The Senior-Level Position
The_Atlas_Moth let her potential employers know right away that she wasn’t some inexperienced pushover who was going to accept anything less than what she applied for. So, when they tried to offer her a smaller role in the company, she put her foot down.
“A few years ago I interviewed for a job (in the US) that was labeled as a senior-level position, which is my level of experience in this field. I go through 2 phone interviews and a stellar in-person interview.
Shortly after the in-person interview, they call me and say they absolutely loved me and that I would be a great fit at the company.
However, they thought I was “a little too green” (implying I was inexperienced) for the senior-level position, but lucky for me they have an opening for the junior-level position (at a salary decrease).
I kindly told them that the reason I applied to their job posting in the first place was because it was a senior-level position and that I wasn’t going to take a step backwards in my career by taking a junior-level position since I had both the appropriate experience and the work history.
I also let them know that trying to trick someone with senior-level experience into taking a junior-level position by stringing them along through interviews and a job offer was deceptive and unethical.
There was silence over the phone for a moment and then the interviewer said in an offended tone, “Well we’ve all had to make sacrifices for company name!” To which I replied, “You may have had to, but I don’t make sacrifices for anyone.” Stunned silence.
Then the interviewer, who was so appalled that they didn’t know what to say, replies, “Well … Maybe you can think about it and I’ll call you tomorrow to check in …” I said, “No thank you and please don’t call me.” and hung up the phone.
They do this a lot to young females like myself in a variety of industries. Don’t take crap from anybody. Know your qualifications, believe in them, and tell abusers to bug right off. Your talents will be appreciated and paid for elsewhere, I promise you.”