I went through two interview rounds and was told the company intended to extend an offer. We entered what I believed were friendly, professional negotiations regarding compensation and scope. However, once the specifics of the role were discussed, a significant disconnect emerged. The company expected high-level strategic work—including ERP integration, a historical database overhaul, and the creation of win/loss reporting systems—which are duties typically reserved for a Chief or Lead Estimator. Despite this, the top of their salary range was approximately $30k below the market rate for that level of responsibility. Because I was genuinely interested in the company, I offered a professional compromise: I would perform the standard Cost Estimator duties for their stated range, with the understanding that we could revisit the Chief Estimator title and pay once their budget allowed for that expanded scope. Despite being their preferred candidate, the company abruptly ended all discussions following this proposal. Beyond the compensation issue, the culture gave me pause. During the final stage, I was brought into an unscheduled, closed-door meeting with the VP. The tone was unexpectedly condescending; I was told "it's hard to work here" and given unsolicited comments regarding the lack of sexism in the office. As a veteran and a middle-aged woman with manufacturing experience, I found this interaction to be highly unprofessional and a major red flag. The leadership admitted to having "personnel problems" during our talks. Based on the lack of integrity in the negotiation process and the behavior of upper management, it is clear why those problems exist.