I recently applied for a position and was invited for an interview, which primarily focused on discussing my past experiences and how I could contribute to the team. However, the experience took a negative turn when they inquired about my salary expectations. I had researched salaries within the company on Glassdoor and found that Business Operations Associates were earning €45,000. Given that the position I was interviewing for was more senior, I expressed my expectation to be in the range of $55,000 to $65,000, which aligned with my current salary. They mentioned that their budget for the role was €45,000, significantly lower than the company's internal salary and the industry standard. It was disheartening to realize that the company is offering lower salaries, especially considering the existing salary range within the company. I couldn't help but wonder if the difference in offered salary could be attributed to factors like gender bias, as women are often offered lower salaries compared to their male counterparts in similar positions. This is a concerning possibility that warrants further reflection and action from the company to ensure fair and equitable treatment of all candidates.