A 26-year-old HR manager told her 29-year-old boyfriend that years of employment gaps and less than five full years of experience were why employers were ignoring his applications.
That assessment came after his insurance payout ran out and a years-long job search stalled, with his background limited to unpaid work for his father’s landscaping business and short-term service jobs.
Instead of helping rewrite his resume or coach him for entry-level roles, she said his age itself was "the downfall," prompting him to say she was insensitive and made him feel worthless.
The dispute unfolded as he contributed only groceries while she covered the rest of the household bills, adding strain to a relationship already shaped by his financial dependence and threats to move back with his parents.
Online reaction largely sided with the boyfriend, arguing that an HR professional who understands hiring should have offered practical help rather than a blunt verdict on factors partly outside his control.