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A job seeker says a company discussed salary, role and even a joining date before suddenly going silent, leaving her to miss another opportunity in the process
The experience has sparked a wider hiring debate. (representational image)
Looking for a new job can be stressful, but many candidates expect at least clear communication from employers. One job seeker has now shared how a recruitment process that appeared to be moving in the right direction ended with complete silence from the company.
The candidate said the company discussed salary, designation and even a possible joining date, making it seem like an offer was close. But after waiting for a response and following up, she was left without any update, prompting her to share her experience on LinkedIn.
Interview Left Candidate Uncomfortable
The experience was shared by Shrutii Rai on LinkedIn, where she described it as the “worst experience ever.” According to Rai, she made her salary expectations clear even before the interview started. She said she told the company that if her expected pay did not fit its budget, there was no point in continuing with the process.
“Worst experience ever. I recently interviewed with an agency where I had previously worked. Before the interview even started, I made one thing very clear: my salary expectations. I even told them that if my expectations didn’t fit their budget, I’d rather not waste anyone’s time. They insisted we continue.”
Rai said the interview itself felt strange. Instead of asking about her work experience or the campaigns she had handled, she felt the interviewer kept questioning every answer she gave.
“The interview itself felt bizarre. Instead of trying to understand my experience, my work, or the campaigns I had led, it felt like the interviewer was more interested in proving a point than having a meaningful conversation. Every answer was met with another challenge, as if making the candidate uncomfortable was the objective. If that’s a hiring technique, I genuinely think it’s outdated. An interview should assess competence, not create an unnecessary power dynamic,” she wrote.
Despite the interview, the conversation later moved to her role, salary package and immediate availability. She was also told there would be one final discussion before a possible Monday joining.
Silence After Salary Discussion
Believing she was close to receiving an offer, Rai said she decided to keep another job opportunity on hold. However, when she followed up on Saturday, she did not receive any response.
According to her, the message was seen but went unanswered. She said the biggest issue was not being rejected but being left without any communication after investing time in the hiring process.
“What bothers me isn’t the rejection, if that’s what this is. 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 theirs. If you know you’re not moving forward, say it. If your plans have changed, communicate it. Candidates are human beings, not placeholders while you figure things out. I genuinely hope companies realise that a hiring process reflects their culture just as much as a candidate’s interview reflects their capability. P.S. Because of this, I have lost another good opportunity, which frustrates me the most.”
Professionals Share Similar Experiences
Her post prompted many professionals to share similar stories and express frustration over poor communication during hiring.
“The hardest part isn’t hearing ‘no’. It’s being led to believe you’re close to a ‘yes’ and then being met with silence. You were upfront, invested your time and even put another opportunity on hold. That’s more than 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 it would feel to work there. You deserved better communication,” a user wrote.
Another commented, “I agree. This is the most frustrating part. I wonder how these people sleep peacefully after knowingly making so many candidates anxious and restless.”
A person shared, “So eloquently put. I had a similar experience myself, from those who actually bothered to show up.”
Another user added, “That is rough. I’ve had similar experiences too. I was once even asked to write my own job description and then was ghosted. Onwards we go. You’ve got this.”
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