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A Geographic Information System (GIS) professional, Priyanka Joshi, shared her experience of rejecting a job applicant, a decision that stirred mixed emotions among readers. Her story highlighted the struggle between empathy and professionalism that many hiring managers face when choosing the right person for a role. Joshi explained that although the candidate seemed genuine and well-intentioned, he did not have the skills needed for the position. Calling it one of the hardest choices she’s had to make, she said it reminded her of the importance of staying true to one’s professional duties. A Difficult But Necessary Decision In her post on X (formerly Twitter), Joshi wrote, “Today, I had to reject a candidate for a job interview. He seemed like a genuinely good person, but he simply didn’t possess the skills required for the role. I could sense his desperation… perhaps he had a family to support, maybe EMIs weighing on him… yet, I couldn’t let empathy cloud my professional judgment. It was a difficult decision, but a necessary one.” She also referred to a lesson from the Bhagavad Gita, saying, “In the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna repeatedly emphasises the principle of ‘Nishkama Karma’, performing one’s duty without attachment to the result. Karma, in this context, isn’t about punishment or reward. It’s about alignment… acting in accordance with your role, truth, and responsibility, without being swayed by guilt or sentiment. I did my Karma. Let the rest unfold as it must.” Check her post here: Today, I had to reject a candidate for a job interview. He seemed like a genuinely good person, but he simply didn’t possess the skills required for the role. I could sense his desperation… perhaps he had a family to support, maybe EMIs weighing on him ….yet, I couldn’t let… — Saucy bandit (Priyanka Joshi) Why She Couldn’t Hire Him After her post gained attention online, Joshi followed up to explain her reasoning further. She wrote, “Lots of reactions, some negative and some positive. I could have taken him and trained him if it had been a long-term engagement. However, unfortunately, the project is short, and I wanted someone who can immediately jump into things.” Lots of reactions – some negative and some positive. I could have taken him and trained him if it would have been a long time engagement however, unfortunately the project is short and I wanted someone who can immediately jump into things. And people who search religion and… — Saucy bandit (Priyanka Joshi) She clarified that time constraints made it impossible to train someone from scratch and that her decision was based purely on the project’s needs. Mixed Responses From People Online The post has now been viewed over 60,000 times on X, drawing both support and criticism. Many praised her professionalism. A user commented, “Never ever get emotional ma’am. What you did was absolutely right.” Others, however, felt she could have shown more compassion. A person suggested, “Offer him another job or connect him to someone who might need his skills.” Another added, “I would have done the same. Might have helped him in other ways, but no way could I risk my project.” Several users also advised her to connect the candidate with people in her professional network, with one saying, “Probably you can connect him with relevant folks in your network who may need someone like him.”
