I'm interviewing for positions that traditionally report to the CTO or VP of Engineering. I'm also in a very niche product speciality (I spoke at many conferences, and wrote some of the product's documentation). Even before Covid I could pretty much demand what I wanted but usually got companies who got themselves in a jam and were wanting to buy their way out. Big hint, if you get to thinking you can just buy your way out, your problems are systemic. I'm trying to get out of this niche and into product, possibly a move up to VP level but with a pay cut knowing consulting pays a lot for horrible conditions. Anyway got a contact from a company that was having an impossible time finding people, etc.
First contact with internal recruiter: Initial screen went okay, found they were a consulting company hiring a consultant (me) because they oversold projects. Huge red flag, small consulting company selling a lot of work quickly means they underbid and/or doing work no other company wants to do. Usually means they're staff aug for whatever much larger company they're consulting for. Huge red flag 2: they said their consultants are very motivated and they expect 45-50 hours. I asked their budget as I ask price quickly, their high was my low *plus* the red flags and the 20% extra work over 40. I'd take a pay cut to work less than 40 but not more than 40. I told the recruiter as much on the call saying I'd take high-end with another 40k on top of it. For simplicity sake I'm asking 75k above their lowend. The recruiter had no problem with it
Second contact: Despite working in an niche platform, having developed and spoken at international conferences on this niche platform, the lead architect in the technical interview tried to trick me and make me feel like I didn't know what I was talking about. Whatever, every company has a guru type. Some red flags, without getting into technical details, is that they were using a known bad module that other consulting companies don't touch. As in the one time I touched this bad module I had to rewrite it and tell companies to just use Salesforce and consider their existing investment a loss. Things aren't looking good.
Third contact: CEO! Okay great, I reiterate that I freelance, I typically don't do implementations and I consult and find solutions. He seems to not care about my experience with clients and being able to solve the “what should we do” but seems to be more interested in like the tools I use? The role I believe I'm interviewing is: let me help put together a plan and team that can achieve your (the client's) strategic goals. Not as a developer, which I haven't been in a long time. I try to explain my typical client engagement and the methodologies I use to define and achieve organizational goals, often utilizing the aforementioned product, etc. He doesn't care and asks what certifications I have. I think at this point they may be too small of a consultancy. I reiterate what I believe the role will be, my expected compensation range, etc. He agrees.
Fourth contact: That night I get an email from the recruiter who is on vacation but absolutely wants to speak to me in the morning. Great! I take the call. They did not feel I was qualified, offer me less than the minimum. Require me to get certification on a platform *I was asked to speak at conferences by the company that makes it* … in many ways I've actively helped develop the product roadmap. Told me that I'd be a great candidate for promotion (sure)… and the kicker… $20k below the original low-end for them! So I'm like $20k on the lowend, which is already below what I'm making now, AND you want me working 50 hours a week? I reiterated and outlined that I'd take the amount I originally quoted and when I found out about the 50 hours I further adjusted it to compensate for that. They said they'd send me their great benefit package: no 401k matching, two weeks of vacation — but if I stay 10 years I'd get three weeks! –, so-so health insurance, no paternity and just standard holidays. But it was remote! Well I've been remote since way before Covid so I don't care. Said no thanks, really weird they'd not just say they weren't interested but went so far to tell me it'd be less than the original low-end and a lower role because I wasn't qualified? Despite me having that role for 10+ years?
Fifth contact: Two weeks later I hear again! Asking if I'd be interested, I reiterated at the price I quoted I would be. They said that wouldn't be possible, so I asked for $2,500 less just to make it feel like a negotiation even though at this point we're like still 70k apart for a role that's 10 hours more a week, little vacation, etc. They said I had a great chance to make that if I stayed with them several years and that they were really good at internal promotion. Uh no.
In this climate, in tech, *in consulting*, you think you can cheap out? Most consulting firms in tech are tripping themselves to get someone who can give presentations, understand the underlying tech and develop strategy for the c-suite. I actually on reflection thought my increase in price was low. Luckily things worked out with another company and I'm doing what I do best but I can't believe companies even on the high-end, even given my credentials.