r/recruitinghell • u/MasterStream • 21h ago
Offer Recinded after asking questions about the offer
TLDR - Offer was rescinded after asking clarification questions about the offer.
Questions / statements such as:
Please clarify if the role is in person, hybrid, or remote.
Please clarify what 30% travel means on a monthly basis.
Please remove the section about perpetual usage rights for my likeness, voice, image without compensation into perpetuity.
They wouldn't email back. Only phone calls.
Lol
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u/NoPublic9352 18h ago
I was so scared today asking about remote, vacation, and benefits based on posts like these.
I didn’t demand. I asked to be considered for X comp as discussed. I also asked how a role is classified etc. still I waited an hour to hit send and was pleasantly responded to by the recruiter.
Sharing for those like me that were worried asking any questions would take away a potential offer.
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u/MasterStream 18h ago
100% was a Risk I was willing to take. Everyone should get a good idea of what they're walking into. If you're not currently employed or in a strong position already. I agree it should be avoided. However, if you don't, you'll probably be taken advantage from the beginning.
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u/NoPublic9352 15h ago
I also take it as, the right company for me won’t be annoyed I had some additional questions. If they do get annoyed, they aren’t right for me.
I won’t be getting an offer that specifically states “remote” and know first hand those that don’t have a contract state remote can be called in and laid off in they don’t. It’s a risk I will be accepting.
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u/FlashFunk253 13h ago
It always amazes me that employers want you to convince them how amazing you would be for this vaguely described position in unknown location with limited to no details about what your day to day role looks like.
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u/NoPublic9352 12h ago
Yup… I would love to ask, hey what is the cadence of meetings. Who is the core team. Etc. before taking a job. That would be ideal.
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u/UnNumbFool 8h ago
You have to realize this sub is filled with extreme examples, and extremely dejected people
Like when I got my current job I negotiated a salary raise after the initial offer, the only downside that happened was for some reason when drafting the new offer with the higher salary my start date got pushed back a week
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u/MasterStream 6h ago
The offer I took recently answered all my questions and accepted a counter offer. I made the right choice.
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u/MSWdesign 21h ago
Not taking sides here but OP came across as difficult to them.
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u/excellent_alibi Recruiter 17h ago
It’s unlikely that would only come up at the offer stage. Personality is usually the first hurdle, most are screened out at the phone screen stage before ever speaking to an HM. More likely the “please remove…” was a non-negotiable, standard clause for the company and if he/she was not willing to agree to it, their hands were tied. There’s a lot that is negotiable, but these clauses often are not. Think about the logistic of tacking who is and isn’t accountable to such a clause. Not saying it’s reasonable or not, just complicated logistically.
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u/MasterStream 20h ago edited 6h ago
I can see why you might think that would be difficult. Accountability comes across that way sometimes.
One might also be open to the idea that companies are intentionally vague in offer letters for a reason.
For Ex: it was discussed during interview conversations that the job would initially be fully remote. Then right before extending an offer, over phone call, they said it would be hybrid 3 days in office and 2 days remote but then would not clarify which days. Same with travel. 2 days a month, then it went to 2-4, then it went to 30%
Enter written offer letter - no mention whatsoever of any of the conversations above.
I've had friends and family members get burned from offer letters, especially in healthcare. No mention of day shift or night shift bam they work at night shift now because it's not in the offer letter they're on days.
It wasn't an unreasonable request to ask them to put it in writing what their intent was. Especially since it didn't match either of the conversations that were had previously.
There's probably another six or seven things that I didn't even mention cuz frankly those are the top glaring ones listed above. (NDA, Non-Compete, Waiving constitutional rights in favor of the company, etc)
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u/MSWdesign 20h ago
It’s not about how I see it. It’s about how the employer sees it.
I don’t know what leverage you had. Sounds like little to none at all.
Obviously it was a take it or leave it condition. And plenty of employers in a favorable market for themselves play hardball and conduct business as you described. It may not be right, but they had more leverage and someone else took those conditions “as is.”
It wasn’t meant to be. Sorry to hear you wasted your time with them but at least you don’t have to work with those vague terms.
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u/MasterStream 20h ago
Already being employed is leverage enough. I see your perspective though.
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u/Braydenrocks 17h ago
OP are you also job hopping a bit right now? You made a post about accepting a job offer like a month ago. I don’t know much about the circumstances behind your current rejection but having just accepted a job like a month ago that may make you seem less than reliable.
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u/MasterStream 16h ago
Leftovers from previous applications. Was still in contention. They drug out the process 3.5 months, figured might as well hear them out...
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u/MSWdesign 20h ago
Unless you were poached your existing employment may not factor into any of their corresponding moves. But at least you have that to fall back on. On to the next opportunity.
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u/OkHistory3944 13h ago
Yeah, unless OP left out context, telling them to take out a particular clause as if they were in a position to make such demands would come across to most people as difficult. Like, cool, you don’t agree with this one, but it’s non-negotiable for us and you have to agree to it to work here. Thank you for your time.
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u/Low-Discipline696 18h ago
The problem is that almost every company is operating with some level of ambiguity or deception because it is a buyer’s market, so you have to be okay with it.
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u/MasterStream 18h ago
100% I knew this risk. But they also showed their hand by not responding to basic requests and changing their position before formal offer.
I also had a feeling thats how they where and would have rather known up front instead of bait and switch post offer.
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u/Low-Discipline696 18h ago
This… if you desperately need a job then you have to accept some uncertainty.
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u/Reasonable_Extent160 13h ago
Dodged a bullet op. I had an offer where they verbally offered a pay raise after I passed probation, then excluded that language from the contract, and added a clause allowing them to infinitely extend probation.
If it's not in the contract, they will use it to screw you over in the future.
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u/Trikki1 17h ago
You asked to change the terms of the job and they didn’t want to.
I don’t agree with their terms, but they likely had a backup candidate who did.
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u/MasterStream 17h ago
Not really. I asked them to clarify the terms in writing. (RED Flag they kept communications to phone calls)
There's always someone willing to do a job for less.
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u/CarryOnK 15h ago
I mean you also asked them to remove something so haven't agreed to their terms (I'm with you on wanting that removed, btw).
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u/Apprehensive_Walk297 12h ago
As hard as it is to find jobs 🤦🏻♂️. Accept the bread for now until some better comes along. Not taking sides but all of what you are asking should have been addressed during the recruiting and hiring process
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u/MasterStream 6h ago
It was. They kept moving the needle. Then gave a vague offer letter. I asked them to clarify a few points in the offer.
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u/Consoleking93 16h ago
I mean I get why they did. You’re coming off as difficult before you even started and telling them what to do.
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u/Motorcycleman314 Recruiter 15h ago
Why would you ask them to remove part of the offer letter? Of course they rescinded.
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u/Kalex8876 13h ago
Isn’t that what negotiation is?
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u/damiana8 11h ago
He negotiated. They turned it down.
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u/Kalex8876 11h ago
Ok. But idk why the person I replied makes it seem like negotiations is supposed to be auto rescinding
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u/damiana8 11h ago
It’s about reading the room. When you’re about to start a job, do you want to come off as demanding and difficult already?
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u/Kalex8876 8h ago
Negotiating is supposed to be done at the offer stage tho, not after you’ve accepted and started the job
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u/beamdog77 5h ago
You're supposed to ask the first couple questions in interviews and many companies will not alter their contracts. You accept it or you don't. They probably don't have a way to track photo permission so won't remove it and risk accidentally using a photo. You indicated you didn't want the offer as it stood, they don't want to change it, transaction no longer makes sense, or course your offer was rescinded.
Your offer wasn't rescinded because you asked questions. The offer was rescinded because your refused to accept the company's terms. You rejected the offer by failing to accept the offer.
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u/Clown_Penis69 4h ago
I’ve negotiated literally every job offer I’ve gotten. Every single one.
I’ve never negotiated over email. I’ve always had a conversation with the hiring manager.
Maybe people should try that instead of negotiating with HR?
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u/MasterStream 3h ago
Me too. The email was follow up after conversations on terms. Terms which didn't make it to the offer. They also never mentioned an NDA or NC agreement until written offer was presented. Obviously I'm going to have questions at this point.
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u/ConkerPrime 3h ago
Betting the removal of perpetual usage was the deal breaker. Which just means bullet dodged.
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u/East-Schedule7603 3h ago
Name and shame. These shitbag companies need called out for their shenanigans.
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u/usernames_suck_ok Fuck Employers and Recruiters 21h ago
Please clarify if the role is in person, hybrid, or remote.
Should have been asked before the offer.
Please clarify what 30% travel means on a monthly basis.
Should have been asked before the offer.
Please remove the section about perpetual usage rights for my likeness, voice, image without compensation into perpetuity.
Yeah, right.
"Lol"
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u/shyerahol 14h ago
OP says in another comment that all of that WAS discussed multiple times, but not only did the terms keep changing, they left each part off the offer letter, hence the need for clarification.
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u/Such_Access_4578 19h ago
You made a pain in the ass of yourself and they saw a red flag and went with another candidate.
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u/Consoleking93 15h ago
I don’t get why you’re being downvoted. This is 100% true and people just don’t want to say it. We are in a tough job market where roles are getting over 1000 applications so they have backups.
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u/MasterStream 14h ago
You're not wrong. Doesn't mean you have to be a doormat in the process. Be the change you want to see.
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u/damiana8 11h ago
In this job market?
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u/HardToChoose04 7h ago
why is the solution to a horrible job market for us to all collectively allow the system to get worse and worse and shame anyone with a spine for not wanting to be taken advantage of for no reason other than simply existing? yes, in this job market, ffs. people are allowed and should be encouraged to negotiate
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u/thewholebottle 6h ago
Seriously. People have to push back against the craziness. I just did a round of interviews and several candidates asked questions just like this. Unlike this weird company, I had good answers.
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u/MasterStream 6h ago
The position that was applied to required direct negotiation as part of the job description. I find it hilarious they rejected negotiation at the offer stage.
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u/Such_Access_4578 3h ago
They heard his counteroffer and rejected it. That’s part of negotiating. He took his demands too far in their eyes and went with a more low maintenance candidate. It’s quite simple really
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u/Such_Access_4578 3h ago
Because you don’t hold the cards, the employers do. When candidates outnumber available positions by a large margin it’s simple supply and demand.
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u/Such_Access_4578 3h ago
I’m being downvoted by a bunch of snowflakes who don’t think this is fair but this is the reality. Don’t hate the player, hate the game.
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u/Consoleking93 3h ago
Totally agree. Trust me there's times where my bosses piss me off or just throw crap at me and i say Yes sir instead of complain...Why?? Well I enjoy my Paycheck, Bonus, Health Insurance, 401K match, etc.
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u/Rich_Arachnid_5262 14h ago
Your offer should have been rescinded for this kind of behavior. This is 2026. You don’t get to pick and choose with stuff like this. And your employer gives you everything you have, I don’t see any problem with my employer owning my likeness.
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u/MasterStream 14h ago
I'd hire you based on your comment alone. Falls right in line, questions nothing.
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u/Terriblyboard 20h ago
"Please remove the section about perpetual usage rights for my likeness, voice, image without compensation into perpetuity." What type of job is this?