Rude HR berates man for missing interview over time confusion but regrets it after man exposes him

The recruiting world can be difficult sometimes and both employers and employees make mistakes. However, certain mistakes are difficult to let go of. A man named Ahmad shared a post on X (previously Twitter) about a "recruiter horror story" he experienced recently. A misunderstanding caused his recruiter to say insulting things to him and his entire experience somersaulted into a demeaning and draining one. “He created an entire novel in his head about me,” the man said. He mentioned that he was only given the time and date of a meeting and nothing more. 

He also shared a screenshot of the conversation that followed. Due to some misunderstanding, Ahmad missed his interview and the recruiter was infuriated. Ahmad explained the misunderstanding between time zones and apologized. However, the recruiter insulted him, saying, “You’re an idiot and super unreliable. You wasted many people’s valuable time. I won’t work with you again and will ensure other recruiters and companies do the same. I sent you all of these details multiple times and you confirmed it. Shame on you.” Ahmad was taken aback and he responded, “That’s an incredibly unprofessional response. If it’s true that the time isn’t correct, I understand why this may be unprofessional. But to berate someone with insults is unprofessional.” 

The recruiter was even more annoyed at Ahmad’s response and said, “You don't answer or return calls, confirmed with me didn’t show up for the interview and played dumb after missing the same.” The recruiter further mentioned that Ahmad had put him in an uncomfortable position with his client and he needed to “take responsibility and get rid of the narcissistic personality.”

People were appalled by the recruiter’s behavior. @BKJYK1287 said, “As a former agency recruiter, this guy can fly a kite. You don’t talk to people like that. I’ve had people miss interviews in the past, even when it was their fault. We’re all human.” @hakimthegoat said, “It’s unacceptable to act in any manner. I hope clients drop him. Not acceptable.” 

With sympathy and encouragement, Ahmad was encouraged to share follow-ups and people recommended that he share the name of the recruiter. Ahmad chose to reveal his name but one of his follow-ups saw a light at the end of the tunnel. Sharing an update, Ahmad mentioned that the recruiter texted him to apologize. “I am sorry,” he said in one message. The recruiter then explained his action, saying, “I have seen the Twitter posts and I apologize for my behavior. I am sick with the flu and acted impulsively and rudely.” 

In his caption, Ahmad thanked the users for their support and unity and mentioned how helpful their responses and engagement were. “To err is human. I don't feel spiteful towards him. I really just wanted to make sure he doesn't repeat these actions to other candidates. This platform has a lot of power. Let's keep using it to restore humanity to a thankless job industry,” he wrote. While several people still thought the recruiter was insincerely apologizing just to keep his name, many others understood and leveled with him. @jorgeavilam said, “He took his share, let’s hope you take yours. That would be a win-win.” @leewee116672 said, “He should take responsibility and not blame the flu.”

Editor's note: This article was originally published on April 10, 2024. It has since been updated.