Can an employer reject me because they think I’ll be ‘too bored’?
A while ago, after a job interview, I was told that an organization would like to hire me but was suspicious that I would be bored with the job they were offering. I took their advice and pursued this opportunity no further. Looking back, they were right; This wasn’t quite right for me.
Then recently it happened again. They used the phrase “cannot be warned”. But this time the situation was different. First of all, the position description was detailed and I was sure that the job would not bore me. Second, this was not a friendly warning; They were telling me why I didn’t accept the job.
For the first time, I appreciated the hiring manager’s honesty. But the second time I got a little annoyed. Of course, institutions can choose whoever they want, but isn’t it up to me whether a job will be boring or not?
‘You’ll be so bored’ is becoming an increasingly common rejection for job seekers.Credit: john shakespeare
Your story—and especially the part about appreciating the honesty of the first hiring manager—reminds me of similar advice a friend of mine received years ago when she was looking for a new job.
It was said that the role he was going for would probably not give him the chance to showcase his obvious creativity. They said they thought he was a standout candidate but felt it was their duty to warn that he might feel stifled in the role he was applying for.
This was a long time ago, and while it has some merit, I still think their approach is laudable. My answer was very influenced by my friend’s reaction. Like your first experience, he realized that the potential employer was completely right: this wouldn’t be a job he would really enjoy.
Calling someone and saying nothing more than “We don’t think you’ll be warned – bye” can only lead to disappointment.
I was equally impressed by your second experience. Looking back, no, I’m ambivalent about your rejection process from the hiring team as you can see that this job challenges and interests you.
The first thing to say is that there’s a chance that this is just someone lying and hiding their true thoughts from the hiring panel to avoid a difficult conversation. If this is true, this is really disappointing for you.
