A recruiter reached out to me on LinkedIn about an account manager position (June ‘21). I wanted to explore the position responsibilities, so I filled out the pre-interview questionnaire. One of the questions asked for my expected salary range, which I listed. The recruiter came back quickly, saying that my expectation was just over the salary range (by 3k at the top of the range) but that the position typically earns well over that with the uncapped commission. I thought, “ok, I can work with that.” The first interview with the corporate recruiter was easygoing. Thirty minutes basically discussing my personality and going over all the benefits and details of the account manager position. At that point. I was thinking, “this is looking like a great opportunity.” Then I had the second interview. Easy 30 minutes again, but the red flags started popping up quickly. The first red flag was when the person leading the interview asked what position I was interviewing for. After I told them account manager, they began to divert and dive into the details/benefits of the entry-level recruiter position and how it is a “safer position.” The second red flag was when the person leading the interview sent their colleague a Microsoft Teams message mid-interview. I use it daily, so I knew exactly what was happening when the lead interviewer typed a sentence and their colleague’s Teams chat chimed immediately after. It was incredibly distracting because my mind immediately wandered to “what are they saying about me?” At that point, I knew they were likely just trying to fill a position that adds to their own numbers. I was ultimately offered the recruiter position (not what I applied for) under the guise that my experience didn’t check all the boxes. Looking back on the experience, I don’t think there was a real attempt to get to know my value or what I would bring to the company. I was never asked for a letter of recommendation from former or current supervisors, nor did I have an opportunity to provide a cover letter that could have further clarified my objectives of employment. It seemed to me that their mind was already made up before the second interview even started.