Job applicant hangs up during third interview after interviewer refuses to disclose salary to him for the third time: 'I need to make sure we're on the same page'

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Ally Perry • Writer and Editor
Mar 20, 2026 2:00 PM EDT

The process of looking for a job does not necessarily get easier as you close out the interview stage. In fact, it can sometimes be the time when the most difficult moves have to be made by the applicant. Employers are just as liable to let the mask slip as potential employees are, revealing things that show they may not be the most comfortable place to work for. As an interviewee, the most important thing is knowing your worth and communicating that appropriately.

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    via Mohamed hamdi (Unsplash+)

    A businessman sitting at a table with tea writes in his notebook

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

     

  • More often than not, employers that are not good to work for will start to test the boundaries of employees before they even officially hand them a job offer. They want to make sure that they are the kind of person that will accept this behavior from them for as long as possible, so they can avoid having to go through the hiring process for a while.

    As an applicant, sussing out the way that a company may treat you as an employee is just as important as presenting yourself in a way that will make them want to hire you. Arguably, it is even more essential if you care about your professional wellbeing. If you see something you don't like, it is better to react to it sooner rather than later.

  • I just hung up on a final interview call because they refused to discuss salary for the third time. Did I make a huge mistake?

    Guys, I need to know if I'm crazy or not. A few weeks ago, I was in the third and final interview for a senior project manager position at a large, well-known tech company (you've definitely heard of them, not some small startup).
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  • The first couple of interviews went great. We had chemistry, the technical stuff was fun, and they kept telling me how my experience was a perfect fit for them.
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  • But one thing was really bothering me: none of them wanted to give me a straight answer about the salary.
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  • Round one (with the recruiter): "That's handled later by the compensation team." Round two (with the hiring manager): "We prefer to focus on the role fit first before discussing compensation." So today, in the final round with the department head, I decided to be direct and upfront.
    via Large_Algae7798

  • One job seeker was left wondering if he had made a mistake when he hung up the phone on the department head of a prospective employer during his third and final interview. At every stage, he had requested the salary range for the project manager position, and nobody had been willing to tell him.

    He was tired of being told no multiple times, even though it seemed like there was a good chance he might get the job. He informed the interviewer that the role did not seem like a good fit for him, but he was having second thoughts about if that was true

  • Midway through the conversation, I told him: "I'm very interested in this role, but after three interviews and a take- home assignment that took me 6 hours, I need to know the salary range to make sure we're on the same page.
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  • Can you share it with me before we continue?" He gave me a plastic smile and hit me with the classic line, "Company policy prevents us from discussing any numbers before a formal offer is made," and tried to change the subject.
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  • I paused for a second, told him, "Thank you for your time, but I don't think this is a good fit for me," and I ended the call.
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  • No yelling or anything, just... Done. Now I'm second-guessing everything. On one hand, I feel like I stood up for myself and my dignity.
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  • This whole 'not discussing salary' thing is a power play and a devaluation of my time.
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  • Imagine if we all started doing this? Maybe companies would finally get the message. On the other hand, my brain is screaming at me that I was reckless.
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  • The job market is tough these days, and I might have thrown away a huge opportunity for the sake of a principle.
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  • What if the offer was going to be amazing? So, what do you all think? Have you ever had to take a firm stand like this in an interview?
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  • Is this secrecy around salaries just part of the game, or are things getting better? Should I have just played along and waited for the offer?
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  • A businessman talks on his cell phone
    via Mohamed hamdi (Unsplash+)

    A businessman talks on his cell phone

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

  • Thebrianeffect Hr guy here. You did the right thing. If they don't tell you numbers until that late in the game, they are hiding something. I can't imagine posting a job without a salary let alone hiding it if someone asked. Also, 6 hours for a task? GTFOH. I'd have ran at that point.
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  • malicious_joy42 It's not even legal in my state to post a job without a reasonable range. You did the right thing. They would have lowballed you anyway. A company that outright refuses to honor your time is also wasting their own.
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  • OkTreat6460 6 hours of work and no pay? That says it all. These companies are getting ridiculous!
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  • Priorowner 1989 Sounds like you dodged a bullet.
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  • tinylittlepoopman HR/TA Exec here: Yes, this is crazy. If I really needed a job BAD I'd keep on, but it's insane not to talk about comp on call one. If you're misaligned, you're wasting the hiring team's time AND disrespecting the candidate. Good for you!
    via tinylittlepopman
  • Lil-AngelGurl_99 So its not a two way street with these people....they have no respect for your time they could at least give you a range or something and you would know then whether its worth continuing. It's almost like buying a car without photos..
    via Lil-AngelGurl_99
  • Main_Fudge_1796 You did the right thing IMO. People need to know numbers, especially this current economy. People have bills, mortgages and rent, families.....good for you!
    via Main_Fudge_1796
  • Choices63 HR guy here for 25+ years. You did the right thing. I've posted the salary range my entire career. I talk about it in the first conversation and make sure my staff does as well. Anything less is bulls game playing and if that's how it's going to start, you definitely don't want to work there. It's just going to get worse.
    via Choices63
  • slash1011 I wouldn't have progressed past round one without knowing the salary was aligned. Companies who won't discuss rem baffle me. Interviews should be a two way identification of fit, and a crucial part is rem. They've just wasted a whole bunch of time (yours and theirs) for no reason now.
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  • Impossible_Log_9936 Good for you! I'm in HR and there is no way in h I they didn't already have the salary range. It most likely didn't justify the amount of work they asked of you.
    via Impossible_Log_9936

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