tl;dr employer got super offended when I countered their salary offer, the firm said I wasn't being honest, and demanded I take or leave the offer. Spoiler I left it.
I applied for this job originally when I was unemployed in May 2021. I was not called or interviewed at this time. On my application I was asked for my salary requirements, I listed 50k.
In June 2021 I got a job and I still work it today.
January 2022, I got an e-mail from the company asking me if I was still interested and I said yes. They asked me to fill out another application, I listed 60K as my salary requirements.
Teams interview in late January well, without disclosing salary for the position I was asked what my salary requirements were and I said “60k-65k”
Last week, they offered me 62K. I said send me the documents and I'll review it. I reviewed it and based mostly on the fact that I would be losing two weeks of PTO, and some other benefits that I find important, I countered with 68K.
The HM asked me to call him. I did and he was upset.angry that I asked for more. He quoted back to me all of the salary requirements I had listed and said I was being somewhat dishonest and this “looks bad for me” In addition, he said I was “blowing up the deal” and it was “on me” if I didn't take the offer.
I replied to his call with the following.
Thank you for the frank feedback this morning. I take issue with you calling my actions duplicitous. It’s impossible to evaluate an offer without seeing the whole package. I thought I made that clear in the interview, if I didn’t, I apologize for that.
To be frank the xxxxxxxxx benefits package is substantially less than what I currently have which is why I revised my counter offer up.
I’ve been on both sides of the interviewing table, and I’ve seen some strange numbers put in the what’s your expected salary box. The only time where it has come to my mind is when the candidate puts in a real number that is higher than the job will pay. I find it confusing that you would comment on my number increasing over time.
I find it confusing as well that xxxxxxxxxxx would be concerned about a counter offer, when salary information, benefits information, and notice that salary negotiations would taking place during the interview were all not provided.
At this point, I think it best if we part ways. While I am negotiable on 68, xxxxxxxxxxxxxx is not moving off of 62. In addition, I get the feeling I am probably not a good fit for xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx. Maybe there will be an opportunity to do some business in the future, maybe not.
Time will tell,
Thank you for your time and I wish you all the best in finding the best XXXX analyst.
So strange