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A woman jobseeker recounted an incident from her latest interview where the CEO asked her to state one reason not to hire her.
The woman answered that she takes boundaries extremely seriously. (Representative Image)
Job interviews rarely unfold the way candidates expect. For this Indian jobseeker, one such unexpected question in the interview turned into a defining career moment.
While most candidates are asked about their strengths and weaknesses during a job interview, this woman was challenged to share one good reason for why the company should not hire her. The woman recalled the interview and shared it on X, gaining applause from netizens.
CEO Asks Unexpected Question to Jobseeker
Taking to X, the woman named Katyayani Shukla recounted how she managed to answer an unexpected question during the final round of interview. “During my last job interview, the CEO asked me to give her one good reason not to hire me,” she said, admitting that she needed time to think and promised to email her answer.
The woman revealed that hours later she received a follow-up message from the CEO asking about her response, leaving her no choice but to answer the question.
“A good reason not to hire me is that I have my life together. What that means for me is that I keep my personal and professional life organised,” she stated in the email. “I have my time to work, usually around 9 to 5 on weekdays, and I set boundaries to keep work inside those hours,” she added.
Reflecting on her belief in work-life balance, she continued, “Some companies and clients treat everything like a priority, and sometimes people expect us to work endlessly, including weekends or after hours, to meet their urgencies. I genuinely believe that when everything is urgent, nothing is urgent.”
She added, “Setting boundaries is important for people to respect me as a professional. While some people appreciate that, others might see it as a red flag. Being organised and mindful of my time and other people’s time is very important to me.”
Her message ended on a gracious note, thanking the interviewers for their time and expressing openness to crossing paths again if things did not work out. However, to her surprise, they did work out.
Sharing the experience, she revealed that she got the job and credited the woman-led leadership for appreciating honesty and self-awareness.
During my last job interview, the CEO asked me to give her one good reason not to hire me.I told her I wasn’t ready for that question and needed some time to think.
She said, “That’s fine… just promise you’ll email me your answer.”
Honestly, I thought she’d forget. But a… pic.twitter.com/z5CWWF8uxZ
— Katyayani Shukla (@aibytekat) February 15, 2026
How Did The Internet React?
While some users praised the answer, others lauded the CEO for asking such an out-of-the-box and creative question.
“When everything’s urgent, nothing is urgent….needed to hear this before Monday,” one user wrote.
“Your answer was pretty clever. It showed you were thoughtful under pressure, which any smart CEO would appreciate. You turned a tricky question into a chance to follow up,” another commented.
“Admitting you won’t grind 24/7 but will work consistently and responsibly signals maturity, not laziness. Good leaders hire predictable performers over burnout heroes,” someone else added.
Praising the CEO’s approach, one individual stated, “He understands something most don’t: boundaries aren’t a ‘reason not to hire.’ They are the blueprint for a sustainable revenue engine.”
Another said, “That’s a great leadership move. The question wasn’t about flaws—it was about self-awareness.”
“CEOs who ask the weird questions are secretly the best to work for. They test how you think, not how well you can recite your LinkedIn profile,” one comment read.
Delhi, India, India
February 16, 2026, 17:43 IST
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