“Don’t try to act smart, what is this behaviour...”: Job applicant’s abusive chat with Revivo co-founder sparks debate

A hiring conversation shared by Revivo co-founder Vikas Agarwal is drawing attention online after a candidate reacted aggressively when asked to share basic job details. The exchange, posted on social media by Vikas, quickly sparked debate about professionalism, hiring culture, and communication during job applications.

What Happened During The Conversation?

According to screenshots of LinkedIn chats shared by Vikas Agarwal, the conversation began normally. The recruiter reportedly asked the candidate, Kaustav Ghosh, for a few standard details before moving ahead with the hiring process, including:

Last in-hand salary


Notice period or joining timeline

The message ended with a polite “Thanks” and was signed with his name and company details.

The candidate initially replied, saying he was interested and available for immediate joining. However, things escalated after the recruiter responded:

“Need all details, otherwise I have to reject the profile," Vikas told Kaustav, the chats showed.

Candidate’s Reply Shocked Social Media

Instead of sharing the requested information, the candidate allegedly sent an abusive message. The reply included personal insults and an angry reaction directed at the recruiter. "Don't try to act smart.What is this behaviour you moron.Reject," Kaustav Ghosh wrote in his reply.



After sharing the screenshot online, Vikas Agarwal joked that the candidate had replied with an “unemployment + anger issues package together.” The post quickly went viral across X and LinkedIn-like communities.

Internet Divided Over The Exchange

As the screenshots spread online, users had mixed reactions. Some people supported the recruiter, saying the questions asked were basic hiring requirements and that the candidate’s response was unnecessary and unprofessional.

The post was re-shared by a software engineer Shravan Venkataraman who wrote, "Kaustav is the hero we all need but the job market is such that nobody has the guts to respond like this to HR.

Why do you need previous in hand salary and all such details before you are even screening the profile? In US it is a legally punishable crime. In India anything flies.

Pay for what the job is worth according to the market, and you'll anyway get these details in the post-offer document verification." (sic)



"Must be a non-serious person. How can one even think about replying in such a rude manner for a job opportunity," says a netizen. "I mean, you did mention rejection straight away lol," said another. To this, Vikas replied, "All politeness was mentioned in my 1st message." (sic)

"The candidate was very rude, but Indian recruiters need to stop asking last salary, it has no meaning and should never be disclosed," a third comment read.

Others felt the recruiter’s “otherwise I have to reject the profile” line may have sounded blunt or overly harsh, even if it was not intended that way. Still, most users agreed that abusive language during a job conversation reflects poorly on a candidate regardless of frustration.

"I have seen this with many new joinees, they lack the basic seriousness for job and behave as if you have their dire need for the role and it is you who will be at lost! Confidence is one thing but arrogance is something unacceptable & inappropriate!," another user commented.

Why Recruiters Ask These Questions

In many companies, recruiters commonly ask for:

Current or last salary
Expected salary
Notice period
Earliest joining date

These details help employers understand hiring timelines and budget expectations before scheduling interviews.

Career experts often advise candidates to stay calm during hiring conversations, even when they disagree with a recruiter’s tone or process.

Social Media Reactions Continue

The viral exchange has once again highlighted how screenshots from professional conversations can quickly become public online.

Many users said the incident reflects growing frustration in the job market, while others pointed out the importance of maintaining professionalism during recruitment discussions.

For now, the conversation continues to circulate online as another example of how quickly workplace interactions can turn into viral internet debates.