ABCD - Instant rejection after respectfully refusing to provide salary expectation
Hello all,
I just want to rant about my bad experience while interviewing for Cargill (physical trading position) a few hours ago. So I have been looking for a change in jobs for a few months. Have had some success and currently hold a couple of offers from two ABCDs and a couple other traders in other commodities. However, I found an opening @ Cargill that I have been waiting for over a year to appear due to the location of the company (I don't want to move from my city and they are here). I also know a few of the traders at the firm and have been talking to them here and there in order to get a foot in the door in a polite way.
Note that I have interviewed with Cargill two times in the past, and have had great experiences with their interview process/HR Reps. They were great.
However, this time was completely different. I get the phone screening scheduled. HR rep proceeds to call me. Few behavioral questions that I successfully responded. Then the question comes: what is your salary expectation?
And I transparently responded "I do not know". I don't know the benefits, the bonus structure. HR rep got insistent, asked a few more times and I couldn't accurately respond. I told him I needed more info. Guy told me to 'please note that we are currently having an issue with another prospect who does not want to provide their expectation'. Disrespectful tone, would even say discriminatory. I told them OK, I will discuss it with the hiring manager when I have all the information. He told me the hiring manager tends to respond between 36 and 48 hours to see if he likes my profile. I said OK. (HR rep has 2 months of experience, I checked him out)
I got an instant rejection, less than 15 minutes later. Guy did not even pass my profile to the hiring manager.
Should I try to contact the manager through other means?
How stupid are you? If you don't know what someone in your industry should be paid I would insta-reject you too
Sigh
'Should be paid'?
Do you even know anything about physical trading firms at all? The payment structures are completely different in each company, maybe even in each division, desk and I would go as far as say individually. Some traders with more seniority get % of their books.
I have several years of experience in the phys trading industry, have interviewed and declined several offers in different commodities. I have never been disqualified on the basis of not sharing my salary expectations. Seems absurd to me on a first HR screening.
Basically, you are posting a job and having a FIRST HR screening with an applicant. You know what your range is. Why is it a *requirement* that I disclose an expectation when I know nothing about the position yet? (Hours, Culture, Team, Bonus Structure, Benefits).
That's like quoting an "aluminum ingot" without even knowing the alloy/chemistry of the material. The standard deviation would be absurd between each subtype.
Can’t tell if you’re joking but if not get off his dick. He made a mistake that shouldn’t have really been a mistake it happens
nope. carry on and enjoy the other offers. Big firms don't do well going off script and doubt this will go over well to benefit you
What I am thinking is, what is the risk vs. reward?
Risk: Getting no response. Also getting "no" as a response. Doubt that I would be 'blacklisted' by trying this. Worst case I apply next time or never end up applying again.
Reward: Hiring manager reads the email and checks my profile. Maybe he likes it enough to go back to the HR rep and have him reconsider the stupidity of disqualifying an applicant with experience just because he did not want to give a salary expectation in a first HR screening because of lack of info.
Am I missing something/being unreasonable?
First of all you should have just given a range for the salary, who cares if it is too high or too low, it wont disqualify you from the job.
Second of all, yes I still think you should try to reach out to the manager if you really feel like its a job you would take and its worth your time.
I've had bad experience with HR at Cargill, had an offer out of college and almost got rescinded because I wanted to negotiate salary not just get the same pay that every other graduate got.
Theyve put in this new structure for employees now to move up, previously management had the ability to make big moves with people they wanted to, take talent and put them on a fast track, but not anymore because HR has mandatory years of experience before you can be in a job band. IIRC its like 6 years before you can be a "Senior Merchant" before they just put talented people in senior merchant roles after like 2 years of experience.
Noted and understood. Appreciate the advice.
I am only ranting because the salary expectation question on a first HR screening should never be a dealbreaker/disqualifying point. Its absurd.
Never been disqualified of a job before for politely refusing to respond to that question so early.
Dude Cargill has the most inscrutable recruiting of any company I know.
Lets be real are you going to take a paycut to work at cargill? Next does the salary even matter that much…As mentioned just give a range or #. Trust us they can pay it.
The dude was just screening if the role was maybe too junior for you, which sometimes people consider since they can lateral to a place with more upside later.
Completely understand. I wouldn’t have taken a big pay cut to be honest. I also agree with you that maybe I should’ve just said a high number and that’s that.
But what I am ranting about (without being too optimistic or thinking it’ll have a big impact) is disqualifying an applicant who prefers not to give an expectation on a first phone call with an HR Rep that has absolutely no idea about physical trading or the team i’ll be working with.
It’s even worse. The posting didn’t even include the unit/commodity that they are looking a trader for. I had to call a few friends and find out.
Anyway. thanks for your input!
Cargill Is known for underpaying
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