57-year-old candidate interviews with a recruiter he belittled years ago, now the tables have turned: 'You can show yourself out'

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Ben Weiss • Writer and Editor
May 31, 2025 2:00 PM EDT

Always be careful who you disrespect! You never know when your actions might come back to haunt you.

The funny thing about working in an insular, tight-knit industry is that the same people will resurface time and time again. When this recruiter had just entered the workforce, she took an interview with an accomplished businessman. It did not go well. In fact, he was abrasive and unnecessarily dismissive of her qualifications and capabilities. It's the kind of unfair treatment that you never forget, the kind of encounter you replay in your head over and over again with the hopes that maybe you will get to prove that person wrong one day. 

Well, for the author of this tale, that day came around. Now that she's in a senior recruitment position, she found herself in an interview opposite the same businessman, now 57, only this time, the roles were reversed. He did not recognize her at first, but once he did, he knew his chances were over.

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    Cheezburger Image 10511968256
    via Unsplash+ (Getty Images)

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

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    Not me, but a good friend who is a very talented and in demand executive recruiter. She was interviewing candidates for a high level, high paying job. She met with a candidate who she
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    recognized as a manager who had interviewed her years ago. He treated her like garbage, was r de,
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    demeaning and told her there was no way he'd hire her. But, she is a professional and didn't say anything and continued the interview.
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    She thought he was looking at her kind of oddly and finally he said, "have we met before?"
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    She replied that they had, many years ago. He said, " did I interview you?" She said that he had. He was quiet for a minute and said, "There is no way I am getting this job,
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    is there?" She replied, "that is correct." He just sighed and said, "I'm 57 years old, unemployed for 14 months and pretty much lost everything. I
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    guess that's the 'sleeping in the bed you made' concept, huh?" She replied, "sounds right to me. You can show yourself out."
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    e-re WE ARE HIRING APPLY TODAY
    via Eric Prouzet

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

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    XaciousT 14h ago • At least he recognized what he had done was messing up his present prospects. So many people are oblivious to that and have no regrets or remorse for their past stupid actions.
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    Hopefully, it is also changing his attitude and how he treats people in all different situations. It is too late for many jobs he is interviewing for, it sounds like, but it isn't too late for life in general.
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    Erin TacoQueen ⚫ 14h ago . Everything comes full circle
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    eknj2nyc 14h ago . Karmic justice served face to face. Sweet.
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    different-take4u 14h ago At least he learned something in all his years, finally.
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    Tiny-Team4872 - 13h ago Time wounds all heels.
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    headlessbill-1 • 12h ago What makes this even more delicious is the way your friend conducted herself with class throughout. Delightful.
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    wild_harmony. 9h ago One of my favourite quotes: "Be careful of who's toes you step on on your way up, because they may be attached to the a you'll have to kiss on your way down." - Tony Reeves
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    delulu4drama • 14h ago What goes around, comes around
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    Wuss999 12h ago Be nice to people on the way up as you may meet them on the way down.
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    Historical_Wave_... 12h ago Karma hits even harder once you mature enough to be aware that your past will catch up to you.
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    Just_Situation8612 · 6h ago "I'm 57 years old, . unemployed for 14 months and pretty much lost everything. I guess that's the 'sleeping in the bed you made' concept, huh?" Did he try to guilt her or was actually self aware?
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    Renbarre 9h ago If you can't treat people decently for decency sake, remember that you might meet them in the future in totally different settings. This is also true of children, they become adults.
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  • What's amusing about this story is the interaction these two people had once the 57-year-old interviewee put two and two together and realized who he was talking to. He knew immediately that he wasn't going to get the job, but her response was perfect: terse, direct, and final. After all these years, this dude might have finally learned his lesson.

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recruiter employee work stories toxic-workplace manager job work petty revenge funny work stories job interview interview employment toxic-work-environment
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