In a widely-discussed incident, Mohammed Ahmed Bhati, founder of recruitment platform Jobbie, withdrew a ₹22 lakh per annum job offer after uncovering derogatory religious comments made by the candidate on LinkedIn. The move has stirred up a heated debate around cancel culture, corporate ethics, and the growing influence of social media vetting in India’s startup hiring practices.
What Happened?
According to Bhati’s LinkedIn post, the candidate had impressed Jobbie’s team by proactively applying after seeing their viral Reddit post (they had screened 450 interviews from 12,000 applications) and even offering suggestions to enhance Jobbie’s platform. An offer with a ₹22 lakh salary, ₹2 lakh above budget was promptly issued.
During a routine background check, Bhati and his team found recent public comments by the candidate that were disrespectful towards religious communities. As a result, Bhati decided to withdraw the job offer. He said, “No matter how talented someone is, respect and basic decency matter to us more. Talent gets you in the door, but values decide if you stay.”
Cancel Culture or Corporate Responsibility?
Diverse responses were generated by the incident on social media. The CEO’s choice to support the company’s values and foster a positive atmosphere was much valued. Others questioned the extent to which companies can restrict free speech and characterised the ruling as an overreach.
Supporters say that corporate leaders should create a safe and respectful workplace. They believe that employees who interact with the public represent the company and should share its core values.
Critics argue that what someone did online in the past, especially outside of work, should not affect their job opportunities. They think this decision shows a rise in cancel culture, where people are judged without considering the full context.
Implications for Job Seekers
More than ever, recruiters are looking at prospects’ online accounts. Monitoring social media has become standard procedure. As a result, candidates for jobs should:
- Audit digital footprints and remove or contextualize potentially offensive content.
- Understand that alignment with company culture and values matters as much or sometimes more than technical skill.
- Be prepared for background checks to include social media reviews.
Final Thoughts
Mohammed Ahmed Bhati’s decision to turn down a well-paying job offer shows a new trend in India’s startup scene. People now care more about shared values and ethics. As social media influences job opportunities, both startups and job seekers need to find a balance between free speech and fitting into a company’s culture.
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