Today I had an experience that I found quite unprofessional during an initial interview process. A Senior Talent Acquisition Partner reached out to schedule a 30-minute call to discuss a position. However, when the time came, the call didn’t happen. After following up to reschedule, I didn’t receive a response until 1.5 hours later when she called unexpectedly. The conversation was brief—she mentioned that the role was for a Home Depot client and that they were seeking someone with retail experience. When I asked about the pay range, she asked what I was looking for, and I mentioned 90K for a senior position. She then informed me that their budget was only 75K, despite the job listing stating a range of "up to 111K." I had to decline. 75K is what a low-mid-range designer makes in my area not a senior. If you are looking for senior work you need to pay senior rates. It's disappointing and frustrating when companies advertise one thing and offer another. Professionalism and transparency in the hiring process are essential, and this experience was far from ideal.