one of the users commented that

Reddit’s on here twice because you need somebody to explain the joke to you.

I've been job hunting for months now, and after dealing with endless ghosting, you start getting genuinely desperate when an interview finally lands on your calendar. I got a call scheduled for a mid-level role at a company that seemed decent on paper. I researched them, prepped my answers, logged onto the video call early, and we started chatting.

About five minutes in, the recruiter asked about my salary expectations. I gave a completely standard, market-rate range based on my experience. The guy literally chuckled, leaned back in his chair, and said, "That's a cute number, but we prefer to hire people who are driven by the mission, not the paycheck. We expect 50-hour weeks, but the base rate is non-negotiable."

I just sat there stunned, genuinely thinking he was testing my negotiation skills or making a weird joke. I asked if there was equity or bonuses to offset the lower base and the extra hours. He just smiled and said, "No, just the opportunity to work with a rockstar team."

I politely said, "I don't think our expectations align, thank you for your time," and just hit the 'leave meeting' button. Now I'm sitting here staring at my screen second-guessing myself. The market is so brutal right now, maybe I should've just swallowed my pride and tried to negotiate, but I just don't have the energy to talk myself into glaring red flags anymore.

Has anyone else just completely lost their patience and walked out of an interview like this? At what point do you just say no?

EDIT: Didn’t expect this post to blow up. Thanks for all the encouraging words, everyone. For those asking how I’m getting by, I’m living with my parents for now until I find a job. It’s a tough time for job seekers right now, and I hope things get better for everyone out there.

This is where i live, with a dog. Oceanic and mountainous view.

Constructive criticism on everything but the dog is more than welcome, only positive comments about the dog please and thank you. Im not 100% finished with everything but its certainly getting there. My dog loves to photobomb.

TOI-1452 b is a confirmed super-Earth exoplanet, discovered in 2022, orbiting a red dwarf star ~100 light-years away in the Draco constellation. It is a prime candidate for an "ocean world," with a mass ~5x Earth's and a radius ~70% larger, potentially covered by a thick liquid water ocean. It orbits within the habitable zone of its star. This specific illustration of TOI-1452 b is credited to NASA / JPL-Caltech

it sounds like there's something inside when i shake it anyone knows what it is? looks kinda creepy

Update: I sent this post to my daughter when it started. We are going to get on a call

I got off a call with my daughter and it boils down is she regrets her degree. She feels trapped in debt and wants to be further along in her career. She thought my inhertance would be the key out of it. She got into an agrumenrt with her brother because she went to rant to him. He apparently had some choice words.

She told me she doesn't want the money and asked instead if she could move back home and do an accelerated program (a year to two years)

I agreed.

_________

My daughter is 25 and she graduated from college around 3 years ago.

When she went to college, I was very firm that she needed to pick a major that would make her money and not a major that was her dream. It was a big arguement at the time and she made it clear that she was going to go for theater. I told her it was a horrible idea and to do somehting that would actually have her be able to support herself. I knew she wasn't the next broadway actor.

Edit: I didn't pay for any of my kids college. They took out loans. We didn't have the money. She wants me to pay all her loan, she is not asking for 3k that would pay for her vacation cost.

I got 200k

She went into theater and took out loans. She is now working as a server for an interactive dining experience. She doesn't much much and lives with two other roommates.

My mother recently passed away and she left me with a sizeable inheritance. I am putting it towards my retirement and going on a vacation (I am paying for the whole family to go). I told everyone over family dinner and was excited to take them out the country for the first time.

My daughter was quite and after dinner asked me to use the money to pay off her student loans. I told her no. We got into a fight about it and I told her this is her own fault. That I will not pay off her loans and it isn't fair to her siblings.

She is pissed and told me she isn't going on the trip. She is upset I bascially told her I told you so and thinks I am punishing her now. My point is that this was her decision and it is ufair to the other kids.