So my old manager messaged me saying that the person who replaced me resigned and asked what it would take to bring me back. I said I would return for $68K. HR contacted me and asked my range, so I said $68-72K, which they replied “whoa, whoa, whoa…. thats too high” and asked me to lower my range and asked what I am currently making at my new company & what I was previously making when I worked for the company. I then lowered my range to $65-68K and told them my current salary of $55K & I was making $46K when I left. The HR came back the next day with $62K. I told the HR person that I won’t return for anything less than $68K (literally the top band of the range I gave that they did not have a problem with before), which they said “okay, I’ll tell compensation”. I got the call from HR that they cannot meet my salary expectations as it’s too high equity for them and they’re going to move forward with another candidate. Has this ever happened to anyone?