Left on Read? How One Job Seeker Served Up Petty, Professional Revenge on LinkedIn
Picture this: You’ve moved across the world, given up a cushy job, and suddenly find yourself in a land where you don’t speak the language—and where the job market is about as welcoming as a Monday morning alarm. In a moment of desperation and hope, you turn to the holy grail of networking: LinkedIn. You reach out to a fellow expat who’s already walked the path you’re struggling to find, hoping for a sliver of advice—or at least a coffee meetup.
But instead, you’re left on read. Not once, not twice, but several times over the months. Fast forward a year: you’re thriving in a new job, and guess who slides into your DMs, suddenly friendly and “passionate” about your company? That’s right—the same person who once ghosted you is now begging for a referral.
If you’re grinning at the sweet taste of karma, you’re not alone. This is the saga of u/girlbeyondboundaries, who shared her story of professional pettiness (served with a side of class) on Reddit’s r/PettyRevenge—and it unleashed a torrent of debate, high-fives, and a few raised eyebrows across the internet.
Let’s set the scene. Our protagonist, having uprooted her life for her husband’s job in Europe, knew the road ahead wouldn’t be easy. Most jobs required fluency in the local language—a hurdle she tackled head-on, enrolling in intensive language courses before even stepping off the plane. But as months ticked by with nary an interview, she did what any resourceful job seeker would do: turned to LinkedIn to connect with others who’d faced the same struggle.
Enter Susan: a compatriot, an expat, and, on paper, the perfect mentor. But after an initial “learn the local language” tip and a polite brush-off about being “super busy,” Susan left every subsequent message chilling in her inbox, unread or, worse, read and ignored. Even a friendly New Year’s greeting went unacknowledged. As our OP put it, “Somehow her ignoring my new year wishes stung more, and I didn’t message her after that.”
Then, the tables turned. OP’s hard work paid off: she aced the language, landed a great job, and started paying it forward to other newcomers. But when Susan lost her own job and saw a relevant opening at OP’s new company, suddenly she found the time to reach out, asking for a referral and showering praise on the company’s mission.
Now, here’s where the story goes from frustrating to delicious. Did OP ignore Susan just as she’d been ignored? Nope—she replied, but with a perfectly professional (and icy) template: “Thank you for your interest! Please apply on our career website. We are reviewing all applications on an ongoing basis and will get back to you as soon as possible. All the best.”
Reddit cheered. The post racked up nearly a thousand upvotes and sparked a passionate, and at times hilarious, comment section.
As u/Oxeneer666 put it, “The professionalism was key. Loved it.” This sentiment was echoed by many, including u/SheiB123, who added, “If someone isn’t willing to take a step to help you, no reason for you to take a step. Good job...at least you responded!” That’s right—OP didn’t stoop to ghosting; she kept it classy.
Others, like u/happycharm, couldn’t resist imagining a spicier response: “I’m petty af and would have said, ‘I feel uncomfortable with passing a referral since I have noticed a pattern of behavior where you are unable to respond in a timely manner...’” Petty points for creativity, but OP’s approach was a masterclass in measured revenge.
Of course, not everyone agreed it was pettiness well deserved. Some commenters, like u/Ginger630 and u/mtntrls19, suggested that Susan was under no obligation to help a stranger and that OP’s persistence bordered on overkill. “She didn’t want to help you. You kept messaging her even though she brushed you off,” said u/Ginger630. But as u/USS-Virginia countered, “A decent person replies. She said 2 months, OP messaged her after that. She eventually got the hint and stopped.”
OP herself chimed in with vulnerability and perspective, explaining, “I was desperate for a job and was questioning my identity and self worth. I was persistent because she had very similar work experience as me and was also a trailing spouse. I saw a ray of hope there.”
It’s a point that resonated with many immigrants and job seekers in the thread. Moving countries means starting from scratch, and as OP noted, “In a country where you don’t know anyone and practically everyone’s a stranger, you have to message a stranger at times to figure things out.” For every Susan, there were others who responded with kindness—some even became friends.
The debate didn’t end there. A side thread broke out over the phrase “left on read” versus “unread,” with u/Silverheart117 confidently (and wrongly) correcting OP, only to be set straight by a parade of users explaining that “on read” is, in fact, the correct colloquialism for being ignored after your message is seen. As u/PhilJol86 explained, “Leaving someone ‘on read’ means they read the message but didn’t act on it... It’s a pretty common phrase nowadays.” Bless your heart, grammar police.
So, what’s the moral of the story? Kindness costs nothing, and LinkedIn karma is real. As u/Bulky-Internal8579 wisely put it, “Kindness don’t cost a thing, it feels good and it spreads. Behaving like a jerk leaves you empty and can bite you in the butt. Consider this butt, bitten.”
But OP’s real victory wasn’t the petty revenge—it was finding her own path, thriving in her new role, and helping others along the way. And as the Reddit community agreed, it’s perfectly reasonable to save your helping hand for those who offer theirs in return.
Have you ever been left on read only to have the tables turn? Would you have responded differently, or is professionalism the best revenge? Share your thoughts below—because in the world of networking, you never know which strangers will become friends... or ask you for a referral when karma comes calling.
Original Reddit Post: Leave me on read when I need job search advice? I can't help you with your job search either