'You were not qualified': Job candidate messages interviewer to decline role, receives unhinged response in return

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Brad Dickson • Managing Editor
Apr 18, 2024 10:00 AM EDT

Rejection is a hard pill to swallow, no matter what form it comes in. You can sugarcoat it any way you like, throw around the whole "It's not me, it's you," "It's just not a good fit," or "I really don't like the cut of your jib," and your words are still going to have the same message: "I don't want to be around you anymore, and everything is over between us." While there are certain situations where this is more cutting, such as a clandestine rendezvous with a long-time associate, it's still a brutal affront to anyone's ego, even when it comes after a first meeting, shattering any prospective future you might have imagined with the other party. And, of course, when our ego is affronted, we tend to react poorly, even the most measured and nonconfrontational among us might be pushed to such ends as not going out of our way to open the door for the other party.

 

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  • Hey LOL-I offered it to someone this afternoon after you left. I ended the interview with you early as you were not qualified
    via Christina @ wocintechchat.com
  • r/jobs Primary Reality 9717 email I got post interview I mean I guess I didn't have to send a follow up but do lady
    via Primary_Reality9717

  • The candidate sent this email to the interviewer

    It was lovely meeting you this afternoon! I appreciate you taking the time to talk with me. For the sake of not wasting your time, I'm just going to follow up now and let you know I don't think I'll be pursuing the position. I wish you the best of luck in finding a new candidate, and hope you have a great weekend!
    via Primary_Reality9717

  • The interviewer replied with the following unhinged response:

    Hey LOL-I offered it to someone this afternoon after you left. I ended the interview with you early as you were not qualified and did not want to lead you on. So sorry! So you know, what I did is interview protocol to talk through a job with someone and ask them to go back and see if that is what they want to do. While interviewing others. It was obvious you were not right. I was just being nice. Wish you the best of luck finding your right fit in careers!
    via Primary_Reality9717

  • Screenshot of the original email exchange, which was shared to a popular online workplace discussion community

    Jun 16 (3 days ago) It was lovely meeting you this afternoon! I appreciate you taking the time to talk with me. For the sake of not wasting your time, I'm just going to follow up now and let you know I don't think I'll be pursuing the position. I wish you the best of luck in finding a new candidate, and hope you have a great weekend! Jun 16 (3 days ago) to me Hey LOL-I offered it to someone this afternoon after you left. I ended the interview with you early as you were not qualified and did not
    via Primary_Reality9717

  • The Original Poster (OP) shared additional context in a response to this comment:

    disgruntled CPA2 You were super reasonable and courteous and she was like LOL you nice. BYE HAHA. Sorry. I'm just being > ✩ 5.9K ⇓ Reply ↑ Share Primary_Reality 9717 OP She was so crazy, the entire interview she was constantly checking her phone / generally being incredibly unprofessional and towards me - I knew almost immediately it was not a good fit but she instructed me "go home and think about the job & let me know if you're interested or not" which I wasn't, but I thought *well it's nice t
    via Primary_Reality9717
  • Lordlillefugl Yeah, why would she spend time and effort writing all these words when a simple "thank you for your email, good luck in the future " would be enough. This just screams insecurity. What a child 111 Reply ↑ Share
    via Primary_Reality9717
  • winterbird "I broke up with you first!!" Who is this loser, please name and shame the company that would keep staff this incompetent and thin skinned. > ↑ 2.6K 2.6K Reply ↑ Share Primary_Reality 9717 OP Small boutique PR company unfortunately staff of 1! Would have been just me and her in a windowless one room office in Sherman oaks 1.5K Reply ↑ Share
    via Primary_Reality9717
  • lowdrag1 Drop the company name. People like this shouldn't be afforded anonymity. If that's how they treated an interviewee, imagine how they treat peers and subordinates. Ө 852 Reply ↑ Share Primary_Reality 9717 OP Small boutique PR company, she gives me the vibe that she's already miserable enough i don't want to doxx her lol this was years ago and i came across it in my starred gmail folder and it gave me a chuckle. That's as far as it should go 593 Reply ↑ Share
    via Primary_Reality9717
  • kateshowers This is incredibly toxic and you dodged a bullet my friend! Imagine what it would be like working with this person. I would send this to their higher ups and let them know this is how they are treating their applicants. It's extremely unprofessional and gross. Another commenter nailed it, gives off "I broke up with you first!" vibes, which is just weird for a job interview. 259 ↓ Reply ↑ Share Primary_Reality 9717 OP This is from a few years ago and I stumbled upon it again today so
    via Primary_Reality9717
  • Shihyus "The worst they can say is no." 110 Reply ↑ Share johnnymo1 This is way better than a simple no. This is clearly the interviewer being butthurt that OP didn't want to continue and embarrassing herself as a result. Great for a laugh on OP's end and probably an indicator she wanted OP to take it. 29 Reply ↑ Share
    via Primary_Reality9717
  • e3mpty The interviewer resorted to pettiness. They could have responded with a "no problem, we understand and wish you best of luck" rather than being a complete egomaniac trying to get one up on the op. They did this out of spite as I see no other reason to respond like this especially if they already filled the role. You definitely dodged a bullet there if that's how they treat people. 52 Reply ↑ Share
    via Primary_Reality9717
  • CuteSpacePig I had a company's HR be extremely snarky to me via email before. I responded that I didn't appreciate the discourtesy and CC'd their admin. I got an email from the president saying they received my email and would address my concerns and then got an apology email from the HR person, lol. I have no qualms calling people out to their bosses for rudeness. ↑ 78 ⇓ Reply ↑ Share
    via Primary_Reality9717
  • lilpumpsy name and shame. why is she treating u like u rejected her after a first date 175 Reply ↑ Share Primary_Reality 9717 OP She was simply devastated by her loss... 30 д Reply ↑ Share
    via Primary_Reality9717

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