Reddit user flags ‘personal life grilling’ in bizarre job interview experience

Job interviews are meant to test skills, not childhood memories, but one candidate’s bizarre experience has left the internet questioning just how far companies should go.

A Reddit user with over four years of work experience recently shared their ordeal with a small firm on r/IndianWorkplace subreddit. The process, according to them, began on a bad note when the interviewer arrived 45 minutes late.

What they expected to be a short and routine HR introduction quickly turned into a grilling session. While HR rounds typically last around 10–15 minutes, the candidate described their first round as “way too intense.” Still, they managed to get through it.

Interview getting too personal
byu/Used-You2671 inIndianWorkplace

Things took an even stranger turn when the HR informed them about the second round. The candidate was told it would last two hours and cover not only work experience but also deeply personal topics.

The HR listed questions that would touch on:

• Parents’ professions and how they shaped the candidate
• Childhood memories
• Low points in life and how they were overcome
• Teachers’ role in achievements
• School experiences
• Major turning points in life

The user admitted that while questions about work background made sense, the rest felt far too personal for a job interview.

A Viral Debate on Work Boundaries

The post, shared on Reddit’s r/IndianWorkplace subreddit, quickly went viral. Many users called the process a “red flag,” arguing that companies should not cross personal boundaries in the name of recruitment. Others pointed out that such methods might be an attempt to mimic psychological evaluations but were misplaced in a regular hiring process.

“An interview should test your skills and fit for the role, not dig into your childhood traumas,” one commenter wrote. Another suggested, “Employers often ask personal questions so they can know to which level you’re vulnerable and to which level you can be exploited and controlled and how much you are going to be dependent on your job. At least that’s what I’ve observed.”

One user wrote, “I would UNO Reverse them. Ask them questions about how their company management handles turbulent situations. Ask them about their psychological work up, and tell them it’s how an employee will get to know it’s a good place to work. I would fucking waste the whole interview. Then I would come and grill the HR so personally it would make them uncomfortable.”

Candidate’s Final Decision

After reflecting on the experience and receiving feedback from fellow Redditors, the candidate decided not to proceed with the process. They later updated their post saying they had informed the HR about their decision to step back.