Dinh Minh Quyen, founder of a chain of English-language centers in Bien Hoa, Dong Nai, had scheduled an interview for 3 p.m. early last week.

He had already spoken with the candidate by phone and provided details about the position, salary and bonuses, with both sides confirming the appointment.

When the candidate had not arrived by 2:58 p.m., Quyen sent a message asking where they were. At 3:01 p.m., the candidate replied that they no longer felt the job was a good fit.

Quyen said the candidate, who was under 25 and had relevant expertise, had handled the situation unprofessionally.

To make time for the interview, he said he had asked his wife to travel 10 km to take their sick child to hospital.

"It’s perfectly normal for a candidate to decide a job is not the right fit. But once an interview has been scheduled, giving advance notice if you need to cancel is simply a matter of respecting the other person’s time," he said.

"If you can’t show the basic courtesy of giving advance notice when canceling an appointment, how will you compete in a few years in a job market full of smart technology and candidates who are both capable and considerate?" he asked.

His social media post attracted thousands of reactions and quickly divided opinion.

Some commenters agreed that failing to show up or cancel beforehand reflected poor communication and could damage a candidate’s professional image.

They noted that the candidate had not contacted Quyen proactively and responded only after being asked about the missed appointment.

Others argued that Quyen’s family arrangements were his own responsibility and should not be used to criticize the candidate.

Young people look for jobs at a job fair in Phuoc Long Ward, Thu Duc City, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo by Ngoc Ngan

However, many commenters also pointed out that the candidate had not bothered to cancel himself and only responded only after the CEO sent a message.

One comment said: "Not ‘ghosting’ (ignoring) people is basic courtesy. It should not become acceptable behavior simply because ‘all young people are like that these days,’"

Many other employers also shared accounts of candidates failing to appear, blocking them or canceling interviews at the last minute. They viewed a candidate’s attitude toward an appointment as an early indication of how that person would work.

A candidate’s silence until the last minute showed a lack of respect in communication, a commenter with the handle Hai Anh said.

"Professional skills can be taught, but how someone handles an appointment is an early indication of how they work."

The debate surrounding Quyen’s story touches on a longstanding issue in the labor market: candidates confirm interviews but then fail to appear or cancel at the last minute.

Twenty-three percent of employers had been "ghosted" by candidates after confirming an interview time, a May 2026 survey by recruitment platform CareerLink found.

No-shows occurred most frequently during mass recruitment drives, at a rate of 15–20%, Bui Doan Chung, founder of the Nghe Nhan Su Viet Nam (Vietnam Human Resources Profession) platform, said.

Workers today have access to information about many jobs at once, and when another opportunity looks more attractive, they change their mind, he said.

Ngoc Son, 24, an information technology employee in Hanoi, skipped scheduled interviews at two companies earlier this year. After receiving five interview appointments within a few days, Son attended only two and did not respond to the other companies.

He said: "I didn’t know how to respond to them, so I didn’t answer their calls. I thought that if the company couldn’t hire one person, it would call someone else."

Chung said a candidate’s absence should not automatically be used as evidence against their character. "In recruitment, a company is essentially selling a job opportunity."

To avoid such situations, professional companies now focus on improving their recruitment processes.

Automated reminders sent by email, digital calendar, SMS, or phone calls help them know in advance if candidates plan to cancel or reschedule.

Many businesses also cancel interviews at the last minute or leave candidates waiting without explanation.

CareerLink’s survey found that 58% of companies had, at some point, failed to respond to candidates after interviews.

"Candidates have every right to turn down a job opportunity, but how they do so also reflects their professionalism. Respecting other people’s time is, first and foremost, a sign of self-respect," Chung said.