A Mumbai-based entrepreneur recently shared her experience with a job candidate who verbally abused her during a WhatsApp exchange. Senain Sawant, founder of startup Grump, detailed the incident on LinkedIn, shedding light on the challenges employers face in finding suitable candidates.
Sawant had arranged a video interview on Google Meet with a candidate for the social media manager position. The candidate’s resume was lacking in detail, so Sawant wanted to assess his potential through the interview or consider training him as an intern.
During the scheduled interview, the candidate joined the interview without a camera, citing the lack of a computer and an iOS update preventing video calls. When Sawant asked what type of work setup he usually worked at, the candidate mentioned that he used a laptop from his previous employer. Sawant then asked the candidate to reschedule the interview for a time when video could be enabled, emphasizing the importance of seeing the candidate.
“They joined the call with the camera off, said they didn’t own a computer, and talked about the iOS update that didn’t allow video calls,” Senain Sawant said in his LinkedIn post.
The candidate abruptly ended the call, and the tone was off from the start, with background noise suggesting they were in a public place. Sawant later shared screenshots of their WhatsApp conversation. She pointed out that the video requirement was clearly mentioned in the interview invite and questioned the validity of the iOS update excuse.
“I asked them to join me at a time when their video could be turned on because it’s an interview and I need to see who I’m talking to. They said, ‘Fine,’ and disconnected the call,” she said.
« Their tone was bad from the beginning, they were not audible at first and it sounded like they were in public because of the background noise. »
Defensively, the candidate insisted that he had applied for a social media manager position, not an internship, and expressed his disinterest in the job. The conversation took a shocking turn when the candidate rudely responded to Sawant: “With all due respect, don’t be a bitch. The arrogance with which you speak.”
Taken aback, Sawant replied, “Excuse me?” The candidate continued his verbal assault by saying, “No one would want to talk to you.” Sawant ended the conversation by thanking the candidate for clarifying his level of professionalism.
The LinkedIn post quickly gained attention, with many users expressing their support.
« I understand your frustration and I totally agree with you! Please don’t engage with such people – it will be difficult but you will find the right people for your team. And universities, please train your children in soft skills before sending them to internships or jobs! »
“Having been in foster care for 3 difficult years myself, I can completely understand the frustration you are feeling, and as awful and hurtful as it is, all I can hope is that you stick to your ‘higher purpose’ and don’t let anyone like this cross your path in the future. You truly are bigger than this, and I hope the day comes when you connect with like-minded people, for you,” the third user commented.