Bait and switch and lies from the recruiter On initial conversation with the recruiter, I asked what the base salary range was and was given a 20k range. I made it clear that even with the equity, bonus, etc - the top end of the base salary was lower than I was looking for so the final offer would need to be at the top of the salary at minimum. She acknowledged and we moved forward with the interview process. I did very well and was well liked. The final verbal conversation with the recruiter and I was verbally offered a base salary -20k below what we had discussed and mentioned was my absolute minimum. I mention our original conversation and the range she had told me and the minimum base it would need to be. She didn't deny, didn't acknowledge but then swapped to "final offer" at -10k and she happened to have had a "pre-approval" for this additional 10k. During the initial conversation about the base salary range, I was given a range that met my expectations. I clearly stated that, even with additional compensation such as equity and bonuses, the final offer needed to be at the top end of this range. This was acknowledged, and the interview process proceeded. The interviews went well, and the feedback was positive. However, during the final verbal conversation about the offer, I was presented with a base salary that was $20k below the value we had previously discussed. When I reminded them of our initial agreement, there was no acknowledgment of the discrepancy. Instead, the offer was adjusted to be $10k below that value, with a claim of a "pre-approval" for this additional amount. This situation felt like a classic bait and switch. The discrepancy was confirmed when I later spoke with another contact, who stated that the salary in the system was indeed $20k below what I was led to believe. The responses regarding the "pre-approved" addition were vague and avoided acknowledgement that even existed, suggesting a lack of transparency and integrity due to inconsistent narratives. Furthermore, after declining the offer and explaining my reasons, there was no follow-up from the hiring supervisor, despite my attempt to communicate regarding pre-existing vacation plans. This lack of communication persisted for three weeks. Ultimately, I decided to withdraw my acceptance of the offer. The experience raised serious concerns about the integrity and transparency of the hiring process, leading me to question how I would be treated as an employee once I was hired as an FTE. The absence of accountability and the inability to provide feedback to HR or legal further highlighted the issues within the recruitment team. In conclusion, this experience has led me to lose interest in working for this organization.