Internet Blasts Interviewer for Telling Job Applicant's Current Boss They Plan on Quitting

A Redditor shared an experience with a job interview that went viral on the subreddit r/antiwork. In their post, u/sonofacrakr wrote that the interviewer reached out to their current boss and informed her that they were planning on quitting.

"I live in a very small town and everyone knows each other," u/sonofacrakr wrote in their post, which received more than 40,000 votes. "I did not expect this to happen but the woman who conducted the interview sat down with my current boss and explained, in detail exactly what was said in the interview and that I would be putting in my 2 weeks notice at my current job."

The Redditor's boss told u/sonofacrakr that she knew they were planning to quit and began quoting parts of the job interview.

"I explained in the interview that I was going to sit down with her myself and talk with her about the new job offer but this woman did that all for me," u/sonofacrakr wrote. "I didn't even get a chance."

Now, the Redditor is having second thoughts about the new job and wondered if this experience was a red flag. They noted that they were considering turning it down altogether.

This scenario happened to another individual, whose experience was discussed in a piece published by The Cut. A job applicant began interviewing with different companies but did not inform their boss about their job search. One recruiter insisted on a reference with their current manager despite the applicant offering other former managers and copies of a performance review.

Ultimately, the applicant decided to withdraw their application for further consideration.

Alison Green, a columnist for The Cut, wrote in the piece that the employer was in the wrong.

"Most employers do not insist on reference from a candidate's current manager for exactly the reasons you cited: Most people don't want to tip off their boss that they're job-searching until they're ready to leave," Green wrote.

She wrote that an applicant may face some blowback if their current employer were to find out about their job search.

If a hiring manager is unwilling to negotiate whether a current manager is used as a reference, Green wrote the applicant may have to reconsider whether they want the job enough to agree to their request.

"But I'd be very wary of moving forward with a company that disregards professional norms and shows this lack of concern for your job security," she noted.

Many commenters under u/sonofacrakr's post echoed Green's sentiment and questioned the interviewer's professionalism.

"Not just a red flag, a complete disregard for ethics," u/wighnite_ wrote. "If you can find her superior, please tell them about this s**t."

u/W-S_Wannabe agreed with the commenter and wrote that the interviewer's behavior "reeks of a complete lack of ethics."

"Were I her boss, I'd wonder about what other confidential things she's opening her big mouth and to whom," they wrote.

Another Redditor, u/schuma73 suggested it may have been a tactic for u/sonofacrakr to take a low offer now that they are in a difficult position.

"When the offer does come it, guaranteed it will be low," the commenter wrote.

Most of the commenters wrote that u/sonofacrakr should seriously consider whether they will choose to take the job.

"If the interviewer cannot keep their mouth shut and maintain any semblance of professionalism, trust me, you won't want to be working with them," u/tisaintright commented.

Newsweek reached out to u/sonofacrakr but did not hear back in time for publication.