In a move that has both shocked and inspired job seekers everywhere, a candidate who went through a grueling hiring process for a senior-level position turned his rejection into an unexpected victory—by invoicing the company for the time he spent interviewing. To his surprise, the company agreed to pay the invoice.
The candidate shared his story on Reddit, titling his post, “After 7 interviews and 2 assessments, I didn’t get the job. I invoiced them for my time & they paid it.” The post quickly went viral, resonating with countless job seekers frustrated by lengthy and unpaid hiring processes that often seem to take advantage of candidates’ time and effort.
The Long Road to Rejection
The ordeal began with a job offer for a senior-level role, offering a salary range of $160,000 to $200,000. The candidate underwent an exhaustive hiring process, consisting of seven interviews and two job-related assessments. While one assessment for a senior-level position might have seemed reasonable, the candidate felt that two assessments and multiple interviews were excessive, especially considering the lack of communication from the company along the way.
Throughout the process, he engaged with various team members, including the CEO, who gave strong indications that the company was leaning toward extending an offer. Everything seemed to be moving in a positive direction until, unexpectedly, the candidate received a rejection email. The reason cited for his rejection was that the company had decided against hiring him because he was self-employed.
Self-Employment Transparency from Day One
The rejection came as a surprise to the candidate, who had been upfront about his self-employed status during his first interview. He had made it clear from the start that he was the head of his own agency, and he was disheartened by the company’s decision to penalize him for something that had been disclosed transparently from the beginning. The candidate felt the rejection was unfair and disingenuous, particularly given the significant time and energy invested by both parties in the process.
In response to the rejection, the candidate reached out to the CEO, expressing his dissatisfaction with how the situation was handled. The CEO admitted fault in the matter and acknowledged the mishandling of the hiring process.
A Bold Move: Sending an Invoice
Rather than letting the issue slide, the candidate decided to take a bold stand. He informed the CEO that, given the time he had spent on interviews and assessments, and the fact that his self-employed status was known from the start, he would be invoicing the company for his time.
To his surprise, the CEO agreed to the idea without resistance. The invoice was sent and, within hours, the company paid the requested amount.