Saw the job posted on the 07/25, got a call from the hiring manager the next day to set up an interview. I schedule the 1st interview for a few days later. It goes well, I mean it was probably the best interview experience I've had ever. I get immediate feedback; I get moved to the 2nd round of interviews immediately. Was going to have that interview the following Friday but something came up with the HM and I was notified right away that I needed to reschedule. I very much appreciated the heads up to reschedule instead of waiting until the day and finding out that the hiring mgr had to be out of town. Rescheduled for the following Monday. I meet with the hiring mgr and his boss, Director of Operations and Technology. I have another great interview. Talked about the job and some outside interests. I answered their questions and I did really good in that interview as well. Was told that they had two more 2nd round interviews to do but would let me know by the end of the week. I get a call about 4:45 on a Thursday afternoon saying they want to offer me the job. I'm thrilled. I get an email with the "PRELIMINARY" offer. The salary is a little low and I know what I'm worth and what the posted salary range was. Was planning to get the top of that range with some back and forth from them. Friday, I sent back an email asking for more than what the range was thinking they'd meet in the middle, but still in the posted salary range. I get an email back saying that my ask is too much. I’m told “I regret to inform you that we are unable to meet your salary requirement at this time…. we have budgetary limitations that prevent us from accommodating your requested salary.” They pulled the offer without ANY negotiation! None whatsoever!! This was the preliminary offer! Not a final offer. This was a form letter as well, not a personal email from the HM. I compose myself. I called his number; of course no answer and I leave a voicemail. I wrote an email asking why there was no negotiation? He said that he thought I would only accept the salary I wanted, they moved on to the next candidate and they accepted right away. All this happened in an afternoon, like noon to 5 pm. The offer was PRELIMINARY, not a final offer. I feel that something else is going on here for me to have had two great interviews, getting a preliminary offer, to have it pulled for trying to negotiate, to having the 2nd person inline very immediately get an offer and immediately accepting without the HM trying to talk to me about the salary, all in one short afternoon. It should be expected that terms will be talked about. I didn't get that and NOTHING was said about this being a non-negotiated term! This part was much. much less transparent that any step before. I feel I was low-balled on the offer with their expectation that I'd not take that PRELIMINARY offer, to reject me entirely and move on to the next candidate who they REALLY wanted but HAD to offer me the job. It's very very frustrating to go through all this to lose for trying to get enough money to live on.
