Candidate who earned ₹1.4 crore through freelance grilled over ‘concerningly high’ income during interview
A teaching job applicant says she was interrogated over her past earnings during an interview, sparking debate online.
In a now-viral Reddit post, a job candidate shared her unsettling experience during a recent interview for a teaching position—revealing how she was treated “like a criminal” for earning a high income through freelance educational consultancy.
The woman, who previously made €160,000 (approx. ₹1.4 crore) last year through projects with private schools, publishers, and EdTech startups, said she’s currently seeking a return to teaching, despite the potential pay cut.
“I like being self-employed, but I truly miss teaching,” she wrote, explaining that the drop in income didn’t bother her because teaching remained her passion.
However, during the interview, things took an uncomfortable turn. After the panel asked her about her consulting experience, they pressed her for details about her income. When she revealed that she had earned €160,000 last year and €115,000 the year before, she says their demeanour changed.
“They were really questioning me about how someone in education can really make that much,” she said. “They heavily implied that some of the money must come from some other source, and there's 'no way' I could be making all that money working for schools and publishers.”
She admitted she panicked during the conversation but chose not to lie. The experience, however, left her feeling judged and deeply uncomfortable. “If I get a call back, I will turn it down. Seemed like a toxic environment to work in,” she added.
Take a look at the post:
The post sparked a wave of responses online, many of which were in support of the applicant. One commenter said, “You don’t need to prove anything to them. You should be proud that you earn this much. By the sound of it, they sounded jealous.”
Another user noted, “They want you to be dependent on them. Independent income means you can tell them to f** off if they get stupid.”
HT.com has not independently verified the claims made in the post.
