I had an initial screening call with a recruiter. The conversation was quite basic, covering why I applied and my salary expectations. However, since no salary was advertised and they weren’t forthcoming with their banding, I couldn’t give an informed answer. After that, the conversation seemed to lose momentum, and they didn’t ask anything about my experience. They then asked if going into the office would be an issue. Since the role was based in central London, I said that three days a week might not be ideal. They said they’d check if there was any flexibility, but just two minutes after the call, I received an email confirming there was no room for negotiation. Given the lack of salary transparency and rigid in-office requirement, I withdrew from the process. Overall, the experience felt rushed and transactional, with little effort to assess my suitability for the role.