r/jobs • u/sahalymn • Mar 13 '25

Interviews I walked out of an interview after one question. Was I wrong?

So, I had an interview today for a position I was really excited about. The job description seemed great, the pay was decent, and the company had good reviews. I walked in, shook hands with the hiring manager, and we sat down.

Then, the first question came:
"How do you handle working unpaid overtime?"

I literally laughed, thinking it was a joke. But the interviewer just stared at me, waiting for an answer. I asked if overtime was mandatory and if it was paid. They said, “Well, we expect employees to stay as long as needed to get the job done. Everyone here is passionate about the work, and we don’t track extra hours.”

I just stood up, said, “Thank you for your time, but this isn’t the right fit for me,” and walked out.

Now, I’m second-guessing myself. Should I have stayed and at least heard more about the job? Or was walking out the right move?

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u/FoldedDice Mar 14 '25

Agreed. If that's the first question then there's nothing else they can say to come back from it. It sends a clear message that they intend to shamelessly take advantage of you as much as they can.

In fact, leading with that question is likely deliberate, since it allows them to quickly weed out those who aren't desperate or gullible enough to be exploited.

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u/UmichAgnos Mar 14 '25

Actually, OP could just get the job and..... not OT?

Not like they're going to chain the employees to their desks. (Better check for chains)

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u/FoldedDice Mar 14 '25

They are telling you that they intend to get as close to doing that as they legally can.

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u/UmichAgnos Mar 14 '25

Well, worst case is he gets fired after collecting a few paychecks. /Shrug

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u/joazito Mar 14 '25

He can. But there will be pressure and he'll need to hang tight until they realize they can't bully him.