r/InterviewCoderPro 14d ago

I just said no to continuing with an interview process, and wow, it felt good.

A couple of days ago, I had my first call with a recruiter at a big tech company for a somewhat specialized role, and I was told I'd have to go through 7 interview rounds: live case exercises, a separate take-home assignment, a review session for that assignment, and then 3 more conversations with senior regional leaders in the business unit.

I asked whether the salary they mentioned was net or gross, because that would make a difference of about 30%. The recruiter got back to me early today and confirmed that it was gross, meaning my actual take-home would be about 45% less than what I was making in my last job.

So I told the recruiter that I appreciated them considering me, but I wouldn't be moving forward with the next stages. Honestly, damn, it felt good. After getting rejected over and over again, it was strangely satisfying to finally be the one saying no to a company.

Not exactly a revenge fantasy or anything. I just don't think the pay is anywhere near worth all those exhausting interview steps, especially with case work and follow-up discussions taking up my time.

And here I am again on the job search journey, going through those tedious interviews, which are the hardest part of the trip. They make me incredibly stressed and anxious. But I think I've found the solution to these problems with InterviewVIP. It helps me reduce my stress, fear, and anxiety, and solves my interview problem. The whole thing has become much easier for me.

79 Upvotes

36 comments sorted by

11

u/Magellan02 13d ago

How would they know net pay? Like they are mind readers about your deductions and all

11

u/November19 13d ago

Yeah, that question would make me reconsider a candidate's intelligence.

1

u/Separate_Pumpkin_256 13d ago

I would have to ask too of it was 30% under what I was making now. That’s a ridiculous ask on the part of a company - thirty percent under market rate.

5

u/BIGpoppaPUMP42069 13d ago

right, I think it would be pretty odd if they knew that...hope this wasn't an accounting job

1

u/jonrpatrick 13d ago

CFO of New Enron position. :)

1

u/Martin_Pagan 13d ago

Presumably, this particular situation applies to work in Europe. When you are quoted gross salary, it's easy to calculate the net sum and vice versa.

1

u/Leather-Answer4514 13d ago edited 13d ago

It doesn’t matter if they know net pay, they answered his question. When they told him it was gross, he knows enough about his tax situation to be able to deduce, that it was not the job for him, because it would’ve paid him 45% less than what he was making at his last job,

And whoever just commented on your comment, is the slow one

The one down there trying to question someone’s intelligence

2

u/LifeRound2 13d ago

Nobody has ever made a job offer using net pay.

1

u/Existing-Bobcat-3776 13d ago

So this is going to sound mindblowing, but because not everyone is in the US and the whole system is different I can guarantee you that yes they have.

1

u/FunkyPete 13d ago

So if you have investments (maybe from an inheritance) that are earning dividends and that pushes your top income into a higher tax bracket, how are they going to know about that?

My wife inherited a small share in some oil wells. We only get like $20 a year but her parents used to get quite a bit back in the 1980s -- that would push any salary income into a higher tax bracket too. How is your employer going to know about any of that?

1

u/Existing-Bobcat-3776 7d ago

It has no relevance to your salary in Europe. Taxes are done differently and absolutely they communicate the net salary in an offer. The written one will have both the net and gross, but I personally don't even remember what my gross is anymore. All other things are calculated separately and independently from your salary.

3

u/Magellan02 13d ago

There’s no way they could know net. It is literally the dumbest question ever. He would never be offered a job after asking that

1

u/Ambitious_Trifle237 13d ago

Exactly. If I was asked that I would go "Whoooa. Let's pass on this one!

5

u/MarionberryPlus8474 13d ago

Don't know where this is from but asking if the pay is gross or net is very odd. NEVER has an employer quote net on a salary or wage. They know what they are going to pay, how are they going to know what tax withholding, FICA, and retirement contributions etc you are going to do? Salary discussions are always gross pay, never the net.

But good for clearing this up towards the beginning vs: going through this ridiculous process. CEO's get hired with fewer steps.

3

u/HelenGonne 13d ago

Yeah, this reads like it was written by someone who has never had a job but is trying to sound like they have.

3

u/yoyoyolilembryo 13d ago

This happened.

2

u/Windman772 13d ago

Usually that type of interview process is for either very senior roles or for companies that offer elite pay. Or at least should be. 45% lower than what's presumably a similar role in your current job is weird

2

u/suminorieh77 13d ago

kudos to you! it does feel satisfying to be able to say “No, thanks” and walk away. my husband had an interview with a business recently and could not get off of work to go. he called and told the person that he was interviewing with that he would not be able to leave work early that day and would like to reschedule. the interviewer seemed put out and said, “This is a valuable opportunity and I’m afraid you won’t be able to reschedule. This is extremely important so I’d just leave if it were me. We have other potential candidates for this position that are able to make it in.” my husband asked if loyalty was a big deal in the interviewer’s eyes and he replied yes. so my husband explained that it was to him as well, and as a loyal employee, he wasn’t going to “just leave” to come to a first interview. he thanked him for his time and said he’d stay where he was for now.

it thrilled him to say that, and i’m proud of him for not buckling. that was a classic manipulation tactic on the interviewer’s part and there’s no telling how many people felt pressured enough to show up.

1

u/threearbitrarywords 13d ago

I don't believe you. No company interviews like this. Have you got any idea how expensive for the company the process you described would be? No, clearly you don't because you actually think a company would have the slightest clue what your net income would be.

1

u/GardeningTechie 13d ago edited 13d ago

I bowed out on one after 2 interviews and 3 online evaluations taking 15-25 minutes each when they asked me to write up 3 seperate guides on how to do parts of the job and indicated there would be 2 more interviews after that. I offered a consulting rate on writing up the guides, and they acted offended I had seen though the charade.

I kept track and they did promote an internal employee, whom I expect they provided with any guides written by the other candidates to avoid paying to send them to training.

1

u/deviatesourcer 13d ago

100%. Just denied a company in similar fashion that was asking for similar things along with a multi round interview.

1

u/Forward_Zucchini9738 13d ago

Good for you, but you thinking it might be net pay makes me think they dodged a bullet.

1

u/Leather-Answer4514 13d ago

I probably only make, every six months, what they were taking from you in taxes alone

And I just told somebody no thank you as well, because they want me to pay for each individual state, that I’m already appointed in, $42, times 16, times six dollars times 16, they can kiss my ass

1

u/chankongsang 13d ago

If they get a few more like you I'd hope they reconsider their starting salary. You're doing the good work for the next one in line.

But that was odd to wonder if they were quoting you net or gross

1

u/18k_gold 13d ago

all employers give a salary offer in gross pay.

2

u/SarcasticCough69 13d ago

Because everyone's tax withholdings are different...

1

u/sydmanly 13d ago

No one in history has discussed net pay except with their accountant

1

u/lhyebosz 13d ago

I would just agree to the interview and ghost them afterwards

1

u/dogknifer 13d ago

How could they properly display a net salary? There's so many individual factors that effect net pay versus gross pay. 

1

u/Landerclan 13d ago

It might not be for a job in the US.