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A Reddit user’s baffling interview rejection reason for being “too relaxed” sparked conversations around unrealistic expectations in India’s startup hiring culture.
The techie claimed even the recruiter was baffled by the HR’s review. {representative image}
In the fast-paced world of startups, confidence and composure are often seen as assets. However, one software developer’s recent interview experience has left job aspirants scratching their heads—and laughing in disbelief. A Reddit user took to the platform to share how they were rejected for a Software Development Engineer (SDE) role at a startup after clearing multiple rounds of interviews with positive feedback. The reason? According to HR, the candidate seemed “too relaxed” during the final round, thereby deemed unfit for a startup environment.
The post, titled ‘I was rejected because I was relaxed during the interview’ has since gone viral. The candidate, detailing the interview process, said it began with an introductory call, followed by a take-home assignment, a technical interview, and finally, the HR round.
Having received encouraging feedback after each stage led the techie to believe things were going well.
The user further added that the recruiter was attending every round and assured them that their answers were satisfactory. “But after the HR round, I was rejected. When I asked for feedback, I was told I came across as too relaxed, which made the HR feel I was not fit for a startup role,” the techie stated in their post.
The candidate, who claimed that they had spent their entire career in startups, was understandably shocked. “I started laughing on the call,” they said, adding even the recruiter offered an apology and admitted they too were confused by the HR’s reasoning.
“I mean, interviews are just normal conversations. There’s nothing to be nervous about if you’re confident in your skills,” the user added.
Made merely 15 hours ago, the post has garnered thousands of upvotes and comments, with many slamming the company’s hiring practices. The commenters said the original poster (OP) “dodged a bullet”.
A commenter, congratulating the techie, wrote, “You dodged the bullet or maybe the bullet dodged you.”
Another said that the OP was “saved” and that the company was likely looking for a candidate who could be intimidated or bossed around. “You gave them a chill vibe, which they do not want around their other employees,” they wrote.
A commenter said they would have laughed too if they were given such an ‘arbitrary’ reason. Yet another commenter shared their interview experience and wrote, “This one time I got rejected, I was waiting outside the building and met my interviewer, he came out to smoke…he told me I have a drunken accent.” The user claimed the interviewer told them they seemed “too relaxed and not enthusiastic”.
A team of writers at News18.com bring you stories on what’s creating the buzz on the Internet while exploring science, cricket, tech, gender, Bollywood, and culture.
A team of writers at News18.com bring you stories on what’s creating the buzz on the Internet while exploring science, cricket, tech, gender, Bollywood, and culture.
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Delhi, India, India
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