December 19, 2025 at 1:55 am

Job Candidate Tried To Play By The Company’s Unreasonable Rules To Land The Gig, But Their Hypocrisy Made The Candidate See Their True Colors

by Benjamin Cottrell

woman on a zoom interview

Pexels/Reddit

Nothing reveals the unfair power balance in the corporate world quite as much as job hunting.

One applicant quickly realized how one-sided expectations truly were when the company they were interviewing with demanded to know about their other prospects.

And ultimately, the company already had their mind made up.

Keep reading for the full story.

You’re not allowed to even think of other companies. They want 100% loyalty from you before you start working.

Had an interview a couple days ago. For a local manufacturing place.

There was one question in particular that stuck out.

One of the questions during the initial screening call was, “Are you applying anywhere else or have offers from other companies?”

Of course I said no.

Got a “Thank you, we’ll do a 2nd interview next week.”

This candidate couldn’t help but balk at the company’s audacity.

But dang. Not only do they want your life when you start working for them, they want you to prove loyalty by not even thinking of anyone else before you start working for them.

In the end, it didn’t even seem to matter much.

To top it off, got an email today. The role has been filled already.

So they don’t want me to consider another job, but they’re allowed to consider other applicants?

Companies have lost their minds.

There’s nothing more frustrating than having loyalty demanded to you by a company that will never return the favor.

Redditors chime in with their thoughts.

This user worries this kind of behavior is becoming all too commonplace.

Screenshot 2025 12 05 at 12.14.07 PM Job Candidate Tried To Play By The Company’s Unreasonable Rules To Land The Gig, But Their Hypocrisy Made The Candidate See Their True Colors

This user hypothesizes what companies might stand to gain by behaving this way.

Screenshot 2025 12 05 at 12.14.57 PM Job Candidate Tried To Play By The Company’s Unreasonable Rules To Land The Gig, But Their Hypocrisy Made The Candidate See Their True Colors

If there’s one thing toxic companies thrive on, it’s candidate’s desperation.

Screenshot 2025 12 05 at 12.15.18 PM Job Candidate Tried To Play By The Company’s Unreasonable Rules To Land The Gig, But Their Hypocrisy Made The Candidate See Their True Colors

There are many different ways companies evaluate their candidates, some more unfair than others.

Screenshot 2025 12 05 at 12.16.10 PM Job Candidate Tried To Play By The Company’s Unreasonable Rules To Land The Gig, But Their Hypocrisy Made The Candidate See Their True Colors

If the company treats their candidates this poorly, then maybe missing out on the job is a blessing in disguise.

If you liked this post, check out this story about an employee who got revenge on a co-worker who kept grading their work suspiciously low.

Benjamin Cottrell | Assistant Editor, Internet Culture

Benjamin Cottrell is an Assistant Editor and contributing writer at TwistedSifter, specializing in internet culture, viral social dynamics, and the moral complexities of online communities. He brings a highly analytical, editorial voice to his reporting on workplace conflicts, malicious compliance, and interpersonal drama, with a specific focus on nuanced stories that lack an obvious villain.

As a published author of rhetorical criticism, Benjamin leverages his academic background in human communication to dissect and elevate viral social media threads. Instead of simply summarizing events, he provides readers with balanced, deep-dive commentary into why the internet reacts the way it does. In addition to his cultural reporting, he is an experienced fine art photography essayist and video game reviewer.

When he isn’t analyzing the latest viral debates, Benjamin is usually chipping away at his extensive video game backlog, hunting down the best new restaurants, or out exploring the city with a camera in hand.

Connect with Benjamin on Instagram and read more of his essays on Substack.