Hilarious

So, I just wrapped up my interview with a well-known IT company. The technical round went great, I nailed all the questions, and I felt pretty confident. But then, the SDM hit me with that classic “What’s your salary expectation?” I confidently told him, “Anywhere between 30-40% hike should work.” The look on his face? Priceless. It was as if I just asked him sponsorship for trip to the moon. He goes, "How can you expect such a hike in today’s market conditions?" — as if I’m the one out of touch, not the company paying below industry standards and expecting me to just settle for less. Honestly, it’s laughable. Some companies have the audacity to expect top-tier talent while offering bottom-tier packages. And then they act surprised when candidates ask for something remotely fair. The only thing more inflated than their expectations is their ego. But hey, we know the drill. We're supposed to accept whatever they throw at us, right? Because in the corporate world, they hold all the cards...except when it comes to talent. Here's to hoping the market catches up, and maybe just maybe, companies will stop acting like they’re doing candidates a favor by even considering them.