'The sheer audacity': Company rejects interview candidate, then reaches out for unpaid help months later

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Ben Weiss • Writer and Editor
Mar 1, 2023 8:00 AM EST

There are so many red flags in this story that we lost count. Let's start with the fact that it's one thing for a company to reach out to a former employee for help or advice. However, it's another to reach out to someone they never hired - in fact, someone they fully rejected. And for unpaid advice nonetheless! The 'sheer audacity' is right!

 

This thread, which was posted to Reddit's r/antiwork subreddit by u/Lumberjvvck, serves as yet another example of how many employers these days have no shame when it comes to ethics and boundaries. We haven't even addressed the fact that the Redditor is pretty certain that the person who reached out was the person who received the job offer. How did HR just blindly give away the Redditor's contact information? As we said earlier, there are too many red flags going on here. What's even more upsetting is that if you scroll through the comments below, it's remarkable how unremarkable this phenomenon is. Virtually everyone who commented had been through a similar experience. This company should learn to develop some class.

 

For more stories like this, here's another post about a poorly run company.

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  • 01
    Computer - "A company interviewed for and didn't get to job, is now asking for my help" control optics shift caps lock fab N A O NO n 3 #. 43 20 in Linkedin 4 Twitter ELSEWHERE benkolde.com Instagram ap og and de
    via Ben Kolde
  • 02
    Font - A company I interviewed for and didn't get to job, is now asking for my help Back in the fall, I was on the job hunt, and came across a company and job title that I thought I might enjoy and was also in my field. I applied, and entered into about a month's long interview process and in the end I didn't end up getting the job.
    via u/Lumberjvvck
  • 03
    Font - Fast forward to this past week and I receive an email from someone at the company (who I assume is the person that was rewarded the position I had applied for), asking me for help and suggestions on a project they're working on and if I have any contacts they can use to reach out to.
    via u/Lumberjvvck
  • 04
    Font - It just felt odd being contacted by a company that didn't want to hire me, and then have them reach out and want my help all of a sudden after months of no contact. That's weird right? Unsure of how to respond.
    via u/Lumberjvvck
  • 05
    Font - Lumberjvvck OP 22 hr. ago I figured I would just respond by sending them my freelance consultant rates. If they want/need the help, they can pay for it, but why would they expect me to provide useful information to them for free? Glad that's the consensus on this one. 3.0k Reply Share
    via u/Lumberjvvck
  • 06
    Font - deathrowslave. 21 hr. ago Yes this. "I'm glad to help. My rate is $150/hour. I'll send you my contract to sign so we can get started. Are you free at 10am Monday?" 950 Reply Share
    via u/Lumberjvvck
  • 07
    Rectangle - stberg40 22 hr. ago cc the people you interviewed with on any response. They should know who they hired. 487 Reply Share
    via u/Lumberjvvck
  • 08
    Font - Ra Loetk 21 hr. ago Red flag question: how did this person get your (OP's) personal contact info? I would be extra incensed that HR gave out my applicant's private info to an employee. Another reason to CC the people you interviewed with, just to subtly call them out. 427 Reply Share
    via u/Lumberjvvck
  • 09
    Font - umassmza 22 hr. ago Reply professionally and with a friendly helpful tone. But reply with a question, "Hello, this is my personal email, we're you interested in hiring me for a consulting role?" Something like that. Open the door for freelance work and be sure that your hourly rate is 2-3x what you'd have expected for the position you applied for. Insist on a minimum engagement of at least half a day. Under no circumstances agree to help without compensation. 275 Reply Share
    via u/Lumberjvvck
  • 10
    Font - Setting-Remote - 21 hr. ago Are you sure that you've been contacted by the person they hired instead of you? Because the only way I can see that happening is if the company in question gave them your contact information or they've taken it upon themselves to go on a fishing expedition. If they've used company software/documents to find out who you are without the company's permission, I would imagine they're going to be in a world of s 131 Reply Share
    via u/Lumberjvvck
  • 11
    Font - Lumberjvvck OP. 20 hr. ago It's an assumption that I think makes sense. It's a small company (there were 4 of them at the time of my interview, hiring a 5th for the position I was interested in). The help needed in question refers to some pretty specific previous work experience that I had talked about during the interview process with my interviewer (the boss man). I'm assuming he gave this person my contact information to reach out in regards to something I have a specialty in, which is
    via u/Lumberjvvck
  • 12
    Rectangle - OutZach 22 hr. ago A company that wasted a month of your time wants free work AND referrals?!! Pfffffffff fffffffft.
    via u/Lumberjvvck
  • 13
    Facial expression - BenefitAppropriate 22 hr. ago Respond with an invoice with how much your help will cost.
    via u/Lumberjvvck
  • 14
    Font - rando_design 21 hr. ago This is insanely bizarre. Reaching to talk to an ex-employee is inappropriate, but at least you can connect the dots and understand why they did it. Calling a NEVER employee is just insane to me.
    via u/Lumberjvvck
  • 15
    Font - _MISZCZYK 21 hr. ago Yooooo! Congrats on your new consultancy gig! That's big money!
    via u/Lumberjvvck
  • 16
    Font - RedRabbit1818 - 20 hr. ago That's so...unsettling. The sheer audacity, and the knowledge that they gave your contact info out to a random person you do not know. All of it is bizarre.
    via u/Lumberjvvck
  • 17
    Font - Lumberjvvck OP. 20 hr. ago It's the automatic expectation that's shocking to me. The guy didn't even introduce himself or make pleasantries, he just got straight to the point about asking for help. Like I don't even know who you are, why are you asking me for free help?
    via u/Lumberjvvck
  • 18
    Human body - ApricotNo2918 No response is the proper response. - 21 hr. ago
    via u/Lumberjvvck
  • 19
    Font - heavymetalengineer. 15 hr. ago Yeh forget all this consultation/freelanc e nonsense. Major red flags abound, ignore and move on.
    via u/Lumberjvvck
  • 20
    Font - Firefly2019 17 hr. ago If you have the time and skills then consult or ask them if they are reconsidering you for the perm role? If you don't, then say that although you'd love to help, you no longer have the availability to help them and have engaged with your next employer. Either way, be professional and courteous. Claim the morale high ground. But don't help for free.
    via u/Lumberjvvck
  • 21
    Font - Acidic Junk 20 hr. ago Maybe during the one month interview process you were giving them "free work" for whatever issue they had and didn't realize it. Now they have another problem with the hope you will help them for free again but know you won't fall the the "interview" process again.
    via u/Lumberjvvck
  • 22
    Font - KevDavRod 17 hr. ago . I also got turned down for a job I applied for and interviewed. I didn't even get the decency of a phone call or even a personal email about not getting the position. I got a generic email from an application website that I was denied. About 3 months later the person I interviewed with found me on Facebook and asked if I'd be willing to help the new person they hired!
    via u/Lumberjvvck
  • 23
    Font - 490 TheLaserGuru. 15 hr. ago Surprisingly common. Interviewed for a job, was told I was the top candidate, then was told there was no funding so there was no job...they still email me asking for advise months later.
    via u/Lumberjvvck

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