A Mumbai-based entrepreneur has shared her troubling experience with a job applicant who verbally abused her during a WhatsApp exchange. Senain Sawant, the founder of the start-up Grump, recounted the incident on LinkedIn, shedding light on the difficulties entrepreneurs and employers face in finding suitable candidates.
Sawant had scheduled a Google Meet video interview with a candidate who had applied for the role of a social media executive. She explained that the candidate’s resume lacked sufficient information for immediate hire, necessitating a meeting to evaluate their potential or determine if they required initial training as an intern.
"They joined the call with the camera off, said they don't own a computer and something about iOS update not allowing video calls," Sawant stated in her LinkedIn post.
Upon asking how the candidate usually worked, they responded that they had borrowed a laptop from their previous employer. Sawant then requested to reschedule the interview to a time when the candidate could turn on their video, emphasising the importance of seeing the person she was speaking with. The candidate agreed but abruptly ended the call.
"Their tone was off from the start, they weren't audible to begin with and it seemed like they were out in public from the amount of noise in the background," Sawant added.
Following the video call, Sawant shared screenshots of their subsequent WhatsApp chat. She noted that the interview invite clearly mentioned it would be a video interview and expressed scepticism about the candidate’s claim regarding the iOS update.
The candidate became defensive, stating they had applied for the role of social media executive, not an internship, and expressed willingness to forgo the opportunity, citing a year of work experience.
The exchange took an unexpected turn when the candidate responded with, "With all due respect, don't be a bi**h. The arrogance you speak with," shocking Sawant.
Excuse me?" she replied, to which the candidate retorted, "No one would want to speak to you."
Sawant ended the conversation by stating, "Thank you for clarifying your level of experience and professionalism."
The incident garnered significant attention online, with many users showing support for Sawant.
One user commented, "The younger generation comes with this entitled attitude, thinking they know better. There's no real way to teach them; only their own experiences will humble them, if they're lucky. It's best not to take these incidents to heart and just move on with your day. It's sad that you had such an experience."
Another user wrote, "I understand your frustration, and completely agree with you! Please don't engage with such people - it will be tough but you will find the right people for your team. And colleges, please train your kids in soft skills before sending them out for internships and jobs!"
A third user added, "Being under Placements myself for a tough 3 years, I can totally understand the frustration you come up with, and as appalling and hurtful this is, all I can hope for is for you to stick to your 'bigger purpose,' and let no such people even cross your path in the future. You're truly bigger than this, and hope there comes a day when you get connected with like-minded people."
"Rather than being upset, I am more disappointed by the sense of entitlement I observe among candidates applying for jobs," said Sawant, who is in her mid-20s. "At Grump, we strive to foster a positive and respectful work environment," Sawant told Hindustan Times.
She continued, "With this new generation of candidates, it often seems like they don't genuinely need the work. To them, a job appears to be more of a temporary gig before they move on. This experience has been a learning moment for me."
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