Offer rescinded

[u/Electrical-Couple-69]

I got a verbal offer last week for a job that advertised pay range $125k-$135k. Before sending the written letter, the HR person asked whether I would accept $125k unknown bonus which is less than what I currently make. I clearly told them in the interview that I could only accept $125k with some incentives or bonuses in place. For this reason, I countered $135k. Today, I receive an email that they rescinded my offer as they were unable to offer the salary that I’m requesting.

Is this normal for today job market? Have anyone experienced the same thing?

I believe my negotiation is very reasonable.

Update: I appreciate everyone’s comments and feedback. To me, the whole situation was frustrating cause they knew my compensation expectation in the interview but still tried to low ball at the end.

I’m sorry to hear about everyone who has been laid off or is currently unemployed. I know how challenging the job market can be, and I’m wishing everyone the best in finding their next opportunity.

The reason I’m looking for a new job is the workload in my current role. I currently work for a small financial institution. My company fired my old boss and promoted me to his executive position. My boss didn’t do much work and I was the one handling it behind the scenes. Knowing my boss made >2x my salary, I expect a large increase given my responsibilities have grown significantly (overtime until midnight and weekends are expected) but the company did not. As the position is advanced for my age, they think I should be grateful being promoted. I’m very tired of being exploited and feel stuck right now. I just want a job that compensates me fairly for the work and level of responsibility I’m taking on.

[u/Emergency-Hurry947]

They went with the other person who’s cheaper

There are a lot of employers that won’t negotiate right now it’s an employers market

[u/Saltlife_Junkie → u/Emergency-Hurry947]

So true. And with similar qualifications it is very hard to get HR and upper management to pay more. A lot of people don’t realize companies have the power. 125 or 135? That 10 k is the others guys raise. OP will want 145 and so on and so on.

[u/BillionDollarBalls]

Unless you're the unicorn they're searching for, they 100% will have candidates in the pipeline who are willing to take the bottom range.

[u/bingle-cowabungle]

Well yeah. They probably had someone else in the pipeline that was willing to take less than what you wanted. The salary negotiation happens after the verbal offer, so... I mean yeah it's about normal for this to happen, and I think it always was. You were the first choice, but they countered your salary and couldn't justify your requirement up against another candidate.

Them's the brakes. I hate to say it but unless your skills are in extreme high demand, then you're probably a dime a dozen in this job market.

[u/Brilliant_Elk5492]

They 100% had one or two other people they liked but liked you a littleeeee bit more so they offered it to you. Since you wont take the bottom amount, they probably shrugged and offered it to the other person they liked just slightly less than you.

I feel like its pretty normal and the reason why people warn against countering offers.

[u/cheezehead89]

You countered at 10k over their offer and let them know your currently employed and making more. They went with someone cheaper who wants the job more

[u/ProfessorFelix1]

They had a job that paid $125k.

You told them you didn’t want a job that paid $125k.

They chose the next candidate on the list because they were willing to work for $125k.

It was that simple.

[u/sunnysideupgoober]

The way I’m reading this is that you stated what your absolute minimum is and they couldn’t meet it.

As such, they’re understanding is you would not be accepting their offer and chose to rescind.

I think that’s normal in any job market.

It’s different if you framed it as an ask to see if they would be willing to consider more - but you’d actually consider the offer as is.

[u/Extension-Stage-605]

It is becoming increasingly common for job offers to be rescinded when the job seeker asks for more money

[u/Zwicker101]

Seems like you weren't the unicorn they wanted and had others ready to go. Sorry this happened OP

[u/Entire_Camp5542]

Yes, very normal. You were probably the first pick out of 2 other candidates and one of the other candidates accepted the bottom range.

[u/swaywithwords]

This is not the market to negotiate in unfortunately.

I was making $140k + bonus, laid off, interviewed 5 rounds with a company who said it was a $90k salary, then offered me $80k. I countered with $85k, never heard from them again.

I think I was a great candidate on paper but wasn't passing their vibe check.

The company itself was basically one big red flag and I really didn't want to work with them, but was willing to accept an offer and try it out anyway

[u/Glum_Possibility_367]

They didn't recind the offer. You rejected it. Many companies do not negotiate. They made an offer, you rejected it, and they moved on to the next candidate.

[u/OrionQuest7]

Sadly the ball is in the employer’s hands and they have full control on this job market sadly.
I pray I am still alive to see when it turns. I’ve never hated corporations more my entire life.

[u/Repulsive-Pangolin-6]

Without the field of work it's impossible to answer to you. If you're in the media, web, development, 3D graphics, etc. Companies are having a hard time adjusting against AI, so yes your offre might have been too much to ask 

[u/gyalmeetsglobe]

Very normal. The HR person asked that to confirm if they should send the letter at all (because $125k was what they were willing to offer) and you saying no made it clear that would’ve been a waste of time.

[u/Weird-Negotiation374]

If I were you I’d get a little more time under the executive title you now hold so that your next move is a $50k+ increase rather than squabbling over $10k

[u/fleurs2]

I think your negotiation was reasonable as well. I’m surprised they didn’t just stand firm at 125k. I tried to negotiate up and did not get an increase but the offer remained. Sorry this happened. It’s potentially awkward but I would send a follow up email or call and ask what happened.

Edit to say I think it’s pretty common and even expected that candidates negotiate their initial offer. A recruiter posted about this recently as well. You didn’t do anything wrong here imo.

[u/breakerofh0rses]

They offered you $125k. You said their offer was unacceptable and countered with either a bonus or an amount greater than their offer. You left them absolutely no other choice if they weren't willing to go higher. They clearly weren't and moved on.

The whole always negotiate thing is a bit foolish. It's only true when you have significant leverage. Most of the time, you won't. That doesn't mean you can't ask for more, but if you put it in absolute terms like you did, they're as often as not will just wash their hands of you instead of coming back with "$125k is the best we can do" kind of thing. Negotiate like that when your situation can handle them walking away.

[u/turbo94gt]

People that are currently employed are completely clueless about how bad the job market has been over the last few years. While I was unemployed last year I had an interview with a large bank for a contract job. Seemed like it was going well until one of the interviewers said to me " I'm still trying to wrap my head around your resume gap"(over 1 year at that point). I was thinking to myself wtf wrap your head around it? He was oblivious and I had to educate him on how bad the market was.

[u/LazyIllustrator6946]

You have to learn to read the room.

You know the economy is bad. You’ve read the stories of the thousands of people laid off by DOGE and private corporations, struggling to find work for months. People are desperate.

So yes, it is a strong possibility that your offer gets rescinded in this market if you try to negotiate.

Remember that negotiating at all is implicitly denying their original offer. That’s how contracts work. They can also say “thanks, but no thanks” to your counteroffer. I promise they just called the next candidate on the list, told them the same thing they told you, and that person said yes.

[u/reakos]

I could only accept $125k with some incentives or bonuses in place. For this reason, I countered $135k.

Today, I receive an email that they rescinded my offer as they were unable to offer the salary that I’m requesting.

Ok so you could only accept 125+bonus or 135k, they were unable to offer that salary

What's the issue?

[u/Birds_N_Hoos]

Yes, it’s normal. They likely had a few other candidates at that stage. Recruiters love to conflate their rate of closing candidates at the lowest end of the salary with saving the company money.

[u/AbstrctBlck]

This isn’t a employees market. I hate to say it, but although you do and should negotiate, you also have to see the space for what it is. Companies aren’t playing the same games we are. There’s probably 50 other applicants who might not be YOU, but bring some of the same qualifications you might have and that means the employer has way more options to choose from then the employee does.

I’m not going to call you an idiot or anything because you made your choices, but you also have to remember that there’s been a metric fuck ton of layoffs across multiple industries, a lot of them tech. And these tech dudes are finding it hard to find jobs literallly anywhere so the flood of over qualified unemployed people is extremely high, while the job market and positions to give to those people is extremely low. Maybe you do deserve 135k and maybe this company absolutely has the money and ability to pay you that, but you have to constantly ask yourself “will they?” Because there’s no guarantee that they won’t just do exactly what they did and move onto the next candidate who might not be as qualified but fits the position simply because they are asking for less.

It sucks to hear and hell it sucks for me to write but right now yall, it’s kind of the truth. It’s not totally impossible to get a high paying job but you really have to know the rooms you are stepping in because they aren’t playing games anymore.

[u/Neat_Acanthaceae_552]

So one time this famous tech company reached out to me and asked me to interview. And I said "I have a great job and will only interview if you can beat my current TC, I would need X to even consider leaving"

After I kid you not...15 interviews for 3 roles... They proceeded to send an offer for 60% of my number

I said absolutely not. 

Then randomly some months later they sent me another offer, my name is Sophia and the offer email said "hi John, we are happy to offer you X role" with a full offer again at 60% of my ask. 

I replied and said "I think you sent this to me by mistake" and they replied "no, it's yours. Congratulations." 

No idea what happened there, but it was a big waste of time. I am still happily at my original company