This was a contract role where I first had an initial screening call, followed by a telephonic interview with a Xerago employee. After waiting for nearly a month, they scheduled a client interview. Once I cleared the client round, I was asked to visit their office for an HR discussion. A few days after the HR round, I received the salary offer, and honestly, it was one of the poorest offers I have seen in the current market. Imagine going through multiple rounds only to be offered a hike of just 15–20% over your current salary for a contract position with limited benefits and job security. I clearly explained my experience, the nature of the role, current market standards, and my reasonable salary expectations. Despite that, they continued to justify the low offer with various reasons instead of offering a competitive package. What is disappointing is the amount of time invested throughout the process. If a company cannot meet even a candidate's minimum reasonable expectation, why conduct multiple interview rounds and keep candidates waiting for weeks? Based on my experience, I would not recommend experienced professionals to consider this opportunity unless compensation is discussed and agreed upon upfront. The salary offered was significantly below market standards and did not reflect the skills, experience, or contract nature of the role.