Man Immediately Rejected In Job Interview After Failing Test At Reception

When preparing for a big job interview, there are some important things to remember: do your research, look presentable, show enthusiasm.

Oh yeah, and don't be a d*ck to the receptionist.

This last pointer is particularly important if you're going for a job interview with a company that disguises the hiring manager as the receptionist - as one bloke found out the hard way.

Pexels/Tim Gouw

The tale was shared on the Reddit 'Life Pro Tips' forum, and it reads as follows: "Today, a candidate blew his interview in the first 5 minutes after he entered the building.

"He was dismissive to the receptionist. She greeted him and he barely made eye contact. She tried to engage him in conversation. Again, no eye contact, no interest in speaking with her.

"What the candidate did not realise was that the 'receptionist' was actually the hiring manager.

"She called him back to the conference room and explained how every single person on our team is valuable and worthy of respect.

"Due to his interaction with the 'receptionist', the hiring manager did not feel he was a good fit. Thank you for your time but the interview is over.

"Be nice to everyone in the building."

Ouch. Well there's a lesson learned the hard way.

It's tough to know what the guy was thinking though, 'cause even if he had turned on the charm and landed the job, he would still have had to interact with the receptionist on a daily basis. A comment on the post made just this point.

It read: "I'll add as someone who's been on every step of the hiring ladder, even if the receptionist wasn't the hiring manager, that receptionist will 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 team mate and they're all assessing you."

Pexels/Marily Torres

Indeed, recruiters are as keen to hire people who fit in with the team as they are to take on someone with a glittering CV, so it's never a good idea to give anyone the cold shoulder.

Plus, you can never really know how many eyes are on you once you step through that door.

Another Reddit user added: "A few jobs ago, I caught the elevator on my way to the interview. The chatty guy in with me... company CEO.

"I got the job, luckily I am all high energy and friendly when nervous, so he liked me even before I saw him a few hours later. Be nice to everyone."

Of course, most interviews at the minute are done virtually, so a lot of these guidelines are out the window.

Wear trousers or don't wear trousers. The choice is yours.

Topics: Interesting, Community, Reddit

Jake Massey

Jake Massey is a journalist at LADbible. He graduated from Newcastle University, where he learnt a bit about media and a lot about living without heating. After spending a few years in Australia and New Zealand, Jake secured a role at an obscure radio station in Norwich, inadvertently becoming a real-life Alan Partridge in the process. From there, Jake became a reporter at the Eastern Daily Press. Jake enjoys playing football, listening to music and writing about himself in the third person.

@jakesmassey