Hi, I'd like to share this someway funny interview experience. First off, I'm based in Europe, 20 YOE, I'm currently a remote worker and I applied for a remote Microsoft position. The role I interviewed for was "Support Escalation Engineer - Azure Linux". I've got only two interviews: a technical one and a behavioural one, both quite easy IMHO. Then I got a call from the recruiter: «I have great news! You impressed them, no more interview rounds are necessary, we would like to make an offer: which are your salary expectations?» I told her that my reference market is not my home country, that I'm currently working for global enterprises, I've tried to ask her for salary ranges, but no way: she wanted to know my salary expectations. Ok, I gave her: I'm currently a contractor, last year I made 130.000 euros, and now I'm waiting for the final Meta interview round for Production Engineer, where I could potentially make between 130.000 and 190.000. When I told these numbers she went mad, and behaved as if I offended her: «No other candidates from your country asks for such salary, not even directors get so much money, I really don't understand how such salaries are possible and I don't even find it is fair. I'll try to refer to the manager but at 95% it's a no». Trying to insist on the salary ranges she had in mind, I got the ranges were below 100.000. Then I've got no "final best offer", no official rejection email, nothing at all: I just saw my application was rejected by looking on my profile in Microsoft careers page. Ladies and gentlemen, this is Microsoft's recruitment process in Europe! ;-) Closing note: if companies would advertise the available salary ranges for each job, we would save a lot of time, both for us and for them. #tech #microsoft #microsoftcareers #microsoftcompensation #microsoftinterview #microsoftoffers #europe
Penny pinching bisheys btfo
So I’m in talks with a MS recruiter now and there is a document that asks me to list my expected salary. I’m non tech program manager so I really don’t know what to put down
Don’t put shit.
Levels has some data that could help. There are both TPM and PM numbers. I am SDE and have no clue if the numbers are accurate. https://www.levels.fyi/comp.html?track=Program%20Manager&search=Microsoft%20
Getting offended lol…it’s all business…get emotions out of here.
I was speechless: I, the candidate, had to explain to a Microsoft recruiter «Ehi Mrs. recruiter, did you ever heard? Some big tech companies use to give so high offers, and in the United States even double than that». She didn't believe. It was hylarious! LOL
This is such an ignorant response mrdoogood. How do you expect companies to pay us wages in foreign countries?
your requirement seems like a fair salary range to me
You’re kidding yourself if you think you’re gonna get 130k outside of America in a support role. Cut your expectations in half at least.
^ sorry for the harsh reality: an escalation engineer is a low level job and such salary expectations in Europe for this role are out of touch with reality. PE in FB is much harder and stressful role. If you can land an offer for it, then go for it.
Yeah Europe is dirt poor
For salary negotiation, whoever gives the first number loses. Next time, stand your ground.
Lols...isn't that what OP did, he stood his ground. And people who haven't experienced EU recruiter don't get it, one person has to break and you're going to be the one. Just say what you want.
Yeah this is not US we don't play that game here. In fact recruiters usually give you the range it is well knows our salaries are low here and don't go up much so they don't waste time negotiating over nothing
Our recruiters are horrible, it was brought up internally many many times. As of last year hiring managers have no say in who they are getting.
how? isn't hiring manager have control over how much comp they can spend on the (potential) reportee
Probably just a salty recruiter
(Not a recruiter just curious, nor am I defending the behavior - it’s trash) Remote or no - is it inline with salaries in your country ? Asking as if I compare it to us - asking for Cali salary for a remote position in a low cost of living state will also not go smoothly for many companies. So if you ask for Germany, Switzerland or holland hcol city salary in Poland or Romania for example …
Yeah there is a lot of jealousy from devs and HR scraping to get by because their state has out of control living expenses. At the end of the day the dev is doing the same work so why wouldn't they be paid the same as a remote Dev in a high cost of living state? If you look at average earnings for top 5 percent by state you can see the low cost of living states have plenty of high income earners.
A company can get away with paying less - by maybe 20-30 percent compared to a high cost of living state. But if they try and lowball any further then they can't attract great candidates. After all there aren't legal barriers etc stopping someone from Arizona from moving to California.
I always tell recruiter my current and expectation. Saves a lot of heartburn and effort
Never give your current, only expectation.
You're right, but I actually omitted one detail: when she called for the offer, it was the first time I actually spoke with the recruiter. All the interview scheduling happened via automated emails, I had no human interaction with the recruiter before, not even by email. And that's very odd: it never happened to me with other companies.