Consisted of phone screening, zoom interviews, take-home assignment, and final on-site interviews. Many rounds, spoke with 6 people. Things were okay until the offer/negotiation stage.
Upon viewing the offer, I noticed the salary was below my discussed range, which was acknowledged by the recruiter during the initial screening that it'd be met. I reminded him of that conversation and got approved for a slight bump to meet my minimum.
Later, after more market research and factoring in other finances like relocating closer to the office location, I sent an email to the manager in an attempt to renegotiate. I waited a day for a reply but no response. Instead, I received an abrupt message the next day from the recruiter stating they will look for other candidates.. I then reached out to communicate but their attitude towards this was firm.
Considering all the time and effort invested, the way they ended it was really unprofessional. Had I received a reply or any communication beforehand, I would've understood and accepted the offer. I was honestly excited to join Cengage and even encouraged others to apply, but the way they've treated this was a huge disappointment and really made me question their professionalism.