A new intern in Beijing saw their career dreams vanish on the very first day, reportedly getting fired for not returning to the office late at night. The whole surreal experience was shared on Reddit by user popo_fish, detailing their first day at Alpha Test, a company that focuses on SAT preparation and coaching.
Per Newsweek, the official work hours were clearly set from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., but the intern explained they actually stayed an extra half-hour, until 6:30 p.m., just to wrap up some tasks before heading home. However, about an hour after leaving, they got a surprising call from the company.
The demand? Return to the office immediately! The intern quickly realized there wasn’t any kind of emergency, just a random request for them to come back. When they explained they couldn’t make it, the company didn’t hesitate, firing them right then and there.
Their boss’s exact words were chilling: “Our company focuses on efficiency and profit, not on the employees’ personal time. Our philosophies do not align.”
That is a special kind of toxic overreaction
The intern pointed out that the role paid 200 RMB per day, which is about $28. They calculated that if the company expected constant availability, the pay would be less than $2.50 an hour. That’s just awful, especially when you consider the cost of living in a major city like Beijing. This kind of policy doesn’t even take into consideration personal emergencies.
The user shared their story because they refuse to accept this kind of treatment as “normal.” They criticized Alpha Test, stating that a company claiming to “educate” students shouldn’t treat its own staff like “disposable tools with zero human dignity.”
Reddit users couldn’t hold back their outrage and support. One commenter hit the nail on the head, questioning, “If they pride themselves in efficiency… how come they can’t even finish on time?” The original poster agreed, adding that the company’s “efficiency” seemed to be nothing more than a fancy way of saying they expected employees to work 24/7 because management couldn’t handle their own schedules.
In a later update, the intern revealed that a different leader from Alpha Test reached out directly and offered an apology. While the incident was clearly upsetting, the intern decided to “forgive and move on.” They stressed that for them, the issue was never about the money, but about professional ethics and basic human decency. That’s a nicer reaction than I would have had. I would have channeled the salesman who blew up at his boss.
Published: Mar 10, 2026 08:48 am