“You’ve Accomplished Nothing”: Intern Shares “Worst Interview Experience” With Crypto CEO

A software engineer intern from the US state of Illinois described his terrible experience of an interview with the CEO of a cryptocurrency firm in a now-viral post on LinkedIn.

Peiyuan Jin claimed that Trade Terminal CEO Yao Meng not only mocked but also “belittled and humiliated” him over the entire course of the interview that spanned seven minutes.

Jin, who applied for an internship at Trade Terminal, said that he wanted to raise awareness about the “unprofessional and demeaning behaviour that can occur during interviews” with his post.

“Shout out to Trade Terminal for giving me the WORST interview experience for the Quant Developer Intern position, Fourth Round, with interviewer Yao Meng. From the start, as I began my self-introduction, he interrupted me to mock my experience as a software engineer at John Deere, expressing disbelief that a tractor company would even need software services,” Jin said.

While discussing projects that he worked on at his current company, Jin was frequently interrupted with problematic questions.

“When I started discussing the projects I worked on at John Deere, he repeatedly interrupted with questions like, ‘Why don’t you use this?’ or ‘Why don’t you use that?’ I explained that our choices were based on the company’s specific needs and requirements. He then belittled me for not ‘thinking big’ for the company and boasted that, as an intern, he once persuaded his manager to quit and join him in a crypto venture,” Jin added.

The interview concluded with a rather humiliating statement by the CEO: “The interview, which lasted only 7 minutes, ended with him humiliating me by saying, ‘I’m a billionaire because I think big, but look at you - you’ve accomplished nothing’.”

Jin, thus, emphasised that no candidate should have to go through such a disrespectful experience, as interviews should be a constructive dialogue where both parties can engage properly.

“I’m not posting this to vent about my feelings but to raise awareness of the unprofessional and demeaning behavior that can occur during interviews. No candidate should have to endure this kind of treatment, regardless of their background or the companies they’ve worked for. Interviews should be a respectful and constructive dialogue, where both parties can engage meaningfully. I hope that by sharing this, others feel empowered to speak up about their experiences and that companies take responsibility to ensure their interview processes are fair, respectful, and professional,” Jin said.

Several LinkedIn users found Jin’s post relatable and shared similar experiences. Some users also thanked him for sharing the post that several sections described as “unbelievable” and “disturbing”.

“I couldn’t believe for a second, but everything is possible in corporate culture from demeaning employees to setting racism standards,” a comment reads.

Many others applauded Jin for calling out the CEO: “This is insane and so unprofessional! You didn’t deserve that at all, so glad you called him out.”

Peiyuan Jin’s story highlights a concerning lapse in professionalism during the interview process. His experience with the CEO of the cryptocurrency firm, marked by mockery and humiliation, serves as a reminder of the importance of maintaining respect and constructive dialogue in professional interactions.