Imagine interviewing for a job you don’t necessarily care if you get or not. If the person interviewing you showed up late and seemed pretty rude, would you still be on your best behavior and try to make a good impression, or would you be completely honest about how you feel about their behavior?

In this story, one woman is in this exact situation, and she couldn’t seem to stop herself from being overly dramatic. Now, she’s wondering if she really did go too far.

Let’s read all about it.

AITA for telling my supervisor that having manners is a way to give meaning to our existence?

Today, I (F25) assisted to a job interview that I wasn’t actually looking for, but I was referred to the position because they needed someone with my abilities.

It’s nothing fancy, just imparting classes in an institution that helps students to prepare for the evaluation that will allow them to enter the university.

I am still studying, but of course money and work experience always are welcomed, so I went and I was there at the agreed time.

The man supervising the test really bothered OP.

The man who was supposed to supervise the test for my admission arrived fifteen minutes late and made me wait for him ten minutes more without explanation, just rudely telling me (yelling at me since he was more than six feet apart from me) to wait for him downstairs.

He didn’t even say good morning.

I was completely flabbergasted at his lack of manners, because while I understand he doesn’t owe me anything, I value kindness and professionalism, and their absence makes me angry, I have to recognize it.

Also it felt like he was purposely humiliating me since he refused to walk up to me, and talked expecting me to come close to him, when he was the one arriving late and not even saying a proper greeting.

The interview actually seemed to go okay.

Well, resuming the story, while waiting for him I tried to calm down. I was literally about to leave the building and just not make the interview, but I didn’t want to let my anger get the best of me.

So I patiently waited for him and didn’t say anything bad, on the contrary, I tried to be agreeable enough that, despite his distant demeanor, he ended up smiling a couple times during our interactions.

At the end of the interview I had to complete a test about my knowledge so he left me alone in the room, and once I filled the form, I contacted him, but he was busy.

I was told to just leave the form in the room and leave, but I found that frankly awful and dehumanizing, so I decided to wait for him.

OP went a little over the top when it was time to leave.

Once he arrived, he tried to scold me for waiting for him, telling me that he had instructed for me to leave the form and leave.

So I said, slowly and smiling, that I believed that there were correct ways to do things, and one of them was if I was applying for a job, I had to at least give him the filled form in his hands and say goodbye.

He insisted in scolding me, but I said “no, this is totally voluntary, I was the one deciding to wait because I find it the right thing to do, since rituals, such as a goodbye, are the things that give meaning to our existence”. And ceremoniously handed him the form.

I thanked him and walked to the door, and then I dramatically turned to him and said, still in a gentle voice, “by the way, greeting someone properly is also a way to give meaning to our existence”, and I left…

OP knows that was cringe.

I swear to God sometimes I am just so cringe and extra, but for real, it poured out from my heart.

He said something I couldn’t hear well, because I walked “confidently” away, but inside I was feeling mortified for doing something like that.

He could perfectly not submit my application, he could tear it apart if he wanted, but I am just so tired of playing dumb and as if respect didn’t matter, basically selling myself and disrespecting what I think to be true just for a job.

OP is pretty sure this was the wrong way of handling the situation.

I am aware I am no one, I have no importance nor power, and yet something inside of me yells every day louder “I won’t submit”.

Again, I am aware of how dramatic I sound, and honestly I fear a little the pragmatic feedback, but I am totally surrendered to a better judgment than mine.

Sorry if this seems stupid, I am really troubled because of it right now. Should I control myself better? I shouldn’t go around trying to teach lessons, right? 🙁

When you’re interviewing, you do not correct the person interviewing you or try to put them in their place somehow. OP is definitely not getting that job.

Let’s see how Reddit responded to this story.

Interviews work both ways.

Here’s a warning for the future.

Here’s another warning.

Another person thinks OP really messed up.

Her comments made the whole interview a waste of time.

If you liked that story, check out this post about an oblivious CEO who tells a web developer to “act his wage”… and it results in 30% of the workforce being laid off.