Young Viralized on LinkedIn After Losing a Job Opportunity for Taking More Than 15 Minutes to Respond to the Recruiter. The Case Generated Indignation and Debate About Recruitment Practices. Learn More About This Story and How to Avoid Losing Opportunities Due to Details Like This.
Have you ever imagined losing a job opportunity for taking more than 15 minutes to respond to a message? It seems absurd, but that was exactly what happened to project manager Victor Barros.
In a post on LinkedIn, the social network geared towards the job market, Victor shared his frustration and indignation after revealing that he lost a job opportunity for this reason.
Victor Barros said he was studying when he received a message from the recruiter. Trusting he could respond later, he continued focusing on his studies and, about 50 minutes later, replied.
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With no response, he sent another message a week later. That’s when he discovered that the company had already chosen other candidates. In a screenshot of the conversation, Victor showed the moment HR informed him that he was not selected because he took more than 15 minutes to respond.
The Indignation of a Committed Professional
“I don’t know what to think, but I preferred to stop the conversation after this feedback. I could justify myself, try to explain that I was studying when I received the message and that every day I set aside a few hours to study and, during that time, I really don’t keep my phone nearby, but I was so indignant that I let it go,” protested Victor in his post.
He also made an appeal to recruiters: “It’s not by the response time of a message that you evaluate a candidate’s qualifications for a job. Even being ‘open to work,’ we still have responsibilities and obligations that prevent us from having our phones in hand 24 hours a day to promptly respond to a message.”

The Repercussion on Social Media
Victor’s post quickly gained traction, generating a wave of comments and debates among LinkedIn users. Many internet users expressed their solidarity and criticized the practice of evaluating candidates by response time.
“These recruiters forget that tomorrow it could happen to them in the same situation. Being an HR professional is a quality, not an obligation. Respect the interviewee,” stated a user. Another commented, “Companies do whatever they want with people nowadays; it’s very absurd.”
The New Reality of the Job Market
This episode raises an important discussion about recruitment and selection practices in today’s job market. According to specialists, communication speed should not be a decisive factor in choosing a candidate.
According to a survey conducted by Vagas.com, over 70% of professionals believe that assessment based on response speed is unfair and can exclude talents who, for valid reasons, cannot respond immediately.
Tips to Not Lose Job Opportunities
To avoid situations like that of Victor Barros, here are some practical tips for those seeking a job opportunity:
- Monitor Your Messages Regularly: Try to check your messages at specific times of the day, so you don’t miss any important communication.
- Set Up Alerts: Use tools that send notifications to your phone or email, ensuring you will be alerted as soon as an important message arrives.
- Communicate Your Availability: If you’re in a study period or busy, inform recruiters about your available times to respond to messages.
- Stay Calm and Explain Yourself: If you happen to not respond immediately, explain to the recruiter the reason for the delay, demonstrating your interest in the position and commitment.
The Future of Recruitment Practices
This case also highlights the need for a more humane and understanding selection process. As HR specialists point out, empathy and understanding the circumstances of candidates are essential for building a healthy and fair work environment.
Victor Barros’ story makes us reflect on the speed of the digital world and how it affects our professional lives.
What about you? Have you ever been in a similar situation? What do you think of the recruitment practices used today? Leave your opinion in the comments!

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