Initially, the interview process to me was all green lights. After a screening, and interview, and a on site visit I was very convinced that I would take the job. I however, wasn’t offered the pay I currently make and engaged in salary negotiations. Ultimately, they did not match my salary and gave me a decision deadline. I asked routine questions such as when raises occur and what that looked like, and was then told that they had given the job to another candidate because I had “reservations on relocating”. They gave me a Monday deadline to respond on a Friday evening. Them choosing another candidate felt extremely unprofessional. I responded to their email which resulted in a phone call. On the phone call I was told that my negotiating was appropriate however they are looking for a candidate “to be excited about their offer”. I replied that I was excited about their offer but it was very important to me to not put myself in a financial bind. I was also told that they didn’t like how I wasn’t valuing equity by asking for more than other staff and that was contradictory to what I responded with in one of my interviews regarding equity. I said that I can only negotiate my salary and worth and if you feel that isn’t equitable for the other team members then you should pay them more, but I can’t negotiate that for them. I found their responses unprofessional and contradictory. They are receptive, encouraging and validating but then used what I said against me in an unfair way blaming the pay equity of the zoo on me. I found that they revoked my offer after asking clarifying questions unprofessional. The read I got on the situation was that they want someone to start ASAP and accept the first offer. They revoked an offer after salary negotiation despite me being an extremely qualified candidate. Red flag.
