Recruiter gets offended by candidate's 'informal' reply, gets roasted by netizens for 'double standards'

A recruiter came under fire on the subreddit Indian Workplace when he reprimanded a job candidate for being too “informal.” Taking to the subreddit, the Reddit user shared a conversation when the recruiter had told him the HR would get in touch with him if he was shortlisted, to which he replied, “Okay, cool.” The recruiter got irritated with the response and asked him to respond with an “Okay, thanks.”

Although the user complied, he was still called out for his informal language. “Dude, if you are finding a job, it’s better to be a little bit formal,” the recruiter said. He then went on to state that the job seeker would be judged by other recruiters for his lackluster communication skills.

Explaining his side, the user clarified that he had not actually applied for the role at all—the recruiter had contacted him first. After a short exchange, the two moved their discussion to WhatsApp, where they spoke about the company, the budget, and other details. The candidate even shared his portfolio and resume. Out of nowhere, the recruiter suddenly shifted the discussion to lecture him about why his replies should sound more formal.

The job seeker felt this was unnecessary and expressed frustration, noting that he had never initiated the interaction in the first place. If a casual phrase like “Okay, cool” was enough to upset the recruiter, he reasoned, then the issue lay more with the recruiter’s sensitivity than with his own communication. He admitted he did not believe he had said anything inappropriate but still asked the community if they thought he was at fault.

The post drew widespread responses. Many Redditors sided with the candidate, mocking the recruiter’s reaction. One remarked sarcastically that addressing someone as “dude” must be a new form of etiquette, ridiculing the recruiter’s seriousness. Another comment read, "Was thinking the same thing, double standards..."

Another shared their own experience, saying they had casually responded to an HR professional with over two decades of experience using phrases like “sounds cool,” without facing any objection. Several commenters suggested the recruiter probably expected to be addressed with titles such as “sir,” and that his reaction revealed more about his own ego than any real communication error.