A job candidate says she briefly turned a rejection around when she sent over a meme in place of a standard "thank you" email.
Carly Swanson, a resident of Virginia, claims she applied to a job then received a rejection email from the company on Thursday, July 14.
The company reportedly changed its stance and invited Swanson for a job interview after she sent them the popular "y tho" meme, which features the now internet famous "Pope Leon X (after Raphael)" painting by Fernando Botero (1964).
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Swanson turned to TikTok to share the sudden turn of events on Friday, and the video has gone viral with more than 2.2 million views.
The 38-year-old said she took inspiration from Gen Z when she chose to reply to the hiring manager with a meme.
"I wasn’t worried what would happen if I sent a meme because I had already been rejected so I figured it couldn’t hurt," Swanson wrote to Fox News Digital in a TikTok direct message.
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"I was surprised when the company did reach out for an interview," she added.
Swanson omitted the name of the company but said the role she applied for was a scheduling coordinator and the job was located in Los Angeles.
She said she found the job on Indeed – a popular online job board.
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Swanson was unfortunately unable to move forward with her interview because the company went with another candidate, she said.
"I believe they just wanted to talk to me and meet the person who sent that [the meme]," Swanson told Fox News Digital.
Carly Swanson of Virginia sent the popular "Y tho" meme to an employer after the company sent her a rejection email. The moment made her laugh, which she documented in a TikTok video. (Carly Swanson)
While Swanson said she "was disappointed" with the outcome of the job, there has been a bright spot.
"The fact that it’s gone viral has made me feel very encouraged with all of the support and suggestions of the TikTok community," Swanson said.
Thousands of TikTok users commented on Swanson's video – many of them applauding Swanson for her humorous reply to the potential employer.
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"as a recruiter, if someone sent that to me I would ABSOLUTELY want an interview," one woman wrote.
"this is the success story we needed in these dark times," commented another.
Many job candidates who receive rejection letters from companies choose to wrap up communication by sending thank you emails. (iStock)
Others claimed they'd even try the meme-sending tactic.
"new plan for all job rejections moving forward," one TikTok-er wrote.
"Omg. Taking notes," another user said. "Answer all rejections with memes."
She said she found solidarity with fellow jobseekers who are also navigating through a difficult job market.
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"I don’t recommend a strategy for someone looking for a job," Swanson said.
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