'Talent gets you in the door. Values decides if you stay': When a startup founder rejected candidate for derogatory comments

Mohammed Ahmed Bhati, founder of Indian recruitment platform Jobbie, has stirred a heated online debate after revoking a Rs 22 lakh per annum job offer to a candidate over derogatory remarks made on LinkedIn that allegedly targeted religious communities.

Despite the candidate acing interviews and suggesting meaningful improvements to Jobbie’s platform, a final background check revealed public comments that Bhati described as “deeply disrespectful.” He decided to cancel the offer, citing the company’s core values of respect and inclusivity.

“No matter how talented someone is, respect and basic decency matter to us more,” Bhati posted on LinkedIn. “Talent gets you in the door, but values decide if you stay.”


The candidate had applied after Jobbie’s viral Reddit post about conducting 450 interviews for over 12,000 applicants, and even created a customized resume using the platform to stand out. Bhati acknowledged that the team was so impressed, they were ready to offer above-budget compensation. However, that changed once the background check surfaced recent online posts deemed offensive.

Bhati shared screenshots of both the offer letter and the rejection note, which stated: “We came across some recent public posts on LinkedIn that included comments from you which will deeply hurt the religious sentiments of certain communities.”

The post quickly polarized social media, with some praising Bhati’s stand on ethical hiring, while others accused him of promoting “cancel culture.”

Critics said the decision prioritizes political correctness over merit. One user wrote:
"You're trying to assert your power, acting like, ‘I built this platform, so I decide who gets hired based on whether they align with my beliefs or not.’ But I’m sure if someone from another religion did the same against yours, you wouldn’t stay silent, you’d be the first to call it out."

Another commented: "I heard this reason of cancelling the offer letter for the first time."

Supporters, however, stood by Bhati. "It would have been difficult to let the candidate go after finding the perfect fit," said one.

Another added: "Good Decision but
I hope this cancellation of the offer should be on derogatory comments on any communities or religion and not a specific community.
Being an Indian citizen we should treat every religion equally."