Something for the weekend: People often find job interviews nerve wracking, with many feeling apprehensive at the prospect of being asked questions about themselves. One woman experienced what could be considered the ultimate heart-pounding question, in a post that went viral on social media.
Katyayani Shukla, a jobseeker based in India, explained in an X post what her response was to a rather unexpected question during the final round of interviews.
Shukla said: “During my last job interview, the chief executive officer asked me to give her one good reason not to hire me. I told her I wasn’t ready for that question and needed some time to think. She said: ‘That’s fine… just promise you’ll email me your answer.’”
Shukla thought the interviewer might forget to follow it up, but received an email asking for her answer a few hours later. After spending some time thinking it over, she wrote her answer and sent it back.
In her emailed reply, she said: “A good reason not to hire me is that I have my life together. What that means for me is that I keep my personal and professional life organised. I have my time to work, usually around nine to five on weekdays, and I set boundaries to keep work inside those hours.”
Shukla described the importance of work-life balance in her life, adding: “Some employers and clients treat everything like a priority, and sometimes people expect us to work endlessly, including weekends or after hours, to meet their urgencies. I genuinely believe that when everything is urgent, nothing is urgent.”
She further stated that she feels setting boundaries helps her receive respect as a professional, acknowledging that while some appreciate that, others might see it as a red flag.
Her message ended by thanking the interviewers for their time and expressing openness to crossing paths in the future if this did not work out. To her surprise, it did!
Shukla added: “And today… I got the job. So yes, I love woman-led businesses.”
Sounds like the interviewer admired Shukla’s honesty in prioritising her work-life balance and setting boundaries!
