Job seeker shocked when employer offers $30,000 below advertized rate 3-month interview process, then rescinds the job offer after following their simple organizational question: 'The second I asked a basic professional question, they panicked'

Without a doubt, these long, drawn-out interview processes are unnecessary. Just complete filler. Rather than being something that serves a purpose, they're more a symptom of someone trying to fill out their calendar. Probably a "People & Culture" or "People Operations" manager (just two of the many new-fangled terms for what we used to just call Human Resources) who is trying to justify their own job. 

But are hiring managers, recruiters, and HR personnel really to blame for the ever-lengthening interview process? Especially in the last couple of years, the hiring process has gotten exceptionally long. It's like every year since 2022 there has been another round tagged on. Now we're up to 6-round interview processes, and the entire thing has just gotten insane.

If you can't decide whether or not you want to hire a candidate after the first hour of interviewing them, along with references and a CV as an aid, 5 more interviews will not make up your mind for you.

Here's where I see the problem: Not enough planning and organizing a cohesive, effective, and repeatable interview process before it even begins. Not spending that time on the front end identifying who and what you're looking for and getting a solid ratings system in place to compare candidates leaves organizations scrambling around, retracing the same steps and wasting 5 times as much time and energy in the back end. 

But enough ranting. On to the meat and potatoes of the matter at hand. I know that it's what you're actually here for….


This job seeker shared their experience with an online workplace community. They detailed how a lengthy interview process had come to an abrupt end over their audacity to ask a simple organizational question.

3-month interview process, they finally received an offer. But it was $30,000 lower than they had initially discussed. Despite some other glaring red flags, they were tempted to take the job anyway due to their own vulnerable situation due to an employment gap and health issue. 

But before accepting, they asked a simple follow-up question. They had heard concerns about the Chief of Staff's conduct and treatment of existing staff. They made no indication as to their knowledge of the existing organizational issue. But they asked HR who their direct manager would be. Rather than answer or even discuss the question, the company suddenly withdrew the offer. This left the candidate to conclude that the organization was simply looking for an unquestioning candidate who could be underpaid and closely controlled.

Commenters are right. They dodged a bullet here. But that doesn't make up for all of that lost time and energy spent on the interview process, or all of those long weeks that they thought they might have been on track to have a job lined up.

The Story

Rescinded a job offer after I asked who my manager would be (after 3 months of interviewing).

Story / Relevant_Ideal2359

I just had a job offer pulled for the sheer audacity of asking about reporting structure.

After putting me through a 3 month interview process, they nickel and dimed the compensation three separate times - slashing the base and cutting the bonus twice, which gutted the overall package by $30,000.

The only reason I was even considering accepting such a massive pay cut after 3 months of jumping through hoops, is because I was recently diagnosed with thyroid cancer, right on the heels of taking a year off to battle breast cancer. I honestly think they knew my situation and assumed they could take advantage of a vulnerable candidate with an employment gap.

On top of the pay cuts, the Chief of Staff was already throwing up red flags during interviews, including casually bad mouthing a current assistant she wanted to fire and several people dropping the person that was formerly in this position did not get along with her.

When the offer letter finally arrived, I sent a brief, polite email to HR asking for clarification on the reporting structure, specifically whether day to day management, PTO approvals, and performance reviews fell under the Chief of Staff or the Executive.

HR responded to withdraw the offer entirely, claiming my question about reporting structure "gave them concern."

Translation: They spent 3 months dragging me along, thought they had someone they could exploit and micro-manage, and the second I asked a basic professional question, they panicked. Which by the way, I had to turn down two other offers waiting on this one and they offered me much less than what I initially agreed to interview at.

Huge bullet dodged. Know your worth and never let a company weaponize your gap or health history against you.

The Reactions

Cultural-Answer-321

They were never serious.
 

jodrellbank_pants

3 months !!! I'd have ignored it after a month; there is no job worth interviewing for 3 interviews, never mind 3 months.

You don't know my abilities after 2 interviews your not a good fit for me, and you'll obviously be a nightmare to work for because you have zero management skills. At best, your interview team is useless and not worth the effort.

[What's next]?

Interviews are not a one-way street, they tell you an awful lot about the company you're applying to join.

Just the body language alone is sometimes enough to put me off a company.

lizzietnz

You dodged a bullet.