Worker accidentally applies for her own job at current company

Editor's note: This article was originally published on March 1, 2023. It has since been updated.

Searching for a job can be a real adventure, even if you have all the necessary skills and qualifications and you don’t lack job offers. Anything can happen during an interview: you may not even be met, the employer may unexpectedly change the terms of the agreement, and you may even end up applying to your current place of work!

This unbelievable story might just serve as a perfect example of all that can go wrong with a job search. Rachel Mcilravey (@rachelmcilravey) shared the story on her TikTok, explaining the strange circumstance all the way to the end, where she had to have a difficult conversation with the head of the company, and Rachel Mcilravey (@rachelmcilravey) the author of this story, in fact, lost two jobs – the one she applied for and the one she already had. You can’t get a better example than that!

“I applied for this job because it paid better and sounded great,” Rachel said. “But I should’ve researched the company more before I sent my resume and cover letter. The work environment was really horrible, and they kept changing up what you were doing and adding things to your plate.”

“So when I got caught, the CEO asked me why I applied for the job,” she continued. “I just told her the truth – that it was a toxic environment and she was setting a bad example for the office. I had to do what was best for me, and she agreed. In the end, they couldn’t fire me and I eventually left on my own. Just be honest.”

Talk about a hard pill to swallow! At the request of viewers, Mcilravey eventually posted a follow-up, in which she reveals she wasn’t expecting her TikTok post to “blow up” and become so popular. She said a lot of viewers told her the same thing happened to them, to which she exclaimed, “I’m really glad that I’m not alone in this hilarious situation!"

She says the company she worked for at the time was looking to expand and rebrand but failed to tell employees about its expansion plans. “When I saw this job, it had better pay and the job sounded great—like what I wanted to do—so that’s why I applied for it,” she said with a chuckle. She says the workplace had a “very toxic work environment,” and it had a high turnover rate. She said workers’ actual roles usually didn’t match their job description—hence why the job listing seemed so appealing to her.

She says the CEO told her the hiring team advised her to fire Mcilravey, and she used that as an opportunity to talk with the CEO about the work environment that the CEO, herself, allegedly helped perpetuate. She explained that she needed to do what was best for herself by keeping her options open and said with a twinkle in her eye, “They needed me, so they couldn’t fire me. And then I eventually left on my own.”

Mcilravey’s initial video unlocked a fear for many who are seeking another job while currently employed. Mcilravey included some advice for them in her follow-up, urging them to learn from her mistakes. “I should’ve done more research into the company, but I didn’t, so if anyone’s nervous, research whatever company you’re applying for,” she said with a big smile.