About three weeks after submitting my application, I got a surprise phone call at 8:30 AM on a weekday. It turned out to be a pre-interview, but there had been no prior notice or attempt to schedule a time. I was already at work and couldn’t properly take the call, and the interviewer seemed disappointed that I wasn’t available. That felt a bit inconsiderate. A simple email to coordinate would have made things much easier. During the short conversation, it quickly became clear that the firm had a high turnover rate, as they also pressured that they needed someone right away. When we got to salary expectations, I was surprised to hear they were starting the negotiations at $38,000, even though I had two years of experience in a similar role and earned more at the time. They said they could go up to $40,000, but by that point I was already feeling almost insulted by the offer how low they were ready to compensate me for the commitment they were expecting in return, I politely declined to move forward, and ended the conversation with a sour taste from the experience. The process felt rushed and impersonal, and I didn’t get the sense that employee wellbeing was a priority. It is hard to justify asking for full commitment, long hours, and overtime when a cashier at McDonald’s can earn more and get better benefits.