A Reddit user recently shared what they described as “the worst interview of my entire life”, detailing a multi-step hiring process with a Fortune 500 company that ended in disappointment and unprofessional conduct.
The candidate, who applied for a role three months ago, said the interview initially went very well. They were even told by the hiring team that they were a better fit for a senior position on the team, but the candidate expressed contentment with the role they had applied for. The company, however, kept encouraging them to consider the senior role.
Long Journey for a Promising Interview
The user explained that the final interview with the director required them to travel five hours to the company headquarters. “The interview with the director went very well, and they seemed to really like the case study presentation I had prepared. We discussed everything – expected salary (they said my request was well within their budget), the team, relocation, everything. The director even told me to my face that she liked me, which, frankly, no director has ever said to my face in an interview before,” the user wrote.
The director mentioned she would be on vacation the following week, but the candidate was assured they would receive a response shortly after.
Rejected Without Explanation, Travel Expenses Denied
Weeks later, the candidate received a generic, automated rejection email. “No personal call, no feedback, nothing. So in the end, I didn’t get either of the two jobs, even though they were the ones who got me excited about the senior role,” they said.
To make matters worse, the company refused to reimburse the candidate’s travel expenses despite prior assurances. The user commented, “This is a massive Fortune 500 company, yet the coffee shop below my apartment has more professionalism and decency. I’m not even going to bother asking for feedback, because it would surely just be some canned, HR-approved excuse.”
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