Chicago woman asked a hiring manager about diversity.  Then the manager refused to answer and told her ‘we’ll get back to you in a couple days’

Job hunting is a struggle, and as Chicago resident Suz Ballout just shared on TikTok, the interview process can sometimes be the test that leads to burnout. After navigating a series of scheduling nightmares, she found herself in a bizarre, dismissive final interview that Ballout declaring, “I’m gonna just stop looking for a job.” If the comments are anything to go by, her story resonates with everyone tired of the repetitive, often soul-crushing nature of modern jobs.

Ballout described her first interview as amazing. They obviously agreed since she got an email 10 minutes later to schedule a follow-up. Meeting that district manager was easier said than done. It wasn’t just about the 4 attempts to schedule the meeting; it was the three no-shows. In that third time, she got a call, after she left, to meet hours later, and when he finally showed, she said she “immediately [did] not like this guy’s vibe.” 

Would you like to know what makes this process even more hilarious? She was interviewing for a role at a weed dispensary. He asked the standard questions and then asked for her concerns. Rightfully, she mentioned the communication. He straight-up ignored that and asked for her next question. She was a little taken aback and then, out of curiosity, asked, ”What do you do for diversity for your company? What do you do for people of color?” Yeah, that didn’t go down well.

It was an immediate shutdown

The response was jarring to say the least. The manager told her “that’s like not really a discussion that I wanna get into right now. Um, I would just be too long. Um, but anyone who comes in here with any background, uh, can get promoted.” 

After that response, as you would expect, the manager finished the interview by saying they had other candidates and would be in touch in a couple of days. Ballout of course, could read the writing on the wall, so she called the first manager to pull her name from consideration. 

While Ballout’s experience feels personal and frustrating, it touches on a much larger, systemic issue regarding how companies handle diversity, equity, and inclusion. A study from Stanford Graduate School of Business, highlights a major disconnect between corporate rhetoric and actual internal change. After analyzing 1,300 DEI-related controversies, they found that even when companies face public backlash, their efforts to improve diversity are often surface-level.

According to the report, most companies respond to controversies by modestly increasing hiring, but almost exclusively in lower-paid, junior, or non-core back-office roles. However, companies are not just failing to promote diverse talent. The study found that turnover increased among women and people of color.

The researchers called it “DEI washing.” Companies ramp up their diversity-related language on social media and in corporate reports without making meaningful structural changes. As the lead researcher points out, firms often rely on slogans like “people are our greatest asset” but don’t commit to it in practice. Then, they face similar controversies the next year. Unfortunately, it echoes Trump’s push to cut DEI programs for being ‘woke’ or to deem them illegal.

TikTok agreed. Users shared their own horror stories, ranging from hiring managers hiding in the back room to avoid onboarding new hires to companies using AI to psychoanalyze candidates based on text-based interviews. For many, the process feels like a complete waste of time that leaves them feeling undervalued. 

As one commenter, HRene, wrote, “I am so tired of applying and not hearing anything. It makes me feel worthless and sad. Like I am not good enough despite my years of experience.”