I received a job offer about a week after the interview, but ultimately decided to decline it due to the recruiter’s unprofessional behavior. Despite already discussing my current and expected salary during the initial screening call, the recruiter repeatedly called and texted me afterward to revisit the topic—pressuring me to lower my expectations, even though my ask was well within the advertised salary range.
Instead of communicating professionally via email, she insisted on calling and texting over a relatively minor $3,000 difference. It left a poor impression, especially for a company of Maximus’s size. If a $3K gap is a dealbreaker, it raises questions about how the company values its candidates.
I chose not to negotiate further and declined the offer. Two weeks later, I accepted an offer from a bank at double the salary Maximus was offering.