare one of the following:
- NTA – Not the A**hole
- YTA – You’re the A**hole
- NAH – No A**holes Here
- ESH – Everybody Sucks Here
Many Redditors thought the OP was not the a**hole for leaving in the middle of the interview.
“NTA, that dude was being obnoxious and unprofessional.”
“I’d encourage you to tell your friend what happened though, saying stuff like that is a huge HR violation and your friend probably wants to avoid a lawsuit.” – fauxphallus
“Jesus, no, NTA.”
“The guy was outright rude to your face on multiple occasions. He was late, distracted, and LAUGHED AT YOUR REAL NAME???”
“I used to be a recruiter and that’s just absolutely not okay on so many levels—including legal ones!”
“You did the right thing by getting up and walking out of that situation. In fact you handled it with more grace than I would have. Well done.” – ajd041
“NTA I’ve walked out of an interview before. But you 100% need to tell your friend for two reasons. The first is because if you have not told him why you left, he’s arguably right to be annoyed.”
“The second is because this man is the face of your friends company and will not be able to hire anybody worth anything with that terrible attitude and employees are his companies greatest asset.”
“Honestly that man sounds like a detriment to your friend.” – PetiteTicker
“NTA. But I’d tell your friend how the business is being represented to potential employees.”
“If someone else were to take offence to this and decide to take it further, it could cause massive problems for the company.” – old_ginger_guy
“NTA. The man is clearly not the appropriate choice to be giving company interviews if he can’t stay on topic, can’t stay off his phone, shares other interviewees’ personal information, and makes fun of your name.”
“I would tell your friend, because this is the person representing the company, and it does not paint them in a good light when he behaves like an ill behaved teenager.” – TinyRascalSaurus
“NTA. You are under no obligation to stay where you are being disrespected. Not just over your name, but he was disrespectful through the whole interview.”
“He should have taken it seriously and given you his full attention. Instead, he ‘joked’ and wasted your time.” – guppytub
Overall, Redditors didn’t blame the OP for wanting the leave the interview.
After many of the comments suggested the OP explain to his friend what exactly happened, it looks like he came through and heeded their advice.
The OP wrote in an update:
“Okay yes I will be telling my friend about this.”
“I agree he’s got a right to know what this guy is doing and how it could affect his business.”
“Thanks Reddit 👍🏻”