A startup founder has described an unusual hiring experience in which a prospective candidate appeared to reverse the roles during an interview, subjecting him to intense questioning before ending the conversation prematurely.
The account emerged in a post shared on Reddit, where the CEO outlined how what began as a routine recruitment process took an unexpected turn. The individual in question, identified as a senior academic holding positions as both a professor and a dean, had applied for a leadership role at the founder’s company, Zenark, through LinkedIn.
Summarising the experience, the CEO wrote: “Applied to my startup, then grilled me like I was the candidate.”
According to the post, early exchanges between the two were encouraging. The applicant reportedly expressed strong interest in the role and presented himself confidently as a suitable fit for the organisation.
Based on these interactions, the CEO, identified as Wajahat Sayeed, arranged a call to explore the opportunity further.
However, the discussion reportedly changed direction almost immediately after the call began.
Rather than engaging in a typical interview dialogue, the candidate launched into a series of rapid and pointed questions directed at the CEO. These queries covered a wide range of topics, including the founder’s academic background, specifics of his MBBS qualification, the size of the team, the company’s registration status, and whether the business had an operational website.
Reflecting on the exchange, the CEO wrote, “It genuinely felt like I was being interrogated… or worse, like I was sitting in a viva.”
He added that the line of questioning left little room for a balanced discussion and prevented him from understanding the applicant’s own credentials, motivations, or reasons for pursuing the position.
Before the CEO could provide a detailed overview of the role or explain the organisation’s vision, the candidate reportedly ended the call, stating that he was not interested in proceeding.
While acknowledging that rejection is a normal part of recruitment, the CEO emphasised that it was the manner of the interaction that stood out to him.
“Honestly, it wasn’t even the rejection that bothered me. It was the attitude,” he wrote.
The incident led the founder to reflect on broader workplace dynamics, particularly whether certain individuals continue to rely on seniority, experience, or titles as a way of asserting authority during professional interactions.
The post drew significant engagement on Reddit, where users largely criticised the candidate’s conduct.
One user commented, “Don’t pay much heed to this. Sometimes people feel their experience and age, no matter how relevant, give them authority over the other person.”
Another wrote, “I have had similar experience working with folks coming from academia, it may be the way their brains are wired to question things and seek clarification, which may be good fit for academic research but usually falters when dealing with day to day business.”
A third suggested a different approach, stating, “This is a great learning for you on how to take control of the conversation when you are with seniors. Your title alone won’t command respect.”