Job interviews can be stressful enough without employers secretly scheming to lowball salary offers. But one woman turned the tables on a company after they accidentally CC’d her in an email discussing how they planned to offer her less money than she requested.
Reddit user u/Komeandgo, an IT professional, shared the shocking yet hilarious incident, which quickly went viral. She had just completed the first round of interviews for an IT role when she unexpectedly received an internal email from the company. The contents? A conversation about how they planned to undercut her salary expectations—and they didn’t realize she could see it.
Representative Image Source: Pexels | Mart Productions
The email that changed everything
After the first interview, she had discussed her salary expectations with the company’s IT director and two system administrators. Since she was leaving an entry-level role in the same field, she stated that her minimum salary requirement was $60,000.
"We discussed pay and I said my minimum was 60k (I was already leaving an entry-level job in the same field so lower wouldn’t have been beneficial). That’s why when I saw this email I was caught off guard," she explained.
But while she assumed they were on the same page, the company had other plans. The email thread she was accidentally copied on revealed that they were already trying to justify offering her less money.
Not only did they plan to offer her less, but they also saw her as a backup candidate for another man they were considering for the role.
Image Source: Reddit | u/Komeandgo
Calling them out in the best way
Instead of ghosting the company, she went to the second interview—but not to accept the job. She confronted them directly about the email and their shady hiring tactics.
"I told them I feel they wouldn’t have my best interest at heart if they’re already undervaluing me and that I didn’t want to continue forward with a team that’s likely to stab me in the back," she wrote.
The HR team immediately went into damage control, apologizing and insisting, "That's not how they do business." But by then, the damage was done.
Rather than working for a company that had already tried to shortchange her, she walked away—and landed a better job with a higher salary soon after.
"Shortly after this interview, I took an offer for another job that pays me more than 60k. But I was just laughing about this," she concluded.
Reddit reacts: ‘Know your worth and don’t settle’
People were amused but unsurprised by the company’s attempt to lowball her, and many praised her for standing her ground.
Image Source: Reddit | u/Paddlesons
u/Olivineyes pointed out how companies often cut corners on salary, even when it barely makes a difference to them:
"Even a $2,000 difference is about $80 per paycheck. Know your worth and don't settle for less!"
u/jbirdkerr agreed, adding:
"Any company that would nickel/dime you over $2,000 a year before you're even working for them seems like the kind of place I'd want to avoid."
Image Source: Reddit | u/TopLocation2585
One user, u/Luxxielisbon, had the perfect response she could have sent:
She walked away with a better job while they scrambled to fix their mistake
Companies that try to lowball employees before hiring them often reveal how little they value their workers. This IT candidate saw the red flags early and made the smart choice to walk away.
Instead of accepting less than she deserved, she found a higher-paying job elsewhere—while the company that tried to undercut her was left dealing with the consequences of their mistake.
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