Candidate rejects job offer due to low compensation, leading recruiter to call candidate's current employer out of spite: ‘They asked to speak with HR’

Author image for Bar Mor Hazut
Bar Mor Hazut • Senior Editor
Jun 14, 2026 11:15 AM EDT

How often do you get to see an employer's true colors before you even get the job?

You can never know what kind of workplace you are walking into before you actually start the job. Just as job candidate try to be at their best behavior while they interview for a new job, the workplace is also actively trying to polish itself and appear like the best workplace in the world.

They'll talk about benefits, and will show you the fancy office and the happy employees, but that's all a show. You only get to know if that heaven on earth is as good as it seems once you start the job. Usually, after the first few days, you uncover whether this workplace is anything like they made it seem during the hiring process, or if there was something ugly hiding underneath the surface. 

However, once in a blue moon, you might be able to get a glimpse of the inside before you take the job, which might help you determine whether you want the job or whether you should dodge the bullet.

Take the job candidate below as an example of someone who saw a workplace's true colors after they rejected the job. They shared online a story about how they rejected a job offer after two months of interviews because the compensation was 18k below their floor. They were very respectful when they declined the offer and thanked the recruiter for the process, and they were sure that was when their communication would be over.

They were wrong. The very next day, this candidate arrives at their job and is told by their manager that someone called them to ask about their employment. It seems like the recruiter didn't enjoy being told 'no', and they decided to get a little revenge by trying to mess with this candidate's current employment. 

Safe to say, the candidate definitely dodged a bullet here…

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