• FAIL Blog
  • Employee
  • Workplace
  • Horrible Bosses
  • Neighbors
  • HOA
  • Family Drama
  • Parenting
  • Customer Service
  • Entitled People

  • Links
  • About Us
  • Editorial Guidelines
  • Terms
  • Privacy
  • Security
  • DMCA Policy
    • search email community favorite this article chev-right latest posts article list comments tags video article login twitter facebook menu pinterest whatsapp

    HR rejects job candidate for being overly eager and “trying too hard”, going into great detail in the rejection email, leaving candidate to wonder: ‘Is this even appropriate?’

    "We don't build teams around people-pleasing tendencies or rehearsed enthusiasm".

    Believe it or not, that is the exact sentence the HR employee used when they rejected a job candidate.

    In an era where feedback is nonexistent, and most rejection emails are written by AI, some people find it really helpful to receive genuine criticism, even if it means they did not get the job. Instead of being told that the hiring manager decided to "go in a different direction", being told exactly the reasons why they did not want to proceed with the hiring can be really helpful and educational.

    Others would say that it really depends on the feedback itself. Any feedback and criticism, under many circumstances, can be helpful to the receiver, but it can also do harm. If someone goes too far or makes it too personal, it can deter the receiver from making any progress in the future.

    The question is, was the feedback in the rejection email below constructive, or did it cross a personal line? 

    Keep scrolling to read the full story about a job candidate who got a very honest rejection email, then read the comments and share your thoughts below.

    Like what you see? Follow Us and Add Us as a Preferred Source on Google. 

    Author image for Bar Mor Hazut Bar Mor Hazut
    Add us on Google
    Advertisement
    • Young Woman in Business Suit Smiling During Job Interview
      via Aflo Images

      Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

    • Advertisement

    • HR told me they don’t accept try-hards and people pleasers after my interview

      Interview Feedback External Inbox Dea 3:47 PM ← Thank you for taking the time to interview with us. After careful consideration, we've decided not to move forward with your application. To be candid, our team values authenticity and confidence. During the interview, your approach came across as overly eager to please and, at times, trying too hard to say what you thought we wanted to hear rather than presenting your genuine perspective. We don't build teams around people-pleasing tendencies or r
      via No-Presentation298
    • They rejected me (fine, that happens) but the feedback said I came across as overly eager to please and that they don't build teams around people- pleasing tendencies or rehearsed enthusiasm.
      via No-Presentation298
    • They also told me to reflect on how I present myself and that confidence is more compelling than excessive accommodation.
      via No-Presentation298
    • Advertisement
    • Is this normal? Or even appropriate? | get that not being a culture fit is a thing but the wording felt unnecessarily personal and condescending.
      via No-Presentation298

    • Personally, I don't think I would have wanted to receive a rejection email like this one, as helpful as it may be. It felt way too personal in my opinion, and did not need to have such a condescending tone.

      Using phrases like “overly eager to please” and “trying too hard” is definitely not professional HR behavior, and I'm sure they could have found better phrases to make the same point across in a respectful manner. Even though it is something that can be fixed, it must be difficult to face the next interviewer knowing this is how you might come across, and I'm not sure if knowing these things would have made me less self-conscious about these disadvantages.

      Overall, I wouldn't have wanted to work in a place that provides criticism this way.

      What are your thoughts about this rejection email? Would you have wanted to be on the receiving side, or would you have preferred a generated response instead?

    • DeMessenZijnGeslepen I'm surprised some companies even have individualized rejection letters like that.
      via DeMessenZijnGeslepen
    • Advertisement
    • RandomA9981 This will actually help you. Being overly agreeable will result in being used and underpaid at every turn.
      via RandomA9981
    • Bosto2025 Actually, I read that as "You came off as disingenuous and we don't believe you." Be thankful they gave you that feedback and use it to make yourself better. As my former employer always said, "feedback is a gift".
      via Bosto2025
    • Advertisement
    • Cheezburger Image 10602255872
      via Africa images

      Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

    • TransmigrationOfPKD I love that they provided honest feedback. I agree that it comes across as personal because it's so blunt, but I don't find it inappropriate (of course, only you know for sure because you were in the interview)
      via TransmigrationOfPKD
    • Kilbim Actual good feedback after an interview. Gives you things to reflect on and possibly improve!
      via Kilbim
    • Advertisement
    • Possible-Rope-1260 You should get on your knees and thank God that you actually got interview feedback rather than an automated decline Email with no idea how to improve yourself moving forward.
      via Possible-Rope-1260
    • I_Want_A_Ribeye Most rejections are just "after careful consideration we have chosen to go in a different direction yada yada." This is at least helpful for the future
      via I_Want_A_Ribeye
    • NoSubstance7767 Wow, never seen anything like this. It's kind of cool tho. It's good feedback actually.
      via NoSubstance7767
    • Advertisement
    • montessoriprogram Idk why people are praising this lol. This does not come across as genuine feedback to me, it sounds. like someone did not like you personally. Still worth considering what they said, but I wouldn't take it at 100% face value because it sounds like you might have. pressed this persons specific buttons.
      via montessoriprogram
    • GoodMedium3600 Everyone saying this is great feedback meanwhile I think this person is an asshole and you dodged a bullet Imao.
      via GoodMedium3600

    Like what you see? Follow Us and Add Us as a Preferred Source on Google. 

    Tags

    workplace-stories hr manager job email candidates tales-from-the-workplace job candidate rejection hiring workplace company
    Like
    Scroll Down For The Next Article
    Show Comments

    Also From FAIL Blog

    Resident refuses to shovel snow for entitled neighbor after they watched her decline help for an elderly woman when she slipped outside her house: 'I just walked away'

    Resident refuses to shovel snow for entitled neighbor after they watched her decline help for an elderly woman when she slipped outside her house: 'I just walked away'
    Next Article