Y Combinator-backed AI startup LemonLime promised interviews to 7 people who got company tattoos — then apologized

A Silicon Valley institution crossed a labour enactment past week aft promising occupation interviews to candidates who agreed to stamp themselves with a imperishable institution tattoo.

Jordan Zietz, the CEO and cofounder of Y Combinator-backed AI startup LemonLime, based successful San Francisco, issued the situation for employment posts successful the company's AI information and engineering slots, with 7 job-seekers agreeing to the stunt astatine a precocious July firm afterparty.

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At first, Zietz boasted astir the tattoo challenge, sharing successful a since-deleted LinkedIn Post: "We are bold, we instrumentality risks, and we bash things that haven't been done before."

Zietz didn't halt there, pursuing up with different post.

"Being committed to our ngo is paramount," helium wrote. "Pre-requisites for gathering the future. If you're reaching retired to america to use for a job, you mightiness privation to instrumentality notes."

Backlash erupted aft the posts went public.

"I americium DISGUSTED astatine this founder's behavior… The commodification of humans by an AI institution is conscionable excessively on-point," noted 1 LinkedIn post.

Before long, Zietz reappeared with a July 30 LinkedIn apology.

"I messed up," helium stated. "At our YC afterparty, we offered escaped tattoos and said we'd beryllium blessed to interrogation anyone who got one. What I thought would beryllium a fun, memorable mode to conscionable radical was, successful reality, reckless, and alternatively came crossed arsenic tying a imperishable tattoo to a occupation opportunity, which showed mediocre judgment."

Zietz besides added that the station was removed and the interviewees were contacted and assured they would person a LemonLime occupation interrogation with nary strings oregon tattoos attached.

"We're besides acceptable to screen associated removal costs with anyone facing immoderate delayed regret. I'm atrocious to the radical we enactment successful that position, and to everyone who expected amended from me," helium added. "There's nary clever mentation here. I got carried away, and I was wrong. For the facts: Interviews were disposable to everyone regardless."

The tattoo incidental whitethorn accidental much astir startup civilization oregon today's occupation marketplace

Workplace experts accidental a laminitis who believed radical mightiness permanently tattoo a institution logo for an interrogation accidental whitethorn person a point, if ill-delivered. They besides accidental the stunt reveals the acheronian underside of the existent hiring environment, peculiarly for young professionals trying to interruption into AI and tech.