Company asks job applicant to submit video pretending to be 'Superman' — and the internet loses it

Job hunting can be stressful. Besides, with the current job market, candidates often run into bizarre hiring practices along the way. They spend hours polishing their résumés, writing cover letters and preparing for interviews—only to sometimes find themselves dealing with companies that make them question whether the job is even worth pursuing. That was exactly the case with u/TacticalSpeed13, who recently shared an unusual interview request that left people both amused and outraged. After applying for a Sales Representative/Account Executive position, they received an email from the recruiter that started normally, only to have a strange request later.

The recruiter expressed interest in the candidate's background and seemed impressed with their qualifications. However, things took a strange turn when the recruiter added, "I’d like to ask you to record a 1-minute video of yourself where you can pretend you are a Superman and describe why you are a great fit for this position." At first, the candidate thought it might have been a mistake or some kind of joke. But just to be sure, they followed up with the recruiter, asking for clarification.

The recruiter clarified that it was not a typo and genuinely wanted the candidate to act like Superman while explaining their qualifications, which left them surprised. The candidate updated what they had responded to the recruiter in the comment section: "I appreciate the opportunity to interview for this role. However, I would like to take a moment to address your request for a video submission in which I portray the superhero Superman while explaining my qualifications for this position. With over 20 years of proven success in sales, I have always approached my professional endeavors with the utmost seriousness and respect."

The candidate further wrote, "While I fully recognize the importance of creativity and engagement in the sales process, I find this particular request to be outside the bounds of standard professional practice. Such an exercise does not appear to be aligned with assessing the skills, experience, or strategic acumen required to drive results in a high-performing sales environment. I remain interested in discussing how my expertise can contribute to growth and success, and I welcome the opportunity to continue our dialogue in a manner that more appropriately reflects the professional nature of this role. Please let me know how you would like to proceed."

The response quickly gained attention on Reddit, where people couldn’t believe how ridiculous the request was. u/RandomName8844 wrote, "This is the way. That is an amazingly professional response! I don't think I've ever seen such a ridiculous job interview request."

u/Randallman7 said, "I laughed way too hard at this. Many years ago, I had to respond to résumés sent in via Craigslist for a sales job opening at my company. One guy sent in a 10-second video of himself dunking a basketball disrespectfully on another guy. I wanted to hire him on the spot, but my boss wasn't amused." u/crizzlefresh added, "Oh, so they want you to do tricks for their amusement? I used to work in HR, and this is the most unprofessional request I have ever heard. What is wrong with these people?"