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Bengaluru man refuses to work with founder who made him wait 40 mins: ‘Didn't even say sorry’
A Bengaluru man has revealed that he once turned down a job offer because the founder arrived 40 minutes late for a scheduled interview and didn't aplogise.
A Bengaluru-based entrepreneur has revealed that he once turned down a job offer because the founder arrived 40 minutes late for a scheduled interview, and then did not apologise. Shikhar Saxena, founder of hiring startup Binary, said that the lack of apology rubbed him off the wrong way and ultimately influenced his decision to walk away from the opportunity.
In an X post shared this afternoon, Saxena reflected on the incident while discussing workplace culture and leadership. He argued that small gestures, such as acknowledging someone else's time and apologising for delays, can reveal a great deal about a person's character. According to him, the interviewer's behaviour pointed to a lack of empathy, which he viewed as a warning sign.
(Also read: Candidate rejects ₹72 LPA offer ‘after considering the cost of living’, also cites company's strict WFO policy)
No apology from founder
“I once interviewed with a very popular founder who made me wait 40 minutes, and didn't even say sorry,” he revealed in his X post.
Shikhar Saxena said he decided not to work with the company because of that one incident. Later, he heard of other employees having unpleasant experiences there, which further cemented his assumption about the founder.
“I decided to not work with them, and later heard horrible stories from people who joined him,” he wrote. “Not apologizing/following-up shows severe lack of empathy, and it's almost always a good idea to avoid such people.”
‘A red flag’
His post has since sparked a broader discussion on X about interview etiquette, respect for candidates' time and the importance of empathy in leadership. Many users said the hiring process often provides an early glimpse into a company's work culture.
Some X users called the unnamed founder’s attitude a “red flag” in the comments section, and largely agreed with Saxena’s decision to avoid working for him.
(Also read: IITian turns down ₹32 LPA Gurgaon job to stay in Bengaluru: ‘This city feels like home’)
“Not apologising is a massive red flag,” wrote X user Astha.
“Once a friend arranged an interview with a founder. First question, why are we meeting? He had no clue of things and what to say and looked like he was being dragged. Very arrogant. To this day, I always consider the worst interview/call I had and benchmark every interview with that,” another person revealed.
Some claimed that the founder was trying to pull a power move by not apologizing.
