Job Candidate Told That No One Will Hire Her Because She Uses Public Transportation
The boss' behavior was inappropriate and possibly discriminatory.
Drazen zigic | Shutterstock During a job interview, you’re typically asked about you're metaphorical career journey — not how you literally got to the interview location. However, one job candidate was scrutinized by her potential employer because of her chosen mode of transportation.
The job candidate was told that no one would hire her because she uses public transportation.
"Just had an interview," the woman wrote in a Reddit post. "The boss said they saw me walk up to the building on the cameras. Then [he] asked if I had reliable transport."
As if it wasn’t creepy enough that they watched the candidate approach the building on a security camera, the boss had more rude things to say. "He bashed me for a few minutes, saying I shouldn’t be using public transport. That no one will hire me, and he personally never hires people [who] use it because they won’t show up on time.”
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While the boss’s main complaint appeared to be the job candidate's mode of transportation, he had some other things to say as well. "[He] continued to complain about my red hair, and that it made me unprofessional," she said. “Asked me no interview questions. Then said they had plenty of applicants, so I wouldn’t be hearing back, shook my hand and dismissed me."
In a comment, the woman noted that traveling via public transportation is fairly common where she lives. "I actually live in one of the few states with good transport too,” she said. "And I have an electric bike."
Other Reddit users agreed that the boss's behavior was problematic.
"Sounds like you dodged a bullet," one Reddit user wrote. Another claimed “the camera stalking” equated to “major bullets dodged.”
"Such a weird take," a third commenter wrote. “Like having a car guarantees there won’t be traffic or an accident or construction. I’ve taken public transit for years, and if you plan for delays and leave a bit earlier, it’s almost never a problem."
Another person revealed that something similar happened to them after they were told they were one of the top three candidates for a position. When they left the interview, they were asked what kind of car they drove. When they answered honestly, their chances disappeared.
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Someone else added, “If the job does not require a car to perform its duties, someone’s method of transport is irrelevant. People with cars are late all the time, so the boss is a straight [expletive]. These people and companies need public shaming so they can become extinct.”
They weren’t the only one to suggest that the woman publicly name the company, but she refused. “I’m not gonna share his name because it’s a small industry and I don’t want other companies to hear of me retaliating,” she said. “I am still chuckling at the thought of a tsunami of Redditors attacking his LinkedIn, though.”
Asking about a candidate’s car in a job interview can actually be considered discriminatory.
According to the Society for Human Resource Management, recruiters can’t typically ask employees about their car because it’s considered “financial information.” Asking about it wouldn’t be illegal, but it could be seen as a violation of equal employment opportunity laws.
Of course, if a car is needed to complete a job, then the question could be asked. But that wasn’t the case in this situation. What this employer did was wrong.
Mary-Faith Martinez is a writer with a bachelor’s degree in English and Journalism who covers news, psychology, lifestyle, and human interest topics.
