'Walked out of an interview today': Interviewer low-balls EMT with $14/hr rate, rejects counteroffer and goes even lower, EMT walks out

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Ben Weiss • Writer and Editor
Jul 27, 2023 2:00 PM EDT

$14/hr for a medical professional whose job is saving other people's lives? If that's not cause for concern, I don't know what is. If that's not a sign that we have a major problem paying people properly, I don't know what is. If that's not reason enough to walk out of the interview… say it with me, everyone: I don't know what is!

 

This thread was shared to Reddit by u/JodieBella, who had been working as a medical assistant making about $27/hour but wanted to get back into being a first responder. Clearly, she was not expecting what transpired during the interview, especially since the job posting specifically listed the salary range as $17-23/hr. Of course, this means accepting a rate of $23/hr and nothing less, especially since this Redditor already seems to have done this work in the past. She's experienced. She deserves the highest end of the range (and honestly, based on much of the feedback in the comments section below, considerably more than that amount).

 

But here's what happened when the interview officially began. The interviewer offered an embarrassingly low rate of $14/hr despite the range that was posted online. He seemed completely unbothered by that shady change. When OP gave a counteroffer of $16/hr (we believe she should have stuck with $23 for negotiating purposes), the interviewer went even lower and made a final offer of $13.75/hr. That was the final straw for OP (thank goodness!) and she walked out right then and there. We all know she would be paid better working retail, and this is someone who is saving lives! Ridiculous!

 

For more stories like this, here's one about an employee who pressured their boss into coughing up money for a well-deserved raise. 

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  • 01
    Tire - "I really wanted to be an EMT, until I saw the wages." JUNAJUUMA
    via Yassine Khalfalli
  • 02
    Font - Walked out of an interview today and I'm not sure. how to feel about it I'm an EMT. I'm job hunting and interviewing out of state because I plan on moving soon. I was making $27/hr as a medical assistant at my last job, but thought I'd get back into first responding/transport.
    via u/JodieBella
  • 03
    Font - Walked into the interview, the guy immediately started talking about how they hire absolutely no employees from another ems company because they hate said ems company. Then he preceded to tell me that he just got finished firing a new guy on the spot for dinging a mirror.
    via u/JodieBella
  • 04
    Font - Did not ask me any questions about myself or my experiences, spent 30 minutes talking about how much their company makes, then asks me if I'd be okay with $14/hr. I asked for $16 and then he brought it down to $13.75. The job listing stated $17-$23. I laughed and told him I'd probably fair better at McDonald's.
    via u/JodieBella
  • 05
    Font - MorningPapers - 18 hr. ago He is looking for people who are desperate for work so he can dump on them. Good job walking out. You're not the first person to walk out on him, and you won't be the last. 2.5k Reply Share
    via u/JodieBella
  • 06
    Font - LuvPump 15 hr. ago Being paid to keep people from dying is an incredibly stressful job. I used to be a lifeguard and was constantly thinking "ANYONE COULD DROWN AT ANY MOMENT" and was on the edge of my seat for an entire summer for minimum wage in 2009. The incredibly important thing you can do is worth more than that.
    via u/JodieBella
  • 07
    Font - The entire "emergency lifesaving care in the field" industry wants to avoid all legal liability while paying the humans who try to save those lives as little as possible. It's awful. If an Emergency Medical Technician position - where you regularly save lives - pays less than a livable wage... they want them to die so they don't have to pay anything else while saying "we paid someone to save them and if they couldn't do it, that's terrible isn't it?" And then they're like ok that sucks, h
    via u/JodieBella
  • 08
    Font - BidAdministrative608. 17 hr. ago It is laughable how much EMT's make. The people saving your life before you get to the hospital. I really wanted to be an EMT, until I saw the wages. 353 Reply Share
    via u/JodieBella
  • 09
    Font - stargill70 19 hr. ago You'd make $40+/hr where I live. 346 B Reply Share
    via u/JodieBella
  • 10
    Rectangle - JerryVand 18 hr. ago You could always accept the offer, then push back your start date multiple times, and then ghost them. 333 Reply Share
    via u/JodieBella
  • 11
    Font - gfcurtis 17 hr. ago $14.00 an hour? How the living did I have to pay $4000 for an 8 minute ride to the ER for a panic attack? *wife called 911....i would have rather gutted it out.
    via u/JodieBella
  • 12
    Gesture - Many_Republic6286. 17 hr. ago Wait...you save lives...for less than 40 bucks an hour???
    via u/JodieBella
  • 13
    Font - mtntodesert 18 hr. ago As someone with +10 years experience in EMS and more...where are y'all getting over $20/hr? I'm looking for a new job...
    via u/JodieBella
  • 14
    Rectangle - brmarcum 16 hr. ago He lowballed, you countered, and he went LOWER?!?! Wow.
    via u/JodieBella
  • 15
    Font - yaboyACbreezy - 16 hr. ago They pay like 17 dollars an hour at target and Wal-Mart. In an emergency, I would hope my EMT wasn't stressed about getting fired or making ends meet. Call me selfish, but I want them thinking about me and my needs.
    via u/JodieBella
  • 16
    Gesture - jonnyboy6698 17 hr. ago . Interviewer sounds like a I don't know why you're unsure on how to feel about it lol good job
    via u/JodieBella
  • 17
    Font - Dropping-Truth-Bombs 16 hr. ago I don't get why some people low-ball candidates. If you don't pay them the fair market price, they will leave once they get a little experience.
    via u/JodieBella
  • 18
    Font - I'm a hiring manager and always offer the most I'm allowed to offer. I'm given a window of 20K-30K. For example, I can bring someone with little experience at 75K through 100K. Higher level position have bigger windows. Some team members are pleasantly surprised when they apply and asked for a certain salary and I beat their asking salary by 10K-20K. I hate attrition and think long- term when hiring.
    via u/JodieBella
  • 19
    Smile - TammyMeat Toy · 17 hr. ago Lol I make more than $14 an hour as a cashier at Lowes. Wtf that's so bad.
    via u/JodieBella
  • 20
    Font - joeyblacky9999 - 16 hr. ago Why would u ask for 16 when listing said 17-23? You Ask for 23 and cannot accept anything less.
    via u/JodieBella

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boss workplace-stories work stories toxic-workplace work i quit toxic-boss medical workplace Horrible Bosses reddit thread Reddit job interview interview quitting toxic-work-environment
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