Three interviews over five weeks, and an offer letter. Then she read it. The letter said the schedule was five days in-office, no exceptions, and that sick days were unpaid for the first ninety days.
That was not what the hiring manager had described in interviews — “flexible hybrid, come in when it makes sense.” So she emailed a polite request for clarification.
The reply came the same day, one line: unfortunately, we’ve decided to move forward with another candidate. Nothing else. The recruiter, she noted, had also asked her current salary — illegal where she lives — and, when she mentioned giving notice, said they had been hoping to fill it by next week.
She wrote that she was glad to find out how the company handled an uncomfortable question before joining, rather than three months in.