I recently gave an interview at this company, which had two rounds. Both rounds went well, and now comes the most uncomfortable part: the salary discussion. Initially, during the first interaction, the recruiter mentioned that there were no budget constraints. However, once it came time to discuss the salary in detail, suddenly there were "budget constraints." It's frustrating to see how much time is wasted in these situations. If they mention a budget of ₹12L upfront, you can be sure that they will offer you no more than ₹7L-8L, even if you're really good at negotiating. The whole process feels like a game—getting your hopes up with a higher figure only to offer you much less. In my opinion, companies should be transparent from the start. This kind of back-and-forth is tiring and wastes everyone's time. It feels like a strategy to test how much you’re willing to accept, rather than offering a fair compensation package based on your skills and experience.