It’s one thing to be rejected by a company for not being a good fit. Especially in this day and age, it is more commonplace than it was years ago.
However, it is another thing to be offered a handsome deal, only for the organization to suddenly pull the rug out from under you. It’s an enraging, potentially traumatizing experience that many people also go through, most of whom would do nothing but stew in their anger.
This person, however, got even through an epic, well-thought-out revenge plot. Read the story below to see how it happened.
Being strung along by a company is never a good feeling for any job candidate
Image credits: cottonbro studio/Pexels (not the actual photo)
This story began when a company recruited someone for a senior position, flying the person out to their headquarters
Image credits: Edmond Dantès/Pexels (not the actual photo)
However, the organization terminated the position and refused to shoulder the person’s travel expenses going back
Image credits: SHVETS production/Pexels (not the actual photo)
After being taken for a ride, the author decided to get even through a well-thought-out revenge plot
Image credits: Mikhail Nilov/Pexels (not the actual photo)
Ultimately, things went well for the author
Image credits: ExPostRedemptore
More and more people are experiencing a “bait-and-switch” from companies
The author’s story may have happened a few years back, but the bait-and-switch trend has remained prevalent among job candidates and employees. According to a 2024 CNBC report, 53% of American workers reported experiencing such tactics.
Specifically, they went through the hiring process, during which their responsibilities “differed significantly” from what the company had initially advertised. Another 42% of US job seekers claim the originally advertised salary “changed after multiple rounds of interviews.”
According to Jon Stross, co-founder of the recruiting platform Greenhouse, companies typically handle these processes haphazardly, leaving many aspiring candidates in a tough spot.
“What frequently happens is, in the rush to get going with hiring, [companies] just grab a job description from a past job, or maybe they go online, and they find a job at a different company, and they copy it,” he explained.
Image credits: Tima Miroshnichenko/Pexels (not the actual photo)
When faced with a bait-and-switch, Stross says asking a multitude of questions is the “best defense.” He advised getting clarification on what the job entails and the success metrics.
“It’s a good question that both shows your interest and also helps you get clarification,” he said.
In the author’s case, the company didn’t seem to care about the incurred expenses. The revenge plot may have led to trouble, but it did send a message to the company that their actions were unethical.
The author provided more information by answering the readers' questions
Many commenters were delighted with the story, as some shared similar experiences
