Disappointing Experience with Ford Ion Park’s Hiring Process - Negotiating in Bad Faith
TL;DR: Ford Ion Park posted a job with a compensation level of HTHD GSR 7-8 ($93,900-$188,400). After interviews, they offered me $97k and a $5k signing bonus. When I negotiated, they rescinded the offer, citing cost of living in Michigan and comparisons to underpaid team members.
I recently had a highly disappointing experience with Ford Ion Park’s hiring process for the Battery Raw Materials Engineer / Battery Cell Engineer position in Michigan. Here’s a detailed account of what transpired:
Job Posting Misrepresentation:
The job was initially posted with a compensation level between HTHD GSR level 7-8. For context, the salary range for GSR level 7 is $93,900-$157,020, and for GSR level 8, it's $112,680-$188,400.
Offer Mishandling and Rescinding:
After multiple rounds of interviews and discussions, I was verbally offered a level 6 position with a salary in the 90s. After sharing my concerns verbally (requesting level 7 and a higher base salary), they only came back with a written offer for level 7 at $97k with a $5k signing bonus. They offered the low salary and gave me only a few working days to accept before it expired. When I negotiated, they said they’d consider my concerns and get back to me on the Monday (the date the offer expired) but didn't reach out as promised. I followed up the next day, and that’s when they rescinded the offer while also letting it expire at the same time. This shows a clear lack of good faith in their negotiation process.
Minimum Salary Ask Ignored:
When I applied, I specified a minimum base salary of $110k, which was completely disregarded in their offer. The job posting required 2+ years of experience, with a preference for 4+ years. With 4 years of experience, I met the preferred qualifications. My target salary would place me at the low end of HTHD GSR 7 (~25th percentile), around the midpoint of a non-HTHD GSR 7 role, and around the midpoint of a GSR 6 HTHD role. At no time during the interview process did they indicate that the role offered would be level 6 and below my minimum ask. Had I known this, I wouldn’t have wasted my time.
Justification Using Cost of Living:
They justified the low offer by talking about the cost of living in Michigan. However, their provided salary ranges are specifically for Michigan, and they have a separate, higher pay band for roles in Palo Alto (I was relocating from California). This rationale feels like an excuse to lowball candidates.
Comparison to Team Members:
During the negotiation, they compared my potential salary to a current team member with a master’s degree in a non-engineering discipline and more years of experience making a similar salary. This individual does not hold an engineering undergraduate or master’s degree. When I pointed out that this person is clearly underpaid and asked why they don’t adjust his pay, they had no good response. This is a red flag indicating they might undervalue and underpay their employees.
No RSU or Increased Signing Bonus:
They were unwilling to offer any RSUs or increase the signing bonus beyond $5k, further demonstrating their lack of flexibility and commitment to fairly compensating new hires.
Red Flags and Lack of Commitment:
Throughout the process, several red flags emerged. It seems like Ford is more interested in finding someone who will accept the lowest offer rather than the best fit for the role. Additionally, they mentioned not wanting to overpay to avoid layoffs in the future, suggesting a lack of long-term commitment to their employees or an indication that layoffs are possible in the future for the battery division.
Overall, my experience with Ford Ion Park’s hiring process has been incredibly disappointing. The misrepresentation of the job posting, poor negotiation practices, and unjustified lowball offers are major red flags. It’s clear that they might prioritize cost-cutting over finding the right talent and ensuring fair compensation.
I hope this serves as a cautionary tale for others considering opportunities at Ford Ion Park and for potential buyers, as they are clearly taking cuts on talent.