Six Rounds, One Salary Question, No Thanks

A Big Tech recruiter reached out to a candidate with what sounded like an opportunity: a technical role with a prominent company. Then came the process: six grueling interview rounds. The candidate asked one clarifying question about the compensation -- was the quoted figure pre-tax? When HR confirmed it was, the take-home math made the six-round gauntlet suddenly look less like an opportunity and more like unpaid overtime with extra steps. The candidate politely declined and walked.