Candidate's unexpected request during an interview exposed a harsh hiring reality. 'What hurt her was not the rejection, but...'

An entrepreneur recently shared an incident that left him surprised during a recruitment interview. In a post on LinkedIn, Harshdeep Saxena recalled meeting a young graduate who made an unusual request even before the interview was over. She politely asked him not to disappear without informing her about the outcome of the hiring process, a plea that immediately caught him off guard.

Curious about the reason behind such an unexpected request, he asked why she felt compelled to mention it before the interview had even concluded. The candidate then narrated an unpleasant experience from a previous hiring process that had deeply affected her.

She explained that she had earlier appeared for an interview conducted by two experienced professionals. Throughout the discussion, she had put forth her strongest effort, answered every question sincerely, and felt the interaction had gone well. The interviewers also appeared satisfied with her performance and assured her that they would communicate their decision within the next couple of days.


Trusting their assurance, she patiently waited for an update. The promised deadline passed without any message. A few more days turned into an entire week, and then another. Hoping to receive some clarity, she sent two polite follow-up messages asking about the status of her application. Despite her efforts, she never received any acknowledgment. There was no phone call, no email, and not even a brief message informing her whether she had been selected or rejected.

Eventually, she had no option but to accept that she would never receive an answer and had to continue her job search without knowing what had happened.

According to her, the most painful part of the experience was not losing the opportunity itself. What affected her far more was being left in complete uncertainty. Believing that a response was still possible, she delayed applying for several other suitable positions, hoping the company would keep its word. By the time she realized they had moved on without informing her, she had already lost valuable time and missed other opportunities.

Reflecting on the incident, Saxena said that this growing practice of ignoring candidates after interviews causes far more damage than many employers realize. Beyond wasting valuable time, it also weakens a job seeker's confidence in an already highly competitive employment market.

He added that he follows a different approach in his own hiring process. After every interview, he provides constructive suggestions to help candidates improve and discusses them immediately before ending the conversation. He also makes it a point to communicate the final hiring decision within two days, ensuring every applicant receives a clear and timely response rather than being left waiting indefinitely.