A Redditor shared some Life Pro Tips in the forum when a man lost all his chances of landing a job minutes after entering the company building. How could things go south so quickly?
The Storyteller
OP (Original Poster) turned to Reddit with a story that’ll be helpful, not just to job hunters but also to everyone in a social setting.
In the thread, OP talks about a man trying to land a job at a new company but ends up failing miserably.
Blowing up All His Chances
OP shared that the applicant “blew his interview in the first five minutes after he entered the building.” When you enter a building you don’t work at, the reception desk is the first place you go for directions and assistance.
The applicant didn’t have time to do or go anywhere else. So, how could he fail his interview within minutes of arriving?
All the Things He Did Wrong
To give Redditors a better idea of what happened, OP shares all the things the candidate failed to do right.
OP said, “He was dismissive to the receptionist. She greeted him, and he barely made eye contact.” OP also added an edit saying, “It wasn’t just lack of eye contact. He was openly rude and treated her like she was beneath him.”
Trying to Start a Conversation
The receptionist didn’t give up and then started trying to start a conversation with the candidate. Per OP, the candidate still did not make eye contact, nor did he make an effort to show interest in speaking with her.
The Hiring Manager
However, the candidate failed to realize that the receptionist he was talking to was actually the company’s hiring manager!
In an edit, OP shared, “When he thought he was talking to the decision maker, personality totally changed. Suddenly he was friendly, open, relaxed.”
Having a Proper Conversation
After their interaction at the reception desk, the hiring manager called the candidate to the conference room to have a chat. During their conversation, the hiring manager told him that “Every single person on our team is valuable and worthy of respect.”
Breaking the News
Given what the hiring manager experienced with the candidate back at the reception desk, she didn’t feel he would be a good part of their team. So, she told him, “Thank you for your time, but the interview is over.”
What He Was Applying For
OP also added that the candidate was applying for a client-facing job. In this kind of position, being warm, approachable, and outgoing is essential.
Unfortunately, the candidate did everything that was the opposite of the traits mentioned above when talking to the receptionist. Thus, he ended up losing a chance at getting the job.
Be Nice; Be Kind
OP ended the post by reminding everyone to be nice to everyone in the building.
However, this reminder should be lived out in all aspects of life—not just job hunting!
What the Community Thinks
There’s a mix of reviews in the thread. Some completely agree with OP’s statement, some say the lesson should be for all aspects of life and not just work, and some say his advice goes both ways.
As an example of the latter, a top comment was, “Goes both ways; I once turned down a job because of the way the HR guy spoke to the receptionist.” Another replied, saying, “I turned a job down because of the way the receptionist treated me. And it wasn’t just me; she treated people who walked in after me like they weren’t worth her time, too.”
They’re All Assessing You!
A Redditor who said he’s been on all steps of the hiring process advised everyone to be mindful of how they treat everyone around them—not just the hiring manager and the receptionist.
He said, “Even if the receptionist weren’t the hiring manager, that receptionist would still get her two cents in at the water cooler while decisions are being made. In a few fields I’ve worked in, it wasn’t just the people in the conference room that were consulted before making an offer. Be on point at all times—every employee is a potential teammate, and they’re all assessing you.”
It’s a Common SOP Nowadays
Some people also said that it’s now common practice for companies to have their candidates sit in the lobby for a few minutes before the interview starts. One Redditor noted that this is why you should always “assume you’re being watched.”
Interview Lesson or Life Lesson?
For many Redditors, people must remember that being nice to everyone is not just a lesson on how to nail a job. More than that, it’s a life lesson we must always live by.
What would you do if you were the hiring manager in this scenario? If you were a job applicant, how would you treat the people you’ll encounter?
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This post first appeared as He Blew His Job Interview “In the First 5 Minutes” After Botching up a Trick Test at the Reception Desk on Quote Ambition.
