Employer waits until 8 interviews in to tell prospective employee that the posted salary is a 'mistake': 'The absolute most they could offer is $90k'

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JR Atkinson • Writer and Editor
Sep 21, 2025 10:00 PM EDT

Finding a job can be a dehumanizing process. It can make you feel like just a number, not a real person. You send in countless applications, and all you hear is radio silence in return. You cast a wide net, knowing that you'll have to settle for something you don't really want to be doing. You make over new versions of yourself, trying to find the one that will be most appealing to an employer. And you do this over and over again until you hear something every once in a blue moon. 

And then, lo and behold, an interview. A miraculous interview. One of those rarefied unicorns. You put your all into preparing for it. You comb through the company's information so you can be thoroughly prepared. You show up, gather all your strength, and crush it. That should be it, right? That should be the last step, right? Okay, maybe a second interview is warranted. But a third? A fourth? An eight? Okay, now you're pushing it. We only have so much time in the day, and we hope that other people respect it. 

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  • A woman interviews a man for a job.
    via Mina Rad

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • Not every job does, though. Some jobs will take you along for a ride and then chuck you off at the last minute. It happens, I guess. But what about if they did all that and lied about it as well? About the most important aspect of the job? That's what happened in this situation. Read on for details. 

  • They waited until after 8 interviews to tell me the posted salary was a 'mistake'

    I just got off the phone with a recruiter and honestly, my bl d is boiling. I just finished a very grueling 8-stage interview process with a certain company. I'm talking. about a huge take-home project, hours of preparation for each stage, and several 90-minute group interviews. In total, I probably spoke with about 30 different people.
    via u/Ok-Wallaby4003
  • The salary they had posted in the ad was from $110k to $150k. The whole process, honestly, was a mess. From around the fourth interview, they kept telling me it was the 'final stage,' only to add another one a few days later. Because I'm already employed, I wasn't desperate, and that's the only reason I was patient with them for so long.
    via u/Ok-Wallaby4003
  • After I finished everything required of me, they kept postponing the final decision, delaying it four times. This afternoon, they finally called me. The recruiter told me there was a 'mistake' in the job posting and that the absolute most they could offer is $90k. This number is a joke for my level of experience, especially since I have all the 'required' and 'preferred' skills that were on their list.
    via u/Ok-Wallaby4003
  • I'm genuinely shocked by the audacity. How do companies do this and just get away with it?
    via u/Ok-Wallaby4003

  • Commenters agreed that this was ridiculous.

    CurrentResident23 6h ago . Why is everyone so coy about this sh ? "A certain company". F that. Tell us. Tell everyone who it is and what they did. Shout their name frim the rooftops and post about it online. They haze zero incentive to stop pulling this crop if people like you and me don't make them uncomfortable.
    via u/CurrentResident23
  • Moth1016 6h ago "huge take home project" tells me you may have been scammed. They might not even actually be hiring -- they just got as much of your labor and ideas as they could squeeze out of you for free, then low balled you so they don't have to bring you on board and actually give you credit for the work.
    via u/Moth1016
  • Sufficient-Bid1279 6h ago Omg, 8 interviews? That's such a good waste of time. I would be so upset. And also, was it REALLY an accident and not on purpose? I have a hard time believing any of these companies these days. Trust is at an all time low
    via u/Sufficient-Bid1279
  • Cad-Bane 6h ago . Just turn it down and move on. Let the headhunter know you're unhappy, but it won't do anything. they only care about pleasing the company
    via u/Cad-Bane
  • Juddy-6h ago Leave a bad review on Glassdoor. That's really all you can do
    via u/Juddy-
  • backnarkle48 · 6h ago I'd report them to the department of labor
    via u/backnarkle48
  • A supervisor clasps her hands while talking to someone writing down notes.
    via Unsplash+ (Ahmet Kurt)

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • Pugs914.6h ago They want overqualified but only want to pay mid level. With how f ed up the market is, companies are able to pull sh like this and get many people still taking it (said people still apply elsewhere looking for a better opportunity after the fact but it's a paycheck for the time being).
    via u/Pugs914
  • rumblemcskurmish 6h ago . Dishonesty should be met with dishonesty. Drag it out on their end as long as possible to make them waste the maximum of time before you decline. Ask questions, ask for updated copies of the job description, reschedule calls, etc
    via u/rumblemcskurmish
  • . youneverknow80 6h ago Send them an invoice for your time.
    via u/youneverknow80
  • apple_2050 • 6h ago Because frankly people like you let them happen. I would have backed out after 3 interviews maximum. The 8 interviews didn't just happen. You agreed to each one. When you already have a job, idk why you went along for this long.
    via u/apple_2050
  • . Popp... 5h ago Edited 2h ago • If you got an offer, I would have taken the job, then when it came to the day to onboard call them and tell them you made a mistake, as you thought she said $190k. Ooops sorry. You won't be taking the job. Name and shame the company. Let's stop with this BS of hiding the name.
    via u/PoppysWorkshop
  • NotA... 6h ago Edited 5h ago . Just had a company tell me (after interviewing) the upper range of the position was 120k. I laughed and said my salary requirement was at least 160k. Suddenly there was 160k available. Maybe I should've asked for 180.
    via u/NotAgedWell
  • If I wasn't losing my job at the end of November (thanks DOGE!) I might not consider it but it's now a safety net if I accept. Still looking though to keep my options open.
    via u/NotAgedWell
  • Scormey 5h ago . 8 interviews? Geez, I remember when I interviewed for my current job... One brief phone interview with the Admin Assistant, to confirm I was a "good match for the department", and an oral board with some department heads. I got the offer the next day.
    via u/Scormey
  • No fuss, no muss. But that was 2003, so times have clearly changed. Regardless, eight interviews is absolutely egregious!
    via u/Scormey
  • Warmupthetubesman 5h ago • They're banking on the sunk cost fallacy. Because you've invested so much time and effort to get to this point, they're hoping you'll accept a crappy offer so that everything you've done so far doesn't feel like a waste. Same reason car dealers make it take all afternoon to close a deal.
    via u/Warmupthetubesman
  • Got2BQuickerThanT... • 5h ago It wasn't posted wrong, they just realized you're desperate after accepting 8 interviews
    via u/Got2BQuickerThanThat
  • bitpixi 5h ago Say that doing a take-home test with them was a slight mistake and now invoice them for your time. I'm de d serious.
    via u/bitpixi
  • M4ndoTrooperEric 4h ago Until you provide the company and the emails (with names and email addresses blocked out), this is all certainly fake
    via u/M4ndoTrooperEric
  • IcyCollection7759 · 4h ago This should be illegal. Omg. I have gone through similar experiences. Now, when they say "we'd like you to have a 3rd round and meet the 7th person..." or "do a case study"...I cut it off. I have more than 20 years of experience, and did a few case studies, and now no more stupid case studies. Why is that the new trend?
    via u/IcyCollection7759
  • Those companies usually string you along forever and are disfunctional. I know because I worked at one where I had to meet 12 people to get hired, all in person before pan mic. I got the offer, then knew day 1 it was a mistake to accept, total disfunction. Took me 6 mo to find a new role. Taught me a huge lesson.
    via u/IcyCollection7759
  • Inevitable_Professor 3h ago Did no one ever explain to you that you're also interviewing them. When they invited you in for the third interview, you should have said you're expecting an offer at the completion of the interview or they will be wasting everyone's time time. Especially for 150,000. It's obvious that this company can't make a decision or move on actionable information.
    via u/Inevitable_Professor
  • CertainDeath777 3h ago I would answer, that i made a mistake too, and my salary range is from 180 to 220k
    via u/CertainDeath777
  • Paris HiltonlsDope ·3h ago Honestly, after 4 interviews and then learning there were more, you were well within your right to call them out and grill them on this. Especially if the process itself was a mess. It's okay to stand up for yourself, imeven if you're looking for a job. Otherwise you're just a dancing monkey.
    via u/ParisHiltonlsDope
  • ArrEehEmm • 2h ago If you have a job why would that make you more patient with going through 8 interviews? I think it should be the opposite since you dont need them.
    via u/ArrEehEmm

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