'I was set up for failure...': Bengaluru startup fires fresher by text in 10 weeks, stirs self doubt and debate

A Bengaluru-based startup employee shared his ordeal on Reddit, revealing how he was abruptly fired just 2.5 months into the job. 

Hired as a "frontend developer" with only six months of internship experience, the Redditor claimed their introduction to the startup world was anything but smooth.

"I was excited to learn, but I had no prior experience with backend development," the techie wrote. 

Despite being hired for frontend work, the former employee said his tasks were predominantly backend-focused. "Around 70% of my work was backend-related," he added.

Within a week of joining, they were assigned an internal project, a move they found unusual for a client-based company. The Redditor described frequent technical issues, some of which "magically resolved themselves the next day." They followed company protocol by reporting errors in the project’s Slack channel, but responses were sporadic.

Compounding the challenges were delays in pull request (PR) reviews. "PR reviews often took 3-4 days, delaying my progress, yet the questions and delays were always directed back at me," he shared.

The shock came when, after 2.5 months, I received an unexpected message from a board member terminating his employment. "They said they couldn’t continue with me. I tried to explain my side, but their decision was final," the Redditor wrote, expressing feelings of failure and self-doubt.

Reflecting on his experience, the techie questioned if he was set up for failure by being assigned tasks beyond their expertise. 

"If you've been in a similar situation or have advice, I'd really appreciate hearing from you," he concluded.

The post sparked a wave of support from users. "Don’t let it affect your confidence. They had poor management and no plan," one commenter wrote.

Another user noted, "Their expectations were too high. They wanted someone with 2-4 years of experience but didn’t want to pay for it."

The post highlights the pressures freshers often face in startups, where high expectations and poor management can derail early careers.