It’s the era of the internet. We’re all used to dealing with rude people on and offline, but sometimes they still manage to shock us in the most unexpected of settings. During a job interview, for example.
I’m sure everyone has at least one or two wild workplace stories to share with friends, but unfortunately, some people don’t even make it past the candidacy stage before things get out of hand. For Madison Beard, it happened on May 19, while she was being interviewed for a server position. When the interviewer asked Madison if she could pose a question, the TikTok user felt ready to answer anything thrown her way, however, nothing could’ve prepared her for what came next. Instead of keeping it professional, the interviewer thought it okay to dive into the candidate’s personal life by asking what was wrong with her teeth.
Confronted with such a rude question, Madison explained that her parents couldn’t afford braces, and when the interviewer left the room to grab something, she made a quick and silent escape. “Probably the rudest question I’ve ever been asked during an interview,” the video caption reads. Unfortunately, there are plenty of rude and unprofessional things to ask someone you’ve just met, but this must surely be toward the top of the list.
Would this TikToker’s teeth impact her work in any way? Absolutely not, which means that either the interviewer’s concern was aesthetic or she just wanted to satisfy her own curiosity. Regardless of her intention, she should rethink her professionalism before expecting it from potential employees.
Madison’s video gathered over a million views on the social media platform, perplexing anyone who came across it. In the comment section, we find myriad reactions toward the situation. “I would have told her off and made a scene,” one TikTok user writes, as another says “That is a crazy thing to ask.” One person takes it a step further, advising Madison on how to handle the occurrence: “Are you kidding me??? I would absolutely report that. I am so sorry.”
Of course, among all the outrage and words of support, some also wished to see what Madison’s teeth looked like. It’s a weird request from someone, sure, but considering the situation, the TikToker didn’t mind it. In a follow-up video, she gave the people what they wanted.
Sadly, inappropriate job interview questions are always a hot topic of conversation. According to Yale University’s Office of Career Strategy, numerous questions are straight-up illegal to ask potential employees, and while “What’s wrong with your teeth?” isn’t among them, it’s definitely something to avoid. Mentioning someone’s physical appearance is never nice, but in a workplace setting it’s an even bigger no-no, unless it directly impacts the job’s requirements.
As much as Madison Beard may have wanted that job, it seems like she dodged a bullet, judging by this interview. Some work environments are too toxic for anyone to handle.