Folks Are Praising This Guy Who’s Been Going To Job Interviews Pretending To Be The Perfect Candidate And Walking Out Saying The Pay Is Too Low
Interview With Author
I used to have a boss who would go to job interviews with absolutely no intention of getting hired. Not because he hated money or something—he was very happy with his current job and had no intention of changing that. But he just wanted to stay on the ball, see how much he was worth in the job market and how much he could actually push himself to.
Now, turns out, he’s not the only one, as there are more ‘professional job interviewees’ who apply for jobs and go to interviews without really needing the jobs. This one student decided he’d turn it into a hobby, sharing his experience in brief thus far with Reddit.
More Info: Reddit
Going to a job interview can be fun, if you have no intentions of getting hired, that is
Image credits: University of Hawai‘i–West O‘ahu (not the actual photo)
Meet Reddit user u/R_o_g_z, a student with whom Bored Panda got in touch, who has recently decided to apply for jobs, go to job interviews, but never intend on getting hired.
According to his now-viral post on r/AntiWork, he has been doing this for the past four months. He admits that he does make up the qualifications that the employer seeks, creating an impression of the perfect candidate, but this candidate doesn’t really exist.
And you’d be surprised that some actually do that, with one Redditor sharing his experience of going to interviews for jobs he has no plans of actually getting
Image credits: R_o_g_z
“Previously, I was looking for work and getting nowhere. It was honestly one of the most dehumanizing experiences of my life, so I started looking into how the hiring process works,” Rogz explained the origins of his idea.
“It’s all automated. Recruiters use applicant tracking systems (ATS) to scan your resume and if you don’t meet a certain criteria, that’s it. It turns out that because I had a 1-month gap in my resume I was instantly discarded by ATS, so I changed this and I was suddenly getting interviews.”
“Can you believe that? Because of a 1-month gap I was not fit to do the job? But after changing February to January, I was suddenly a prime candidate. And so my journey down the rabbit hole started.”
Image credits: R_o_g_z
In his post, Rogz explained that he does this because he like the process: he dresses up, goes to the barber for a fresh shave, gets some breakfast and coffee—in other words, turns it into an occasion where he gets to have a nice day out and visits new locations.
Since he gets to the interview without really needing a job, he’s calm about it all, and likes to “flip the script” by asking what the company can do for him: what benefits it offers, why he should work there and whatnot.
He says that the reactions he gets vary from employer to employer: some are confused, while others engage die hard mode and attempt to persuade him to actually take the job.
Image credits: R_o_g_z
When it comes to salary talk, he explains that the salary doesn’t really meet the market standard, and just bids them farewell. Some engage a die harder mode and start emailing him, negotiating on the salary and whatnot.
“This is what employers don’t understand, this is why they are having such a hard time filling positions, times have changed, it is now no longer just about the money,” elaborated Rogz. “Among the typical bad practices that will no longer be accepted there’s this strange trend with employers not being upfront and hiding the salary behind the interview process. They have already demonstrated their complete and utter disregard for myself and my time, why would I believe that they would start being more considerate after they hire me?”
Many applauded Rogz’s hobby, while some shared their own stories and ideas
While OP does admit that something might be wrong with him, and he’s not worried about the implications of this, he also seems sure that people who apply after him have a better experience because of this.
“Employers seem to forget that it’s a two-way process—they are interviewing someone because they NEED that person, they’re not hiring because it’s lonely at the office and they need more people to hang around the water cooler. I’m attending the interview because you’re interested in me so you also need to demonstrate why candidates should work there,” points out Rogz.
The post drew quite a crowd on the subreddit, garnering over 46,000 upvotes within 20 hours, and hundreds of Reddit awards. And there was a slew of reactions as well.
For the most part, people applauded the idea, with some being genuinely interested—so much, in fact, that they asked Rogz to document it—and others saying that this is a great tactic to fight uncontrollable job interview anxiety, a desensitization of sorts.
Yet others shared their own stories of doing the same thing, under varying circumstances. One commenter even suggested taking it to the next level by getting into lunch interviews. Hey, free meal. Probably.
There were, of course, some who were were not as pumped about it, speculating that OP is a trust fund nobody who has nothing to do, but Rogz was truthful about it and explained he came from a single parent household raised on a council estate and surviving off his student loans.
Lastly, we’ve asked Rogz to share some advice based on his experience on how to nail a job interview, and he had this to say: “Change your mindset. Employers need to fill this position, you are there because they are interested in you, however, this is just one of many opportunities that will present themselves to you.”
Whatever the case, you can check out the post in full here, but before you go, tell us your thoughts on this, and possibly share some of your “I went to the job interview for fun” stories in the comment section below!
This guy's sounds like a bit of a b*llend, and wasting everyone's time. He is not making things better, if anything he is making it worse for other applicants. Employers will whittle down the initial list of applicants to a shortlist, and he will be taking a space in the interview that a legitimate person who actually needs a job has missed out on. The other applicants are not going to have it easier, as you have sold yourself as the ideal candidate with everything they want, so the others are likely to come up short and be compared to you. And saying your not taking it for the salary doesn't mean they will offer more, they will just offer the next person the same, or less because they are seen as not as qualified as you. Legitimately turning down a job offer because the employer is trying to get away with not giving you what you deserve is one thing, but this seems more about just wanting the praise and attention you get by pretending to be that person.
While idk abt his approach, he does illustrate a very important point very well. Ive posted it a couple times. The biggest lie they ever tell you is that youre unimportant, especially for min wage jobs. Generally speaking they NEED you. The world runs on unskilled labor. You'd be surprised what a competent worker can get away with, even if they have no specific skills. Because losing them means conducting interviews, doing training all over again and then you still have a high chance of getting someone useless. Managers will lay in to people like theyre worthless, but if youre a competent worker its amazing how quickly they can change their tune if you reply with "what you gonna do? Fire me?". They need you almost more than you need them, and you knowing your worth TERRIFIES them. Dont ever underestimate your worth, even if the system wants you to believe youre a lot more disposable than you actually are.
This guy is just an attention-seeking idiot. Hopefully he won't emigrate in Europe... or max. in UK.
My millionaire dream if I ever win the lottery: applying on said s...y companies/shops/restaurants, getting hired and then tell them to f..k off on my shift! I'm doing well today ( reconverted as a war cemeteries gardener, working at a good non-profit organisation very centered on workers well being) but damn, had so many bad jobs before I ended twice burn-outed ( sued them and won, but it's been an exhausting fight)...took two years recovering, while still insecure on my skills sometimes when minor disagreements come on the job. Would be my sweet revenge!
I call bullshit on this one. First, who has the time to do this? Second, he would have to make up not just qualifications, but all kinds of relevant experience, which he would have to describe, at other real companies, for all the different kinds of jobs he applies for. And how does he know what is or isn't a good salary for every single one of these positions? I think he's talking out his ass.
I should have thought of that after I worked my way up through my company into management and was in charge of hiring. I could have held interviews for non existing positions so I could get experience and become a better interviewer. s/
Even if it may actually be something behind this guy, going to job interviews without deadly need them is not a problem. In fact, it'd be kinda training for when you really need it. I did that at one period in which I was under contract but nothing prevents anyone to improve each one's situation. And I can tell you it works: you have situation under your control and teaches you how to deal with it and react when you need it.
I do something similar because I need to practise interviews and so few people reply you better start applying a year before rhe end of your contract
I don't know....it's seems a waste but honestly if I think about how many times I was called for an interview just to find out they had no intention of hiring anyone other than an internal candidate to begin with and wasted my freaking time...I'm glad someone is out there wasting theirs. True or Not, Good or Not, I think this demonstrates things are changing and people aren't just as forgiving of employer bullsh*t as they once were. I have a job and while not a dream as the pay isn't great, it's definitely one of the less worse places I've worked so I'm pretty content to take my sweet as time looking for a new job. It's a luxury I've rarely been afforded and I'm taking full advantage by being picky, asking questions I normally wouldn't, flat out asking for more money, being brutally honest in interviews or turning down second interviews because I wasn't vibing. It's been so freeing.
This is how I got mu current job. I liked my old job, the team and company. But the new job was in my home town - less than 10 minutes driving, good company and it would be waste no to try it. And I just wanted to know more about them. So I was calm, I just came to have a chat. So we just had a chat about work, life, business, IT, etc. And they offered me the position.
That's why I do 15 minute phone interviews about technical stuff, so I don't waste my time interviewing people who are clearly unqualified.
During my job search I was also much more blunt with interviews for jobs which weren't absolutely great and declining them easier than super interesting jobs. Good guy showing those companies that the job market is not always in their favor, but for jobs in certain fields they already know.
Ah, really.. So the recruiter cannot spot that he doesn't have the qualification at all?? Fishy
This man is a damn hero!! HR's job is to protect the company, thus making it an insensitive to provide the lowest wages possible, and having a "candidate" state is too low forces thief hand to try to get the best employee or save the most money. A good employee will make money for the company where a "bad" or ineffective employee willing to work for those wages will ultimately cost the company. Know your worth, they owe you not the other way around.
This guy's sounds like a bit of a b*llend, and wasting everyone's time. He is not making things better, if anything he is making it worse for other applicants. Employers will whittle down the initial list of applicants to a shortlist, and he will be taking a space in the interview that a legitimate person who actually needs a job has missed out on. The other applicants are not going to have it easier, as you have sold yourself as the ideal candidate with everything they want, so the others are likely to come up short and be compared to you. And saying your not taking it for the salary doesn't mean they will offer more, they will just offer the next person the same, or less because they are seen as not as qualified as you. Legitimately turning down a job offer because the employer is trying to get away with not giving you what you deserve is one thing, but this seems more about just wanting the praise and attention you get by pretending to be that person.
While idk abt his approach, he does illustrate a very important point very well. Ive posted it a couple times. The biggest lie they ever tell you is that youre unimportant, especially for min wage jobs. Generally speaking they NEED you. The world runs on unskilled labor. You'd be surprised what a competent worker can get away with, even if they have no specific skills. Because losing them means conducting interviews, doing training all over again and then you still have a high chance of getting someone useless. Managers will lay in to people like theyre worthless, but if youre a competent worker its amazing how quickly they can change their tune if you reply with "what you gonna do? Fire me?". They need you almost more than you need them, and you knowing your worth TERRIFIES them. Dont ever underestimate your worth, even if the system wants you to believe youre a lot more disposable than you actually are.
This guy is just an attention-seeking idiot. Hopefully he won't emigrate in Europe... or max. in UK.
My millionaire dream if I ever win the lottery: applying on said s...y companies/shops/restaurants, getting hired and then tell them to f..k off on my shift! I'm doing well today ( reconverted as a war cemeteries gardener, working at a good non-profit organisation very centered on workers well being) but damn, had so many bad jobs before I ended twice burn-outed ( sued them and won, but it's been an exhausting fight)...took two years recovering, while still insecure on my skills sometimes when minor disagreements come on the job. Would be my sweet revenge!
I call bullshit on this one. First, who has the time to do this? Second, he would have to make up not just qualifications, but all kinds of relevant experience, which he would have to describe, at other real companies, for all the different kinds of jobs he applies for. And how does he know what is or isn't a good salary for every single one of these positions? I think he's talking out his ass.
I should have thought of that after I worked my way up through my company into management and was in charge of hiring. I could have held interviews for non existing positions so I could get experience and become a better interviewer. s/
Even if it may actually be something behind this guy, going to job interviews without deadly need them is not a problem. In fact, it'd be kinda training for when you really need it. I did that at one period in which I was under contract but nothing prevents anyone to improve each one's situation. And I can tell you it works: you have situation under your control and teaches you how to deal with it and react when you need it.
I do something similar because I need to practise interviews and so few people reply you better start applying a year before rhe end of your contract
I don't know....it's seems a waste but honestly if I think about how many times I was called for an interview just to find out they had no intention of hiring anyone other than an internal candidate to begin with and wasted my freaking time...I'm glad someone is out there wasting theirs. True or Not, Good or Not, I think this demonstrates things are changing and people aren't just as forgiving of employer bullsh*t as they once were. I have a job and while not a dream as the pay isn't great, it's definitely one of the less worse places I've worked so I'm pretty content to take my sweet as time looking for a new job. It's a luxury I've rarely been afforded and I'm taking full advantage by being picky, asking questions I normally wouldn't, flat out asking for more money, being brutally honest in interviews or turning down second interviews because I wasn't vibing. It's been so freeing.
This is how I got mu current job. I liked my old job, the team and company. But the new job was in my home town - less than 10 minutes driving, good company and it would be waste no to try it. And I just wanted to know more about them. So I was calm, I just came to have a chat. So we just had a chat about work, life, business, IT, etc. And they offered me the position.
That's why I do 15 minute phone interviews about technical stuff, so I don't waste my time interviewing people who are clearly unqualified.
During my job search I was also much more blunt with interviews for jobs which weren't absolutely great and declining them easier than super interesting jobs. Good guy showing those companies that the job market is not always in their favor, but for jobs in certain fields they already know.
Ah, really.. So the recruiter cannot spot that he doesn't have the qualification at all?? Fishy
This man is a damn hero!! HR's job is to protect the company, thus making it an insensitive to provide the lowest wages possible, and having a "candidate" state is too low forces thief hand to try to get the best employee or save the most money. A good employee will make money for the company where a "bad" or ineffective employee willing to work for those wages will ultimately cost the company. Know your worth, they owe you not the other way around.
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