- A startup founder reacted with a middle-finger emoji after a candidate declined an internship interview
- The candidate noted informal communication and unclear company details raised concerns about the startup
- The incident sparked online debate on professionalism and workplace culture in the startup ecosystem
A startup founder's reaction to a candidate declining an internship interview has gone viral, sparking discussion about professionalism and workplace culture in the startup ecosystem. The incident came to light after a candidate shared what he described as one of their strangest internship experiences on Reddit. According to the post, the founder initially reached out via LinkedIn, expressing interest in the candidate's profile before moving the conversation to WhatsApp.
However, as the hiring process progressed, the candidate began noticing several red flags. Communication remained informal, with no calendar invites or structured interview scheduling. While researching the company, the candidate also found little information about its operations and claimed that multiple businesses appeared to be linked to the same family name and operated from a small office space.
Feeling uncomfortable with the situation, the candidate decided not to proceed with the interview. He sent a polite WhatsApp message informing the founder that he would not be attending and apologised for any inconvenience caused.
"Maybe my instincts were wrong, but something felt off. So I decided not to attend the interview. The thing is, I never actually confirmed the interview. I simply said I would let him know. The next morning he messaged asking whether I was coming. I politely replied that I wouldn't be able to make it and apologized for the inconvenience," the post read.
The founder initially responded with a thumbs-up reaction. However, when the candidate checked the conversation a day later, he discovered that the reaction had been edited to a middle-finger emoji.
"I'm sorry, but if you're a founder representing your company and that's how you react to a candidate declining an interview, you've just validated every concern that candidate had in the first place. Honestly, I think that emoji told me more about the company culture than the interview ever could," the post added.
See the post here:
Backed out of an interview and got a middle finger "🖕" from the founder
by u/A-Genuine-Person in IndianWorkplace
A screenshot of the exchange quickly gained traction online. Several users said the applicant had avoided what could have been a toxic work environment, while others viewed the incident as an example of poor professional conduct during the hiring process.
The post has also reignited debate about the increasingly informal nature of recruitment at some startups, particularly when communication shifts away from professional channels without clear processes or transparency. Some users additionally criticised the candidate for not revealing the company's identity, arguing that naming the firm could help other job seekers make more informed decisions.
One user wrote, "i love companies like this, i don't have to go to the trouble of second guessing the culture at the workplace. they're automatically into my blacklist."
Another said, "Everyone in this country lacks a spine and then bitch about organisations.Why be scared to share the name of the organisation, you won't get blacklisted or anything. This is the real world, and your prospects will not get hampered in another good organization. Very disappointing."
"I can only imagine the behaviour towards his slaves in the start-up, if he is mature enough to use such gestures on WhatsApp. Sadly, in India, these are dime a dozen," added a third.
