I had an initial call with recruiter, expressing my salary expectation of 50K per month, which she initially accepted. Post interview, they collected my documents for the offer process and ghosted me. Then informed me of a reduced offer (40K) after a week's silence. When I declined it (as this was less than my current salary), the recruiter mentioned a hold on the position. It's disheartening to discover that the initial understanding on salary expectations shifted during the process. Knowing the budget upfront and conducting interviews, only to later propose a lower offer, feels unfair and wastes candidates' time. My positive opinion about the company changed due to this experience. I hope for improved transparency and respect for candidates' time in the future.