16 February 2024 , 19:00
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Feeling like you aced an interview is a great feeling - but it turns out doing too well can be suspicious.
One man has explained he was automatically rejected from a job after the hiring manager accused him of "getting inside information" on the interview process because he gave such a good performance. The man said he was interviewing for a "highly technical role at a major tech company", and during the interview, he was asked questions about a specific software system that he has over five years of experience using.
The man didn't list that experience on his CV, so when he was able to answer the questions with ease, the hiring manager became suspicious - and eventually accused him of "cheating".
In a post on Reddit, the man said: "During the interview, it turns out that they are using a software system that I am highly trained on. It's not on my resume because it's extremely niche, but I have over five years of experience in it at a previous company. I wasn't expecting the company to use this software system because I didn't know they did that type of work.
"Turns out they randomly asked me questions about this and I wasn't expecting it. And since it wasn't on my resume, they were surprised at my responses at how educated on the topic I was.
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"At the end of the interview, the hiring manager asked me if I had spoken to anyone else who had interviewed for this role and was starting to accuse me of cheating/getting inside information on the interview process because of my level of knowledge and responses to his highly technical interview questions. The panel that was interviewing me was honestly completely blown away by some of my answers."
The day after his interview, however, the man received an "automated rejection email" informing him that he'd been unsuccessful in getting the job. He was left baffled when he read the company was "looking for someone who better aligns with the role" as he nailed every question that they asked him - so he can only assume they really did believe he was somehow cheating.
Commenters on the post were also baffled by the company's response, with many saying the man may have been rejected because he made the hiring staff look "stupid".
One person said: "You were smarter than them and they couldn't have that. Then they would have to pay you more as well. Next time put it on your resume under skills. Sorry they treated you like s**t but know it was because you made them look stupid. Not anything to do with you. People get upset when their egos get bruised."
While another added: "Intelligence and skills are scary things to the less enlightened. You dogged a bullet here. Do you want to work in a company you need to pretend to be dumb?", and a third wrote: "That is so bad. Imagine working for them."