Woman turns down job after CEO dismisses her work as ‘ChatGPT’ during interview: 'Doesn’t deserve me'

In the corporate world, respect is what an employee primarily seeks from their employer. Above all skills, this is non-negotiable. The level of respect an employer shows their workers, regardless of position, reflects the work environment. Vibha Gupta, a copywriter and content writer, did not hesitate to turn down a job and withdraw her application after a troubling interview revealed the disrespect she would face from her potential employer. She made several observations about the employer, but the dealbreaker was his offensive comparison of her work to ChatGPT, as detailed in a LinkedIn post.

The woman shared that it was her first-ever face-to-face interview. During the interaction, she realized that joining the company would be a mistake. She noticed several red flags before the CEO even asked about her skills and experience. While she initially overlooked being kept waiting for 15 minutes due to the employer’s busy schedule, the next few incidents raised serious concerns. "He asked me if HR sent a video about the company. I said no, and he called her in his cabin and scolded right in front of me," Gupta recalled. She was taken aback by the CEO’s blatant disrespect for his employees.

The next few observations were the final straw. Gupta recalled the CEO referring to copywriting as "ChatGPT." "It made me realize my work will not be respected by him," she noted. Despite the two being entirely different categories, the CEO showed no acknowledgment of her profession or position, deeming it unnecessary with his indirect comments. That wasn’t all. She further mentioned that he "He copied a bio I wrote in the assignment and forwarded it to his marketing team. Will not be surprised if they update their bio in some days," she revealed. At this point, Gupta felt the CEO was unprofessional and careless, and she found no work ethic in the few minutes she spent with him.

The candidate added another remark that reinforced her belief the CEO lacked any abstract skills. He thoughtlessly labeled her previous work as "boring," failing to consider it was aligned with the brand tone of her previous companies. Ironically, her research revealed that the CEO's company had content that seemed to be AI-generated. Weighing all these factors, Gupta ultimately decided that her role and work would not be respected, let alone appreciated. The CEO's attitude conveyed that her skills were neither unique nor valuable to him, and Gupta made the decision to walk away without hesitation.

"I agree that he might have worked hard to get there, but please be humble and respectful towards people around you. Right after the interview, I messaged HR about what happened in the cabin and withdrew my candidature," Gupta said. She added that while the CEO would likely find another candidate, he didn’t "deserve" her. Many professionals voiced their support, agreeing with her decision. Kailash Parmar wrote, "Yes, these are the signs of a toxic culture." Debarghya Dey added, "100% in agreement. You were lucky—most often, these red flags come after you hit the floor." Shashank Gupta shared, "I don't know how these people survive in this corporate world, they should be defamed."