Bengaluru techie drives 25 km for a job interview through traffic. Waited 50 minutes and then finally walked out. Why?

In Bengaluru, where braving traffic often feels like a test of patience in itself, one techie’s recent job interview ordeal has struck a chord online. What was supposed to be a straightforward face-to-face round with the CEO turned into a frustrating experience that many professionals found all too relatable. From last-minute surprises to wasted time, his story shows why respect for candidates’ time is just as important as the interview itself.

The candidate shared on Reddit that his interview was scheduled at 4:30 pm for the role of Head of Web Development at a mid-sized digital marketing firm. The HR had confirmed it would be a single round directly with the CEO, and even insisted he bring two hard copies of his resume along with his laptop. He hadn’t printed his resume in nearly a decade, but went through the trouble of preparing everything and drove 25 km across the city to Marathahalli, reaching right on time at 4:25 pm.

To his surprise, the HR asked if he had brought his resume. When he said no, they ended up printing it themselves. Then began the long wait. By 5 pm, he was still sitting in the office lobby and discovered another candidate had been waiting since 2:30 pm for his turn with the CEO. Apparently, several others had also been lined up, despite being told he was the only one scheduled for the day.

When he went back to check with HR, she casually mentioned that the “tech guy” would meet him first, followed by the CEO. This was news to him — nowhere had it been communicated earlier. Feeling misled and undervalued, he decided to walk out at 5:20 pm, telling HR he had another interview to attend.


Reflecting on the experience, he called it a complete waste of time, money, and effort, pointing out how outdated it felt in 2025 to demand physical resumes and in-person waits for something that could have easily been a 30-minute online call. His closing line summed up his frustration: it was just “one of those meetings that should have been an email.”

Internet reacts

Many people supported the techie’s decision to walk away. Some pointed out that arriving on time is a basic expectation in a professional setting, and the company’s lack of apology or communication showed how casually they treated candidates. Others said it reflected a typical toxic “lala company” culture where employees are made to feel as if they’re being done a favour by being offered a job. A few even suggested telling HR upfront that the interview experience itself revealed enough about the company’s work culture. A user remarked that with the amount of cheating happening, it’s fair for companies to insist on offline interviews, but added that they should at least be punctual.