HR Professional Exposes Inappropriate Messages From Rejected Candidates

A Noida-based HR professional, Harshita Mishra, recently took to LinkedIn to share troubling examples of harassment she’s faced from candidates who were rejected for job positions. Mishra, a talent acquisition specialist, posted screenshots revealing inappropriate messages and persistent calls she received, illustrating the challenges faced by many HR professionals when boundaries are disregarded by candidates.

In her post, Mishra highlighted how some job-seekers, unable to handle rejection, turned to commenting on her appearance, using terms like "cute," "beautiful," and "hot." One individual, even after being rejected, sent her love poetry, while others continued to contact her late at night, despite her refusal to respond.

“This is a disturbing trend,” Mishra wrote, adding that such behavior has become routine for her. “Inappropriate nighttime texts and calls have become a regular occurrence. I’m committed to maintaining professionalism, even in the face of such behavior, but this needs to be exposed.”

One particular job-seeker sent her multiple messages, confessing he was unable to forget her since the interview and described her as "the most beautiful girl in the world." Mishra's screenshots show him repeatedly calling her, despite her lack of response. In another case, after Mishra explained that his CV did not meet the position's requirements, a candidate replied with romantic poetry.

In an extreme instance, a rejected candidate sent a message commenting on her appearance, saying, "You were looking hawwt that day," with additional messages about how he couldn’t sleep since seeing her. Mishra’s post has sparked conversation around workplace boundaries and the challenges faced by HR professionals.