The user detailed a structured, respectful recruitment process that included a short introductory call, two paid assignments, a one-on-one interview, and a group discussion — all completed within a set timeline.
A viral discussion on Reddit has reignited debate over India’s broken hiring culture after one user shared a striking comparison between interviewing with a US-based startup and Indian companies.
In the post, the Redditor described how a recent experience with a US startup “felt almost illegal” compared to what they called the “circus” of Indian hiring.
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The user detailed a structured, respectful recruitment process that included a short introductory call, two paid assignments, a one-on-one interview, and a group discussion — all completed within a set timeline. “Even if they reject me, it’ll feel fair because they valued my effort,” the Redditor wrote.
By contrast, they said Indian hiring processes are often chaotic and exploitative, involving multiple technical rounds with little context, “endless” interview chains, and weeks of silence. “You spend 2–3 days building an entire feature, and they just vanish,” the user noted, alleging that some companies even use candidates’ unpaid assignments in production.
The post struck a chord with thousands of professionals on the platform, many echoing frustrations about HR ghosting, free take-home projects, and a lack of respect for candidates’ time. “Indian companies talk endlessly about ‘culture fit’ but don’t even have the decency to communicate properly,” one commenter wrote.
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Adding context, the Redditor clarified that they hadn’t directly applied to the US startup. Instead, their interaction began when the startup’s CTO reached out on X (formerly Twitter) after noticing their project during a global hackathon.
The discussion has since sparked wider calls for reform in Indian hiring — from paying for test work to streamlining interview rounds and maintaining transparent communication.
“Imagine how much better the job market would be if Indian startups just respected candidates’ time,” the Redditor concluded. “But no, they’d rather make people jump through flaming hoops for six weeks for a ₹6 LPA role — and then ghost them.”
