Job seeker who began asking questions during interview is told to leave, sparking debate

Many employers and employees feel that an interview is supposed to be a two-way street. An employee who asks questions is usually considered proactive and interested in the growth of a company. However, asking questions didn't turn out to be in u/Significant_Lab_5286's favor who took to Reddit to share their story. The person shared that they constantly "job shop" to know their market value and if they could get the best of what's out there for them. In one of the interviews, the person made it to the third round and went on for an in-office interview with the hiring manager. The HR representative and the person's potential direct supervisor were also present on a Zoom call.

"Sat through all the normal competency questions, background/experience questions, references, salary/benefits expectations, etc. Finally, they get to the 'Do you have any questions for us' moment. I had a feeling this interview wasn’t going anywhere so I responded, 'Yes, I have a few questions.'" The person asked why the position was available and if the previous employee had retired and got a better job offer, or if they were forced to resign. The person also asked for references from three previous employees who held a similar position. "I’d like to contact them to get their feedback on compensation/benefits, management support, scheduling flexibility, etc," they added.

"Immediately the HR representative and would-be supervisor's screens went dark. The hiring manager said, 'I’m sorry for any miscommunication, you’re obviously not the right person for this position. Please leave & do not contact XYZ INC. again,'" the person recollected. "Apparently, the interview process is only meant to be a one-way street," the post concluded.

Comments poured in from the audience with differing views on the topic. u/russwbird commented, "I wholeheartedly concur that an interview is a two-way conversation. However, you should think twice before saying something like 'give me past employees' information'..." On the other hand, u/QueenAnneCutie wrote, "Yes they probably should have worded their request in a less aggressive sounding way and 'at least 3' is a bit much, but the employer should have been prepared for such a request and been glad the applicant was taking care." u/DarwinOfRivendell expressed, "I pulled the move of asking my interviewers why I should want to work for them, similar idea but was very well received and got the job. Asking for references from current or former employees is very strange and super unprofessional."

u/Deep-Friendship3181 remarked, "It's right up there with the people who insist you should always be antagonistic to your employer. Yes, stand up for yourself, but being an abrasive a****** is a great way to end up without a job, and normally your manager is just another person trying to feed their family. Flies, honey, vinegar, etc. You can protect yourself in the workplace without being a d*** about it, and who knows, maybe you won't hate your job as much if you try not to hate everyone you work with." While u/ImperiousImage stated, "So it’s actually not uncommon in academic settings for there to be a sort of 'side chat' with a member of the union and a non-interviewing employee. They usually take you out for lunch on the university dime and you can ask these kinds of questions. The point being that a tenured prof is hired for life and they should have a clear idea of what they’re getting into."