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Antiwork

Prospective boss sent me to get lunch. Red flag or not?

Went through some interviews for a senior role at a small company. Reached job offer stage, negotiating with the founder (50s M). I (30s F) am currently in a job I'm happy with — as I told them when they approached me — so will only join for the right financial offer. He'd already told me he thinks I'm asking for too much money and have shown “poor negotiation skills” by expressing unrealistic expectations. But he's still keen. This meeting is officially to sit down, talk through a revised/improved offer and job spec. I figure – why not hear him out. I turn up on time at 1pm sharp. He says he's got to hop on a video call (???), so how about I pop out and pick up a takeout lunch for both of us. He hands me his card to pay with. I go grab a couple of…


Went through some interviews for a senior role at a small company. Reached job offer stage, negotiating with the founder (50s M). I (30s F) am currently in a job I'm happy with — as I told them when they approached me — so will only join for the right financial offer.

He'd already told me he thinks I'm asking for too much money and have shown “poor negotiation skills” by expressing unrealistic expectations. But he's still keen. This meeting is officially to sit down, talk through a revised/improved offer and job spec. I figure – why not hear him out.

I turn up on time at 1pm sharp. He says he's got to hop on a video call (???), so how about I pop out and pick up a takeout lunch for both of us. He hands me his card to pay with. I go grab a couple of meals, return and sit nearby while he finishes his meeting.

1.30 he finishes his call and I show him the food, asking which of the two meals he'd like. He suggests we share both (though there are no plates so we'd both be eating out of the same boxes). I don't particularly fancy that (I'm not a germaphobe but still…) but I say ok because I can't be bothered to make an issue of it. So I sit there and watch him eating the meals while he discusses a (slightly better) offer.

How should I take this? Was he being a dickhead (my instinctive reaction) / in some sort of power play or is this normal? Honestly don't know how to take it. Walk?

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