Candidate refused to work on Saturdays in job interview, but still got hired. What he replied on 'being lazy' is going viral

A 25-year-old job candidate refused to work on Saturdays during an interview, telling the interviewer that he had a life outside the office. What initially appeared to the interviewer as a lack of commitment turned into a lesson about work-life balance, honesty and performance.

The incident was shared in a LinkedIn post by an interviewer who said he had hired the candidate for a sales role despite his refusal to work weekends. According to the post, the candidate was asked directly whether refusing to work on Saturdays was "too lazy" for someone his age. The young man did not back down. “Sir, I have a life outside office,” he reportedly told the interviewer.

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Candidate explained why he wanted Saturdays off

The 25-year-old said he plays cricket every Saturday. He also told the interviewer that he had been playing the guitar since he was 14 and wanted to spend time with his family. The interviewer suggested that he could manage these activities after office hours, after 7 pm, or use Sundays for them.

But the candidate had another argument. He reportedly pointed to his elder brother's experience working in the US. The candidate said his brother worked Monday to Friday and that he had visited him twice.

The candidate then questioned why working only on weekdays should prevent someone from being successful. “Everyone there works Monday to Friday,” he reportedly said, arguing that if people in the US can be successful while working weekdays, the same should be possible elsewhere.

Interviewer said most candidates tell employers what they want to hear

The interviewer said he had spoken to hundreds of candidates during interviews and noticed that many applicants tried to give answers they believed employers wanted to hear.

Candidates often claimed that they were passionate about their jobs, willing to give 200 per cent and had no problem working weekends. But, according to the post, some of those same employees eventually experienced burnout and began looking for a way out within months. The 25-year-old stood out because he was unwilling to make such promises simply to secure the job.

He was hired despite refusing weekend work

The interviewer eventually decided to hire the candidate for a sales position. The decision appeared to work out. According to the LinkedIn post, the employee outperformed everyone else on the team for two consecutive quarters.

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His approach to customers also became one of his strengths. The employee reportedly did not make false promises to clients. Instead, he explained both the advantages and disadvantages of the product and allowed customers to make their own decisions. The post said customers appreciated his honesty.

He continued playing cricket and guitar

Despite his strong performance at work, the employee did not change the boundaries he had described during his interview. He continued to play cricket on Saturdays, play the guitar and spend time with his family.

The interviewer, who had initially questioned whether the candidate was being lazy, eventually reached a different conclusion. “Turns out, he was the clearest person I had interviewed all year,” the interviewer wrote.

The story has sparked a broader conversation around what employers consider commitment and whether working longer hours or giving up weekends necessarily translates into better performance.