Man 'blew job interview in five minutes' after falling for boss's simple task

A man's job interview went horribly wrong as he lost his chances in just 'five minutes' after walking into a trap unknowingly.

The challenging nature of preparing for a job interview can be daunting, with the crucial task of getting your potential responses spot on. It is indeed tricky to prepare yourself for all possible questions that could be thrown your way by a potential employer, while also ensuring you say precisely the right things.

However, it seems it's entirely feasible to jeopardise your chances even before the meat of the interview begins, as one man learned to his detriment. His opportunity to showcase his aptitudes was cut short when he was promptly rejected after mishandling his entrance into the premises.

The man had an unfortunate encounter with the receptionist upon arrival, leading to his instant removal from the pool of potential candidates, reports the Mirror.

Subsequently, the interviewer - who was also assessing his ability to respect and interact with other staff members gave advice to all jobseekers, saying that she was actually the hiring manager posing as a receptionist. On the Life Pro Tips forum on Reddit, she disclosed: "Today, a candidate blew his interview in the first 5 minutes after he entered the building. He was dismissive to the receptionist.

"She greeted him and he barely made eye contact. She tried to engage him in conversation. Again, no eye contact, and no interest in speaking with her. What the candidate did not realise was that the 'receptionist' was actually the hiring manager."

"She called him back to the conference room and explained how every single person on our team is valuable and worthy of respect. Due to his interaction with the 'receptionist', the hiring manager did not feel he was a good fit. Thank you for your time but the interview is over."

"Be nice to everyone in the building."

The post sparked a flurry of comments as users echoed the sentiment that it's crucial to be courteous to all.

One user responded: "BINGO! After a candidate leaves one of the first things those involved in the interview will do is speak to the receptionist and ask them how the interviewee treated them."

"The person could be the best person for the position but if they treated the receptionist like c***...THEY ARE DONE!

"If they treated the receptionist like s*** when on their best behaviour imagine how awful they will treat them once they get the job. The same goes for any cleaning staff. They are consulted, too."

Another shared: "I got hired once because I held the door for the janitor coming in with his cart. The receptionist said, 'that's so nice of you'. I said it was just decency, but apparently, she was in the hiring manager's ear later that day.

"The choice was between me, and someone more knowledgeable, but he was a p****... so they went with me."

Some people pointed out the value of just being nice. They mentioned that even if you're anxious and have trouble making conversation, you should always be polite.

One individual shared their personal experience, writing: "My only question about this is I have horrible anxiety and struggle to focus on stuff other than the actual process so I'm sure I've blanked on responding to a receptionist. Not because I'm a rude person but purely because I just struggle to pay attention to everything because of the other stuff I'm thinking of.

They added: "So this is actually nice and reminds me I need to make sure to interact. Granted had I been not nice, I always make sure to apologise as soon as I am able to if I recognise it. Even if I don't get the job."