A job candidate has shared a shocking experience on Reddit, claiming she was judged and dismissed from an interview not for her qualifications or skills, but because she took public transportation to the meeting. The hiring manager saw her arriving by bus on security cameras and grilled her about it, making it a deal-breaker for the job. As per the Reddit post, the hiring manager began the conversation by mentioning he'd seen her walking to the office on CCTV, and his first question was about whether she had "reliable transport," rather than inquiring about her qualifications or experience.
The situation took a personal turn when the hiring manager criticised the applicant's red hair, calling it "unprofessional."
"Just had an interview. The boss said they saw me walk up to the building on the cameras. Then asked if I had reliable transport. He bashed me for a few minutes, saying I shouldn't be using public transport. That no one will hire me, and he personally never hires people who use it, because they won't show up on time. Continued to complain about my red hair and that it made me unprofessional. Asked me no interview questions. Then said they had plenty of applicants, so I wouldn't be hearing back, shook my hand, and dismissed me," read the post.
See the post here:
"Nobody will hire you if you use public transport"
byu/ambrosiamince inrecruitinghell
In a follow-up, the applicant chose not to reveal the company or manager's identity, despite the intense feedback.
Social media users swarmed the post's comments, with many criticising the manager's tactics and others recounting similar job discrimination based on arbitrary reasons. The viral post also ignited discussions on hiring practices and outdated biases, with some noting that public transport is a common commuting choice for millions globally and unrelated to a candidate's dependability or work ethic.
One user wrote, "Im not sure what city you're in but I have to assume it's not NYC where over 8-10 million people use public transportation daily to commute to work. Forget about dodging a bullet, this guy is living in the stone age."
Another commented, "If the job does not require a car to perform its duties, someone's method of transport is irrelevant."
A third said, "Some employers don't care about punctuality—they care about control. They want to be able to call you in at the last second."
