Hiring Manager Decides Not To Move Forward With A Qualified Candidate Because They Had ‘Phone Trouble’ Recently Which Made Them Look ‘Unreliable’
The decision drew criticism as many felt it was unreasonable and overly harsh.
fizkes / Shutterstock After a job candidate aced their job interview and made it clear that they were well-qualified for the position, the hiring manager decided not to move forward and hire them.
They made their decision based on one minor detail that the candidate revealed in the interview, and many people believed that they were being a bit too harsh.
The hiring manager decided not to move forward with the qualified candidate after they revealed that they had ‘phone trouble.’
In a TikTok video shared by Samy Jones, the founder of Win The Job Consulting, a company that assists candidates in their job search, she revealed the frustrating interaction she had with the hiring manager.
“Hiring managers, you are out of your [expletive] minds,” she said. Jones explained that she recently received a feedback call from a hiring manager who shared the details of an interview they conducted with a potential job candidate.
Despite the interview itself going great and the candidate having nearly all of the qualifications required for the position, the hiring manager told Jones that they would not be moving forward with the candidate.
According to the manager, the candidate had mentioned that they had recently encountered some “phone trouble.” However, Jones claimed that the particular job position “has nothing to do with their [the candidates] own personal phones.”
Still, the hiring manager believed experiencing phone troubles made the candidate “unreliable.”
“The phone trouble didn’t prevent them from going through the interview process; it didn’t prevent anyone from being able to get ahold of them,” Jones pointed out. “But they mentioned it in the interview, and now the hiring manager doesn't want to move forward because they think that makes them unreliable.”
Many people agreed that the hiring manager’s explanation was unreasonable.
“Candidate: Demonstrates an ability to be forthright about blocks and complications. Hiring manager: pass,” one TikTok user commented.
“The responses from these companies are insane. They want to pay nothing, they want Master's degrees, and they have demands that are not even reasonable,” another user pointed out.
AndreyPopov / Canva Pro
Others shared their own ridiculous reasons they were given for not being hired.
“I got told that my earrings were unprofessional. They were hoops with felted fried eggs. Another interviewer said they hated that I asked a silly question,” one user commented.
Another user revealed, “It was suggested that I straighten my curly hair for interviews so hiring managers don’t think I’m ‘unpredictable.'"
When it comes to determining how fit a candidate is for a job, hiring managers should assess qualities that directly correlate with the role they are filling.
In this situation, the job candidate not only appeared to prove that they were qualified for the position but also demonstrated honesty and strong communication skills by sharing that they had been experiencing phone troubles.
Employees should be upfront when they encounter technical difficulties so that their team is aware of their progress and can potentially help them out.
Everyone experiences phone issues from time to time, and it does not make them unreliable workers.
And for those who believe that it does, Jones had a message:
Megan Quinn is a writer at YourTango who covers entertainment and news, self, love, and relationships.