Startup labels Redditor ‘cultural non-fit’ for asking about salary: 'Landlord doesn’t accept lifelong connections…'
A Redditor shared a startup interview experience, sparking an online debate.
A Redditor has shared a bizarre experience applying for a "Social Media and Community Manager” role in a Reddit post.
According to the Redditor (@ThingImportant3517), the HR claimed that the application “wasn’t a cultural fit” after asking if the role paid a salary.
The application was shortlisted, and the first round of interviews went smoothly, with discussions about storytelling and content strategy described as “all good vibes.”
"HR said I wasn’t a cultural fit because I asked if the social media role paid," the caption of the post reads.
Also Read: Job seeker shares painful ordeal after being ghosted following 8 interviews: 'How to get over this?'
Startup prioritises culture over salary:
However, the second round took a strange turn when the founder joined the call wearing a hoodie that read “Empathy is our currency.”
During the conversation, the founder reportedly said, “We’re looking for someone who believes in community, not compensation.”
The Redditor’s response was laughter, thinking it was a joke, but the founder continued, “We don’t pay salaries in the early phase, but we offer something better: lifelong connections.”
But the Redditor's reply was, “Cool, but my landlord doesn’t take lifelong connections.” After a pause, the founder said, “Yeah… I don’t think this application would fit our culture.”
Later, a LinkedIn post appeared with the headline “Why some people just don’t get startup life,” which the Redditor described as ironic after the interview.
Also Read: Job applicant invoices company for his time after 7 interviews, 2 assessments, gets paid
Check out the post here:
Reddit reacts:
The Reddit post sparked a lot of discussion online. Many users criticised the startup for prioritising connections over fair pay, calling it out of touch with reality.
Others shared similar experiences, noting that some startups expect early employees to work for little or no salary in exchange for culture or networking.
One of the users commented, “I refuse to get anywhere near a company that does not share its salary range up front.”
A second user commented, “Reply with a post on why some startups just don't pay salaries to people.”
“Sounds like a bunch of trust fund kiddies playing at running a startup. Sorry that happened to you!” another user commented.
(Disclaimer: This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.)
