Woman was rejected on the spot at the end of an interview she landed after months of job hunting — the hiring manager’s reason made her thank him
Along with job scarcity and cutthroat competition in the professional world, candidates also face problems like ghosting, delayed responses, and time-consuming interview processes. Cara Gardner DiCostanzo, who goes by @letthembakethecake, shared on Threads on Thursday, October 29, 2026, how she lost her job in July and had been looking ever since. After one particular interview, she was surprised that the evaluator turned her down on the spot. When he explained his decision, she felt grateful instead of dejected.
As per the usual hiring process, the woman anticipated that the interviewer would take some time before making a decision. To her surprise, he informed her on the spot that she would not be selected. He explained, “You seem like a wonderful person, but we are looking for (blank blank) and you don’t have that.” He told her he did not want to give her hope and make her wait two weeks for a decision when he already knew she didn't qualify because of a lack of the relevant skill. He thanked her for her time, but DiCostanzo returned the thanks, saying, “Honestly, thank you. I wish more hiring managers had the foresight to say no.” She said that in the first round itself, many recruiters know whether the candidate has the potential to be selected. However, many choose to wait until several rounds are completed to share a rejection. In the bargain, time, skill, and so much more are lost.
Others agreed and praised the man for being upfront. @jimhiggins59 wrote, “Being rejected is so much more tolerable than being ghosted.” @itsbluemilio added, “I appreciate it when we can talk honestly and save both of us time.” @julianbrooks.writes remarked, “That kind of honesty can make an already difficult job search a little easier to navigate.” Transparency and honesty can do a great deal for both the interviewer and the applicant to ensure the next steps lead to success. In another professionally impressive encounter, a woman aced all the rounds for a role at a startup.
However, she was told she was rejected. The candidate felt distraught, but the manager explained why they refused to hire her despite her performance. They requested a call to share feedback, and though unsure, she agreed. There, they mentioned, "We felt this role was beneath you. You would get bored. The role we think you deserve hasn't been created yet. We need more capital to build it for you." As soon as she heard the reason, the woman’s entire perspective shifted. From feeling incompetent and unskilled, she felt confident enough to apply for higher roles, all because the hiring manager decided to be upfront and straightforward.
You can follow Cara Gardner DiCostanzo (@letthembakethecake) on Threads for more content on lifestyle.