It’s no secret that job hunting can be stressful, and a few obstacles along the way are expected. But being turned down the moment you arrive for an interview? That’s definitely not one of them.

Allegedly, that’s exactly what happened to one Redditor after applying for a role at a famous hotel. They were excited to be invited for an in-person interview, only to be sent home by the manager after a brief 20 seconds in the lobby. Feeling shocked and heartbroken, the candidate walked away, barely holding back tears.

This job candidate was excited to interview for a role at a famous hotel

Image credits: s_kawee (not the actaul image)

Only to be allegedly turned down the moment they stepped into the lobby

Image credits: Timur Weber (not the actual image)

Image credits: Tonefotografia (not the actual image)

Image credits: mochamoc

Almost all candidates dread job interviews

Not every job interview is as disastrous as OP’s, but even the best ones can still give candidates a case of the jitters. According to the 2013 Job Interview Anxiety Survey conducted by Harris Interactive on behalf of Everest College, 9 in 10 employed adults in the U.S. dread something about the experience.

The top fear is being overly nervous (17%), followed by concerns of being overqualified (15%), getting stumped by tricky questions (15%), being late (14%), lacking qualifications (11%), and feeling unprepared (10%).

“For so many, the job interview can be a high-pressure, make-or-break event when searching for a job, so it’s only natural that anxiety can play a major factor,” said survey spokesman John Swartz, regional director of career services at Everest College. “Everyone is different when coping under the pressure, but the best advice to help manage job interview fear is to simply be prepared. Conducting research, anticipating questions and acting professionally are staples that will stand the test of time, regardless of the latest job interview trends.”

However, even when you’ve done everything right, there’s no guarantee the hiring process will go smoothly. In fact, many job seekers are finding it to be tougher than ever. Jessica (not her real name) shared her frustration after having to go through six interviews over two months just to reach the final stage.

“Every time I thought, ‘Okay, this is the final hump,’ there was another thing,” she said. “It just gets really mentally exhausting, and it’s hard to manage your work schedule because obviously you don’t want your employer to know you’re interviewing.”

“There’s no reason why 10 years ago we were able to hire people on two interviews and now it’s taking 20 rounds of interviews,” commented Maddie Machado, a career strategist who has previously worked as a recruiter at LinkedIn, Meta, and Microsoft. “It’s kind of like dating. When you go on a first date, you need a second date. You don’t need 20 dates to know if you like somebody.”

Despite the tough and draining job market today, there is one silver lining. If an interview feels off, it could be the warning sign you need that the company might not be the right fit, saving you the time and energy of accepting an offer and dealing with the stress of leaving later on.

That’s why setting boundaries as a candidate is so important. Machado suggests limiting yourself to no more than four rounds of interviews. Remember, while they’re interviewing you, you’re also evaluating them as a potential employer. Trust your instincts—if you notice red flags, don’t ignore them.

The commenters acknowledged how frustrating the experience must have been and suggested contacting corporate to report what happened

One user shared a similar story about how their interview at a hotel went horribly wrong

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