Unemployed person introduces themselves personally to hiring manager, causing the recruiter to say that she didn't care whether the candidate came in person or just sent their CV: 'I knew she meant me.'

Author image for María Cetra
María Cetra • Writer
Jul 12, 2026 12:00 PM EDT

Unemployment is hard enough. Having hiring managers also be horrible towards candidates.

Sometimes hiring managers aren't the nicest people. They are just doing their job: reviewing thousands of resumes, having a lot of interviews a day, and having to put up with bosses who demand the research for a new employee to be finished quickly. Their job is hard, actually. But that doesn't mean that they are great. Is common to encounter recruiters who don't want to hear you, who show clearly how uninterested they feel towards you, and who dismiss you before you even finish talking about your experience. The job market is crazy nowadays, and all the new tips that human resources share to "get the job" make it harder. It seems like for each candidacy you need a whole new resume. 


Those impossible standards have made it impossible for normal employees to land usual jobs. Before, you used to enter a diner that had a "help wanted" sign on the door, and they would hire you even without experience. Not even junior positions need a bachelor's degree. Is completely insane, which makes candidates tense and desperate just to simply land an interview. That's why I believe, that recruiters should be nicer to customers who are putting themselves out there just so they can someday get a job. 


This Reddit story is pretty sad. The company had a valuable candidate who wanted the job so much that they came in person to introduce themselves to the hiring manager. They went above and beyond to make themselves noticeable and stop being just another number that applied online. That is very valuable. But the recruiter didn't seem to notice that, or even care enough. Maybe having so restrictive policies about hiring has made everything worse, especially if it ends up blocking valuable candidates to favor the ones that simply know how to use LinkedIn or how to make their resume pretty. They care so much about a perfect interview that they forget to notice that the most important thing is their character and work ethic.
 

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  • 01
    There was this on job i really wanted. so instead of just applying like a normal person, i went in to introduce myself to the person hiring. figured it'd show initiative, show i was serious, put a face to the cv. She was polite about it. We actually talked for a good 20 minutes but then she started saying, kind of pointedly, how people come in or call up going i've got this experience, that experience thinking it'll give them
    via KeyComplaint8694
  • 02
    Visual representation of a door full of “we are hiring” signs.
    via Eric Prouzet

    Visual representation of a door full of "we are hiring" signs. 

  • 03
    a better shot, and how unfair she finds that. Said she looks at everyone's cv the same, weather they sent a cover letter, called ahead or showed up in person. I knew she meant me. I was standing right there veing the exact thing she was describing. just had to nod along like yes yes..... how should i salvage the situation here?
    via KeyComplaint8694
  • 04
    Small-Patient6678 oof i felt this in my bones. tried something similar once at a hotel job and the manager gave me this look like i just kicked her cat honestly at this point you just apply normal and hope she remembers the talk but not the awkwardness. sometimes these things stick in their head for wrong reasons but you never know maybe she respected
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  • 05
    that you stood there and took it without getting defensive dont send apology email or anything, that would just draw attention to it again. let it breathe
    via KeyComplaint8694
  • 06
    Two people holding hands to show they are closing a deal.
    via Cytonn Photography

    Two people holding hands to show they are closing a deal. 

  • 07
    Habaneroe12 If she dismissed you after 20 min then she gave you a shot. If she blows you off it was probably for other reasons and what she said was an excuse to end the conversation at that time. Of course employers value experience that makes no sense.
    via KeyComplaint8694
  • 08
    Acting Suspicious Sounds like you pushed it too far. Going in to introduce yourself? Not great but maybe forgivable. Holding up the hiring manager for 20 minutes when she definitely had other sh she should be doing? That's where I see the f up.
    via KeyComplaint8694
  • 09
    In 2026 I personally wouldn't show up unannounced to try and woo the hiring manager. Everyone is busy and trying to keep on schedule. You don't want to stick out as the guy who derailed her day.
    via KeyComplaint8694
  • 10
    NoExperience9717 Sounds like a disclaimer sentence that she'll review applications based on their process so don't assume you're getting through. I wouldn't necessarily take it too personally but I also would have tried not to take up 20 mins unannounced.
    via KeyComplaint8694
  • 11
    Ok_Agent_9584 You can't. You've told this person that you don't follow conventional norms and that you overstep boundaries. You talked for 20 minutes because was being polite until she worked up the courage to become "pointed" with you.
    via KeyComplaint8694
  • 12
    Ok_Evidence_5698 Maybe I'm the only one in the comments that feels this way but I don't think it was a problem that you went in, I know some employers don't like it but there's also employers that do..
    via KeyComplaint8694
  • 13
    Optimistic-Emu Hey! She was definitely kind to entertain you, and this probably would have been viewed differently 20 years ago. Today, though, with increased concerns around stalking and workplace violence, showing up unannounced at someone's workplace is likely to be perceived as a security concern rather than initiative.
    via KeyComplaint8694
  • 14
    I don't think this is salvageable, and I'm saying that as both a hiring manager and a recruiting leader. If you want to take a proactive approach in the future, send a thoughtful LinkedIn message or an email instead. If you can't find their email, you can often infer the company's email format from publicly available contact information on their website.
    via KeyComplaint8694
  • 15
    To be candid, if this happened to me, I'd notify our front desk and security so they were aware. As for resumes, we don't use Al detection or reject candidates for using Al. Every resume is different, regardless of whether Al helped draft it. The best way to stand out is by clearly demonstrating your impact. For sales or metric-driven roles, include KPIs, quotas, rankings, and
    via KeyComplaint8694
  • 16
    measurable results. For non-metric roles, highlight projects where you improved a process, saved time or money, increased efficiency, or solved a meaningful problem.
    via KeyComplaint8694
  • 17
    Embarrassed Yogurt386 Idk everyone in the comments is saying they agree with her but I've gotten jobs specifically because I went in and asked
    via KeyComplaint8694
  • 18
    Appropriate-Tutor587 "I knew she meant " - Who else will it be? Why would you do this instead of applying online in the first place? I do not see anything wrong in what she said tbh. I guess you got the memo now
    via KeyComplaint8694

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