Employee takes an interview from a competitor, CEO finds out, employee gets fired: 'I'm honestly baffled by the situation'

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Ben Weiss • Writer and Editor
Sep 16, 2025 2:00 PM EDT

Looking for another job while currently employed inevitably feels like living a double life. You have to keep up with your current tasks and responsibilities at work so that nobody becomes suspicious about what you might be up to. At the same time, though, you need to make yourself available for interviews with other companies while devoting enough time and energy to preparing for those interviews so that you actually do a good job. It's a tough balancing act that few can accomplish with ease, and this employee certainly tried to pull it off. Unfortunately, it didn't exactly turn out the way they had hoped it would.

After being contacted on Indeed by a competitor, this author decided to hear what these folks had to say and took an interview with them. They weren't actually looking seriously for other job opportunities. This position would actually be a lateral move, but it would be at a company that was closer to their location and therefore more convenient for their commute. After a successful interview, the author felt good about their chances and was told they would hear more very soon. However, nothing was set in stone.

Soon thereafter, the author was confronted by their CEO, who had connected the dots and figured out that they were looking for work elsewhere. The author was backed into a corner and was unable to deny it. That's when they learned that the fragile CEO was letting the employee go as a result. The author began to suspect foul play. After all, how did the CEO figure it out? It's not like the employee was absent or doing a poor job in their current role. When the author contacted the other company, it became clear that there was, in fact, some communication behind their back.

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  • 01

    "Got fired for taking an interview."

    A professional woman sits opposite another woman, who holds a resume in her hand.
    via Resume Genius

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • The worst part of this story has to be the fact that in the end, the author didn't even receive an offer from the other company. Instead, they gave the job to a shady individual. Even the hiring manager admitted that this person would likely end up being a liability. We wish the author the best of luck in their new job search, and we wish the opposite for these two unprofessional CEOs.

  • 02
    Just got fired from my current job since the company I interviewed with called the CEO of my current job. I'm honestly baffled by the situation I'm in. To ellaborate, I was sent an invite on indeed to apply for a lateral position to mine to a company closer my home so I sent them my resume.
    via Educational_Row3728
  • 03
    Things werent working out at my current job, alot of internal fighting, false promises, etc etc. The new company contacted me right away and I set up an interview with them. I did the first interview and it
    via Educational_Row3728
  • 04
    went well and they asked me to come in and do a second interview. I did the second interview and they told me I was a perfect match and they will call me within 24-48 hours with their decision.
    via Educational_Row3728
  • 05
    The next day when I was at work my CEO called me into a meeting and told me he recieved a call from the company I applied to and he wanted to know why i was looking at other jobs. At this point the cats out the bag so I explained why I was looking around.
    via Educational_Row3728
  • 06
    After I was done talking he told me due to the information I have access to at the company he will have to let me go. I went home and calmly called one of the managers at the company I interviewed with to ask them what happened and why would they call my current employment with asking me first.
    via Educational_Row3728
  • 07
    They denied everything and said they were still working on their decision and they will talk with their CEO and get back to me shortly.
    via Educational_Row3728
  • 08
    The CEO called me back 2 hours later to inform me that I didn't get the job and that they were going with a different candidate. I asked him why did they call my current employer. He
    via Educational_Row3728
  • 09
    gave me this ellaborate story that didnt make any sense and claimed he had no idea how my CEO knew. He also told me he isn't to sure about that current guy they are going with and stated he knows the guy has an problem so if things dont work out they will call me.
    via Educational_Row3728
  • 10
    I'm just utterly baffled on why someone would do this. They contacted me, interviewed me twice, called my boss, got me fired, and then didnt even offer me the job. Has anyone else experienced something like this?
    via Educational_Row3728
  • 11
    A professional woman shakes hands with another woman opposite her across the table.
    via Resume Genius

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 12
    verymuchbad 17h ago The CEO is saying to you that they picked an alc ic over you? I'm not surprised they were dumb enough to contact your current employer. OP, both of these companies s k sh.
    via Educational_Row3728
  • 13
    Noah_Fence_214 • 17h ago talk to an employment lawyer, might be a case of Tortious interference. Tortious interference is a civil wrong where a third party intentionally and wrongfully interferes with a valid contractual
    via Educational_Row3728
  • 14
    or business relationship, causing damages to one of the parties involved. To prove tortious interference, a plaintiff must show the existence of a valid contract or business expectancy, the defendant's knowledge of it, the defendant's intentional and unjustified interference, and resulting damages.
    via Educational_Row3728
  • 15
    greenpompom. 17h ago Never, but why would at all anyone call a CEO for a regular employee changing jobs? Is this a startup company, how in the world do these people even have the opportunity to call a CEO.
    via Educational_Row3728
  • 16
    My experience was that if they ask for referrals (i actually have hr email on my cv), I list an HR team member and i have a few old colleagues (same company, just parted ways in other teams) which could vouch for me. But the CEO,
    via Educational_Row3728
  • 17
    nobody speaks to this guy. He stays in a board of directors and other stakeholders and enjoys his coffee, decisions and constant business information. He doesn't care about 1 single employee
    via Educational_Row3728
  • 18
    moving forward with interviews in other companies.. He has a business to run, instead of being a petty j for no reason... Sorry? It just baffles me. Where is this happening?
    via Educational_Row3728
  • 19
    Familiar-Range9014 17h ago They knew you were looking and set you up
    via Educational_Row3728

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