Job interview fail: SG fresh grad gets rejected for replying to his interviewer, ‘In 1-2 years, I see myself in the same seat as you but asking better questions’

SINGAPORE: In what might go down as one of the boldest rookie interview moves in Singapore job market history, a fresh graduate’s confidence quickly turned into a catastrophe — all thanks to a single sentence.

“In the same seat as you, but asking better questions.”

That was the candidate’s response when asked where he saw himself in one to two years if the company hired him. It was delivered sharply, dressed in a full suit, with articulate confidence, but that line didn’t land like a boss. It came across more like condescending than confident, and it backfired harder than a poorly written cover letter.

“A sure way to end an interview is to insult your interviewer…”

According to the Reddit post on r/askSingapore, the interview lasted only about 15 minutes — long enough to gather the need-to-know red flags about the candidate.

“Dude was unsure about what the company does, nor the expectations for the role,” the post read. “He was dressed sharply (with a full suit), spoke confidently and was articulate in his responses,” but that substance didn’t back the style whatsoever.

The now-viral reply was seen by many as a TikTok-inspired ego flex gone wrong. Commenters were quick to roast the candidate’s interview performance:

“Dude must have seen this as the ‘best answer during interviews’ on some TikTok vid and thought it was a great idea,” one wrote. “Singapore is just way too small to ever pull an ego move like that,” another added. “A sure way to end an interview is to insult your interviewer,” yet another warned.

In the local job jungle, confidence is welcomed — but condescension disguised as ambition gets eaten alive.

“He could have phrased it in another way…”

The job market is tough, and fresh grads often feel the pressure to stand out, but ambition without EQ is like a suit without socks — looks sharp, but something’s missing.

As one commenter nailed that point with: “Nothing wrong with communicating you’re ambitious or driven, but he could have phrased it in another way… He must be of low EQ.”

And while there’s nothing wrong with seeing yourself climbing the ladder, it’s best not to step on the interviewer’s head, as in being rude, especially when you’re still on the ground floor.

So how do you answer that question then?

Before attending a job interview, do your homework. Research. Know the company, know the role you’re applying for, and when asked where you see yourself in a few years, say something a little more team-oriented, such as:

“I hope to grow into a role where I can contribute meaningfully to the organisation, possibly also mentoring juniors, the same way I’m looking forward to being mentored by my seniors as well.”

Because saying you’ll take your interviewer’s chair — and improve it — might just get you shown the door instead.

Read related: From ‘Tell me about yourself’ to ‘What’s your salary expectation?’ — How to answer tough job interview questions (what to say and not to say)