Salary negotiations when getting hired can feel awkward. What do you ask for? What is fair? How do you present your needs without seeming greedy but also not undervalue yourself?

This sort of feeling is quite common. A lot of us have been conditioned to believe that talking about money is kind of impolite and asking for money is even worse. Unfortunately, employers benefit from that sort of attitude and some can even use it against you.

In a way, this is what happened in this story. The protagonist didn’t get into the nitty gritty of the payment system when getting hired and then the employer changed the rules when it was too late to back out. The good thing is that the author wasn’t going to let this unfairness slide. He obeyed the rule change and turned the tables on the employer. Read on to find out how.

When applying for a job, one has to look out for shady employee practices or you’ll end up like the author of this story

Image credits: Glenn Carstens-Peters (not the actual photo)

They agreed to take the job before clarifying all the details regarding wage. Good thing the rules were easy enough to bend

Image credits: why kei (not the actual photo)

Image credits:  freestocks (not the actual photo)

mage credits:  Vladimir Solomianyi (not the actual photo)

Image credits: Different_Scholar548

The employer’s tactics were very shady

It’s clear that the protagonist wouldn’t have gotten into this situation if he had insisted on having everything clearly stated on paper. No signed contract means that the employer can change the rules whenever they want. This is definitely a mistake.

But employers can also be manipulative that way. They might promise you a contract but urge you to start before signing anything because of how immediate the task is. Once you do, they change the agreement however they want and if you wish to get paid for your work, you have to comply.

It’s important to screen employers for potential red flags such as this one

This is, of course, not the only red flag you have to look out for when applying for jobs. There are quite a few other ones that should raise your eyebrows when you’re being interviewed. For example, when the interviewer is badmouthing former or current employees. It is an example of how you will be treated once you join the company.

Poor communication in general is a bad sign, too. If the description of your position is unclear and the interviewer evades your questions, that’s proof that something shady is going on. If you’re being asked very invasive personal questions or feel urged to take the offer, it’s also a reason to walk away.

Also, be sure to check the online reviews of the company. That’s both from their customers and employees as it will give you a full picture of what to expect. Note if they have a high turnover rate and pay attention to the non-compete they ask you to sign—if it’s very restrictive, it’s probably because a lot more people are leaving than normal.

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All in all, look out for yourself and your needs. No matter how charming the employer seems, they are out to make profit, not to accommodate you. So fight for yourself, your work and efforts are valuable.

The author had to divulge more details to explain how this malicious compliance actually worked

Many agreed that this was the right way to handle the situation and applauded the idea

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