Company's "We're Hiring" LinkedIn Post Goes Viral - For All the Wrong Reasons
This actually happened. A fast-growing SaaS startup posted what was supposed to be an inspiring LinkedIn announcement about their hiring push. The post was carefully crafted to showcase their innovative culture, exciting growth, and attractive opportunities.
One typo changed everything.
That's "entitlement" instead of "environment." And the internet noticed.
The Comment Section Became a Crime Scene
Within hours, the post had thousands of comments—none of them about applying for jobs.
"Finally, a company being honest about their culture."
"A fast-paced entitlement is exactly how my last startup felt."
"At least they're transparent about the executive team's attitude."
"Is the entitlement fast-paced because they expect you to develop it quickly, or because it moves fast once you have it?"
"This is the most accurate job posting I've ever seen."
Current and former employees started chiming in, and that's when things got really interesting.
"Former employee here. Can confirm the entitlement is indeed fast-paced. Management expects you to be available 24/7 while they leave at 4 PM."
"I worked there for 8 months. The typo is correct. Leave 'environment' out of it."
"Current employee. I just screenshot this for my exit interview next week."
The post was shared over 15,000 times. Not because people wanted to apply—because they wanted to share the roast with their networks.
The Company's Response Made It Worse
Two hours after the post went viral, the company's CEO posted a follow-up:
"We've noticed our recent hiring post contained a typo. Obviously, we meant 'environment,' not 'entitlement.' We're a fast-paced ENVIRONMENT where your work matters. We apologize for any confusion and appreciate your understanding!"
Reasonable response, right? Except the internet wasn't done.
"Sir, the Glassdoor reviews suggest it wasn't a typo."
"Interesting how the 'typo' perfectly describes your 2-star rating."
"If the biggest problem at your company was an autocorrect error, you'd have a 4.5 on Glassdoor."
"The typo was your company's subconscious crying for help."
The CEO's follow-up post garnered more engagement than the original. LinkedIn's algorithm, interpreting all this activity as "high-performing content," pushed both posts to even more people.
The Accidental Employer Brand Audit
Here's where the story gets genuinely useful for recruiting professionals: the typo didn't create the criticism—it just gave people permission to voice what they were already thinking.
A quick audit of the company's public presence revealed:
- Glassdoor rating: 2.3 stars
- Top review tags: "long hours," "management issues," "poor work-life balance"
- Indeed rating: 2.1 stars
- Common complaints: unrealistic expectations, favoritism, "growth opportunities" that never materialized
The typo was embarrassing. The underlying data was damning.
An employer branding consultant who analyzed the situation noted: "This company's real problem isn't a typo. It's that their employer brand is so weak that one word change was all it took to collapse their credibility. A company with strong employee advocacy would have had defenders in those comments. This company had a pile-on."
The Aftermath and Actual Wisdom
The company eventually deleted both posts—approximately 36 hours and 25,000 comments too late. By then, screenshots were everywhere, and the story had been picked up by multiple HR publications and a few mainstream outlets.
Their hiring push, which was supposed to fill 15 roles, reportedly stalled. Several candidates who had been in their pipeline withdrew, citing "concerns about culture fit."
The real lessons here aren't about proofreading (though, yes, proofread):
Your employer brand is what people say when you're not in the room. One typo exposed years of accumulated employee dissatisfaction. That's not a typo problem—that's a culture problem.
LinkedIn comments are a review site. Your hiring posts aren't just announcements—they're invitations for the internet to audit your employer brand in real time.
Employee advocacy is insurance. Companies with genuinely positive cultures have employees who defend them online. If your comment sections are consistently brutal, that's data.
The company has since announced a "culture transformation initiative" and hired a new Head of People. Whether the fast-paced entitlement actually changes remains to be seen.
But at least they're spelling "environment" correctly now.
Sources:
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