Hiring Manager Pushes Woman To Text Her Current Boss That She’s Resigning On The Spot During Her Interview — ‘Is This A Red Flag?’
It soon became clear that she might not want to work for this company.
Shift Drive / Shutterstock A job seeker admitted that she had a rather uncomfortable experience during a recent job interview.
Posting to the subreddit r/interview, she questioned if she was being "dramatic" about how the hiring manager conducted the interview, or if it was an actual red flag that she shouldn't ignore.
The hiring manager attempted to force her to text her boss that she was resigning during the interview.
In her Reddit post, the woman explained that while the interview began normally, some aspects left her scratching her head in confusion. One of those things was how few questions she was asked.
"I was having a lovely interview at a job I'm highly qualified for. I went in very confident," she wrote. "They didn't hardly ask me ANY questions. Told me my resume 'spoke for itself' and pretty much just told me about the job."
insta_photos / Shutterstock
The hiring manager only asked if she would be OK completing the necessary responsibilities, then showed the applicant around the office and explained what she would do day to day.
"I did get a feeling they were hiring pretty urgently, but the position looked great and had a lot of growth opportunity," she added.
However, once the woman started asking the hiring manager questions, she was thrown off by the answers she received.
"I asked what training will be provided and was told it was really easy and I'd be up and running in less than a week. Given the job tasks, this didn't sound right," she explained. "I also asked how he would describe the work environment. He said fast-paced, intense, and that the owner is very harsh and takes everything very seriously."
For many working-class Americans, having a 'harsh' boss who doesn't cultivate a healthy work environment is unappealing.
In a survey from the Society for Human Resource Management, workers examined their perspective on how equipped their supervisors were to manage employees and the most important skills managers should develop.
They found that 84% of American workers said poorly trained managers create a lot of unnecessary work and stress. Fifty-seven percent said managers in their workplace could benefit from managerial training, and half felt that their own performance would improve if their direct supervisor received additional training in people management.
According to the survey, the top skills that managers should work on include communicating effectively, developing and training the team, delegating, cultivating a positive and inclusive team culture, and managing team performance.
The worst part of the woman's interview came at the end — when the hiring manager asked when she would be able to start.
"I explained that because the nature of my business means that clients are booked months out, I will need to evaluate the best course of action to tie off these loose ends before resigning," she wrote. "I need to discuss it with my manager before I could give a date."
She questioned if she should've already been in the process of quitting while she searched for a new job — and no, you don't need to. Most people don't quit a job until they have another one lined up, and it would be risky to do otherwise.
Depending on the company, some people find themselves getting conveniently laid off or reprimanded for looking at other jobs while still employed. It's a slippery slope, which is why it's not required for people to disclose if they're applying for other roles until something is confirmed.
However, the hiring manager seemed to disagree, as his demeanor quickly changed from "pleasant and calm" to "frustrated and urgent." He tried to pressure the interviewee into resigning that very day.
"[He] even told me to pull my phone out, and text my boss right now and 'simply' say that I've accepted a new job," the woman wrote.
To play Devil's Advocate, it seems that the hiring manager might've had some bad luck in the past when people he's wanted to hire haven't accepted the role and stuck with their current employment. To avoid that, he clearly wanted to make sure that the person he was hiring had completely cut ties with their previous job. However, it's unrealistic to expect an applicant to quit their previous job on the spot.
On top of the other weird instances that happened during the job interview, it doesn't seem as if this is a work environment that favors the well-being of their employees — and the original poster came to the same conclusion.
"It was SO uncomfortable and he would not take my very reasonable no," she wrote. "I don't think I can in good conscience take the job after that."
Nia Tipton is a Chicago-based entertainment, news, and lifestyle writer whose work delves into modern-day issues and experiences.