Man Slammed for Refusing Interview When Worker Showed Up in Jeans

Commenters criticized a man for canceling an interview when the interviewee showed up in jeans and a t-shirt rather than in a suit.

The Original Poster (OP), known as u/SerHofi, posted about the incident in Reddit's popular "Am I The A**hole" forum where it received nearly 7,300 upvotes and 300 comments. The post can be found here.

Job Interview Attire

As career coach Stacey Perkins told Newsweek, some of the worst things someone can do during a job interview is to come unprepared or disinterested.

Perkins added that it is also important to dress for the job, gauging attire based on the type of work or professionality.

She recalled a time she prepped a candidate for an interview in Dallas, Texas, who was completely off base with his attire.

"These folks are in quarries and mines, even though they are salespeople, who wear steel toe capped boots and sit on the back of truck tailgates," Perkins said. "My candidate showed up in a suit with a scarf," she said. "When he walked through the door, my hiring manager said, 'This is not a cultural fit.'"

'Didn't Wear a Suit'

In the post titled "You didn't wear a suit," the OP said they are a full-time bus driver.

At a recent wedding that the OP's friend attended, the party bus driver asked if anyone knew people with valid commercial driver's licenses who would be interested in extra work.

"Knowing I had my CDL my friend took a card and forwarded it to me," the post read. "I called yesterday to offer some weekend help, was told 'great can you come tomorrow after your bus run we can talk?' I told him that was no problem."

He said he finished his bus route and got to the interview ten minutes early.

"He isn't there. Ends up 10 minutes late."

The OP said when they got out of the car when the interviewer arrived, they saw the man wearing blue jeans, sneakers, and a t-shirt––the same outfit the OP was wearing.

But when the OP approached to shake the man's hand, the man said, "I'm not going to waste my time or yours. You didn't show up in a suit. So I'm not even doing the interview. We are driving $100,000 limos and you thought that was appropriate clothing to wear to the interview?"

But that didn't sit well with the OP.

"You run a business that drives $100,000 limos and you think it's appropriate to show up late?" the OP replied. "In the same outfit I am in. No wonder you have no employees. Thanks for the offer but I'm no longer interested."

The OP said that if the man had asked for them to wear a suit, they would have, but the the man knew they were coming straight from work.

Redditor Reactions

Nearly 300 users commented on the post, many criticizing the interviewee for calling off the meeting due to the OP's outfit.

"My husband has showed up to every trucking interview in his workboots, jeans and usually the same hi-vis shirt he wore to work," one user commented. "I feel like that's a question to ask in the interview––Do you own a suit? But probably bullet dodged, guy sounds like he's probably paying <$19 a hour"

"Not only was he late and judgemental, but he was trolling for staff whilst on the job!" another user commented. "Not exactly the most professional way to be hiring!"

"Normally I'd say put on a dress shirt or smt. But the fact you were told: 'great can you come tomorrow after your bus run we can talk?' I'd presume dress wasn't implied and you were in the right," another user commented. "Guy sounds like a dingbat & limos are a sketchy industry. Probably some strip club DJ cast-off."

"OMG, what a drama queen. You absolutely handled that perfectly. Bravo," another user commented.

Newsweek reached out to u/SerHofi for comment.

In another viral post, a job candidate was praised for telling an interviewer why "nobody wants to work anymore."

In other Reddit posts, a woman was praised for quitting her job on the spot, and another worker was applauded for their resignation email.