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One job seeker says the company discussed salary, role, and even joining date before suddenly going silent, leaving her to miss another opportunity in the process.
This experience sparked a broader debate about employment. (representational image)
Searching for a new job can be stressful, but many candidates at least expect clear communication from employers. One job seeker has now shared how a recruitment process that seemed to be going in the right direction ended in complete silence from the company.
The candidate said the company discussed salary, hiring and even a potential joining date, making it seem like the offer was close. But after waiting for a response and following up, it was not updated, which prompted her to share her experience on LinkedIn.
Interviewing the left candidate is uncomfortable
The experience was shared by Shruti Rai on LinkedIn, where she described it as the “worst experience ever”. According to Ray, she made her salary expectations clear even before the interview began. She said she told the company that if her expected pay didn’t fit its budget, there was no point in continuing with the process.
“Worst experience ever. I recently had an interview with an agency I used to work for. Before the interview started, I made one thing very clear: my salary expectations. I even told them that if my expectations didn’t fit into their budget, I’d rather not waste anyone’s time. They insisted on continuing with the work.”
Ray said the interview itself was strange. Instead of asking about her work experience or campaigns she had worked with, she felt that the interviewer continued to question every answer she gave.
“The interview itself felt awkward,” she wrote. “Instead of trying to understand my experience, my work, or the campaigns I’ve led, it seemed like the interviewer was more interested in proving a point than having a meaningful conversation. Every answer was met with another challenge, as if the goal was to make the candidate uncomfortable. If this is a hiring tactic, I truly believe it’s outdated. The interviewer should be assessing competence, not creating an unnecessary power dynamic.”
Despite the interview, the conversation later moved to her role, salary package, and immediate availability. She was also told that there would be a final discussion before a possible joining on Monday.
Silence after discussing salary
Thinking she was on the cusp of getting a job offer, Ray said she decided to postpone another job opportunity. However, when she followed up on Saturday, she received no response.
According to her, the message was seen but not responded to. She said the biggest problem was not being rejected but being left without any contact after investing time in the hiring process.
“What bothers me is not rejection, if that’s the case. Companies have every right to choose another candidate. What bothers me is the complete lack of respect for a candidate’s time after asking them to invest their time. If you know you’re not moving forward, say so. If your plans change, communicate them. Candidates are human beings, not placeholders while you figure things out. I sincerely hope companies realize that the hiring process reflects their culture as much as the candidate’s interview reflects their culture. PS: Because of this, I’ve lost another good opportunity, which frustrates me even more.”
Professionals share similar experiences
Her post prompted many professionals to share similar stories and express frustration with poor communication during recruitment.
One user wrote: “The hardest part is not hearing the word ‘no’. Rather, you’re led to believe you’re about to say ‘yes’ and then are met with silence. You’ve been honest, invested your time, and even put off another opportunity. This is more than just frustrating. It’s disappointing. One thing I’ve learned in this job market is that sometimes a company’s hiring process tells you exactly how you’ll feel working there. You deserve better communication.”
Another commented, “I agree. This is the most frustrating part. I wonder how these people sleep peacefully after intentionally making so many candidates anxious and upset.”
“So eloquently. I’ve had a similar experience myself, with those who bothered to attend,” one person shared.
Another user added: “This is tough. I’ve had similar experiences too. I was once even asked to write my own job description and then was ignored. Moving on. I get this.”
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