A female HR professional has gone viral on Threads after sharing her encounter with a Malaysian Chinese job seeker who refused to attend a face-to-face interview, insisting that it should be done online instead.
Posting under the handle @junlow96, she recounted how the candidate complained about the difficulty of finding a job, while showing little effort in securing one.
In the WhatsApp exchange she shared, the HR had informed the applicant that since he was no longer interested in the interview, his slot had been given to another candidate who was willing to meet in person.
The applicant then replied,
“Why can’t you do online interview instead of face to face. It’s not that tough. And meeting up doesn’t mean I will get a job.”
He went on to accuse the HR of being in the wrong, saying,
“You should be ashamed of yourself.”
Despite the rudeness, the HR kept her cool and responded politely, though her message carried a sharp undertone:
“Yea bro, and you should be proud of yourself. It’s my fault, not yours. Please keep this attitude for the rest of your job-hunting period, you will definitely succeed in your life.”
She ended the message with a pointed remark,
“I might know why it’s hard for you to find a job. You are just too good for anyone.”
In her Threads post, the HR added that the candidate’s written address was less than 12 km from her office, which made his refusal to attend an in-person interview even more puzzling.
She explained that the job market is extremely competitive, with more than 400 applicants for the position, and questioned why she should make an exception for someone unwilling to put in the same effort as others.
“Maybe you just don’t need it more than others do,” she wrote.
Netizens respond
Following the viral post, many users on Threads chimed in with their own thoughts and experiences, and the responses were sharply divided.
@piandayah shared a story about kindness and empathy during recruitment:
@cryingberries_ questioned why some companies still insist on physical interviews when technology makes online ones possible.
Meanwhile, @santoupai felt that in-person interviews still have value:
@karthiga_veloo shared a personal story of travelling a long distance for an interview:
@chef_rao recounted an experience that tested his perseverance:
Some netizens, however, criticised the HR’s tone.
In response, @junlow96 replied with humour:
There were also lighter moments, with @atiqi86 sharing an amusing story:
Regardless of opinion, one thing’s for sure: both sides of the hiring process continue to have very different expectations of what “effort” really means.
