SINGAPORE: A jobseeker was shocked when the CEO of the company he applied to lashed out at him during an interview, telling him bluntly, “If you’re not confident, then get lost! People like you will never succeed! Stay poor!”
The man had applied for a sales position and said the hiring process actually started off on a surprisingly positive note.
According to him, the first two rounds of interviews went smoothly.
The hiring manager even complimented his resume and told him she felt he would be a “good fit for the company,” which naturally gave him the impression that things were heading in the right direction.
Then came the final interview with the CEO over the phone, and things went downhill very quickly.
The conversation, he said, took a sharp turn when the CEO asked a question about sales targets.
CEO: We are a results-based company, so if I gave you a timeline of six months, how many sales will you be able to bring in?
Jobseeker: Sir, this is an enterprise system, yes? Can I find out the sales cycle of the product I am selling?
CEO: I don’t need you to start making excuses. I ask you for a figure; just give me the figures! I can already tell you are full of bull (expletives used).
Jobseeker: Sir, if I were to be working for you, I want to be honest with you. I don’t want to be over-promising you. You will get full transparency from me.
CEO: Cut the bull (expletives used)! Just give me the figures. How is that difficult to do? If you are not confident, then get lost! I don’t need people like you! People like you will never succeed! Stay poor!
At that point, the jobseeker said he had heard enough. Rather than continue the argument, he ended the call with one final remark:
“Then I don’t want to work with you. I feel you are a bad boss. I love myself too much to work with you. Thank you and goodbye.”
Dealing with rude interviewers
If you ever find yourself in a similar situation, career experts suggest taking these steps:
Gather your thoughts
Take a moment to compose yourself. If an interviewer throws an insult, makes a degrading remark, or asks an overly intrusive question about your personal life, pause for a bit.
You can tell the interviewer that you need a moment to think before answering, or just stay silent until you’re ready to respond.
Change the topic
If you still don’t have an answer and the interviewer starts showing signs of impatience, you can shift the conversation. Ask questions about the company, the role, or the team.
You can also politely point out that the question or remark wasn’t related to the role, which is why you would rather not answer it. After that, steer the discussion back to something relevant by saying you’re happy to talk about your skills, experience, or how you can contribute to the company.
The goal is to de-escalate the situation and ease any tension that may be building.
Always be ready
Always, always come prepared. Anticipate their questions, identify any weaknesses in your resume, and prepare an explanation in case they ask about them. When explaining, always be polite.
Exit the interview
This should be your last option. If you’ve done everything you can to be respectful or have tried to steer the conversation, and they still don’t take the hint, you can, of course, take your leave. Like the jobseeker, you can politely decline the offer and look for another opportunity.
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