In an increasingly competitive job market, salary transparency has become one of the most contentious issues between employers and candidates. While companies often emphasise passion, culture fit, and long-term commitment, job seekers are pushing back against interview processes that avoid clear conversations about pay. A recent Reddit post has reignited this debate after a candidate claimed he was rejected at the final stage of hiring simply for asking about compensation—after completing five rounds of interviews over six weeks.

Five interviews, no salary discussions

According to the post, the candidate was applying for a mid-level operations role and went through a structured process including an HR screening, a hiring manager interview, a team panel discussion, an executive chat, and a final culture-fit interview. Throughout the entire process, the candidate said that salary was never mentioned, not even as a general range.

It was only in the final interview that the candidate politely asked about the compensation range before proceeding further. The response reportedly suggested that the company preferred candidates who were motivated by the work itself rather than financial considerations. Hours later, the candidate received a rejection email stating that while his skills were strong, his priorities did not align with the organisation’s values.

Reactions from online communities

The post drew widespread attention and sparked debate among other Reddit users. Many criticised the employer’s approach, suggesting that delaying salary discussions until the end of the process is often a tactic to underpay candidates. Others shared similar experiences where compensation details were revealed only at the final stage, sometimes far below expectations.

Several commenters emphasised that salary should be addressed at the first point of contact with a recruiter to prevent wasting time on both sides. Some framed the rejection as a “bullet dodged,” highlighting that a workplace unwilling to discuss pay openly may not value employees once hired.

At the same time, a few users questioned the authenticity of the post, noting the absence of specific company details. Others argued that asking about pay late in the process can sometimes be poorly timed, particularly if an offer is imminent.