Who is responsible for the communication(s) from HR of a company?

Dear HR Managers, Senior Executives of Consulting companies, I invite you to read my experience below and interested to see your comments on this. 

Day 1: I am getting a call from Ms. A, introducing herself as HR Manager of company X (a leading multinational consultancy company). She told me that there is vacancy in her company and whether I am interested. I replied that, if it is good offer, it can be considered. She collects details like my credentials, experience and gave me a short job description. I informed her, I am interested and she asks me to send the updated resume. I mailed it on the same day.

Day 3: I am getting a call from Mr.B, of the same company. He is the team leader for the project and he talked to me for a while, and it was purely technical questions. At the end, he asked me, the expected salary, I told him my figures.

Day 4: I am getting a call from Mr.C, another HR manager of the company and he informed me that I am shortlisted. We talked about the salary package, I gave him my requirement (say package 1), he said will consider and get back to me.

After about an hour, he called me and said, what I demanded is too high, and he offered a lower package (say package 2). The company and the position are good and the offer was not too low. So, I accepted it. I asked him the breakup of the package and other benefits in the package, which he agreed to mail me.

I got the mail within an hour with package details and I replied accepting it.

He called me again and asked to reply with the possible joining date. I replied him, I need to get a formal offer letter which I have to show to my present employer and after that only I can tell about the joining date. He agreed to send the formal letter immediately.

After about an hour, he called me and said, management is not agreeing for that package (Package 2), so they can’t give me that. (HR is negotiating with the candidate without having an understanding with management? When HR is agreeing something in writing, who is accountable for that?). So, I have agreed for a lesser pay. I told him; it is difficult. He said, will speak to the management again and get back to me.

After about 4 hours (at 7.00 PM !), I got call from Ms. A. She asked me expected package. I told her, those stages are already over, I have given my expectation, they given their offer and I agreed to it, and then they backtracked. She told me, “Mr. C, don’t know the project budget and other details. So, whatever he agreed was by mistake. I am the senior HR Manager and I am going to negotiate with you officially!”.  (So, the first one was unofficial, even the package? a demo training to their junior staff?). I told her, anyway, I can’t do anything on that day, next day I will send it again.

Day 5: Ms. A called me again. She came up with a new package (say package 3). Package 3 was about 18% less than Package 2. I told her straight away that is not acceptable to me. She said, they are expecting new projects in next 5-6 months, so I will be shifted to new project and my salary also will increase. I said, I want that in writing, which she was not ready (obviously). Then she started talking me about the track record of their company, layoffs in many other companies, the economic crisis… all blah bleh, finally she said, they need to recruit the person without any delay, so if I have to decide on that day itself, otherwise they are moving to next candidate. I told them, I am not interested for that package.

After 15 days….

Day 20: Got a call from Mr. D, who introduced himself as Senior HR Manager and from the Head office (!!) of the same company. He started like saying, our team had a communication with you, but didn’t proceed further, what went wrong? I told him it is better to check with his colleagues. Then he changed the stand, and said he knows about those things and it happened because the person talked to me (Mr.C) was inexperienced and apologized for the inconvenience caused. He informed me that, they are still interested to hire me. Again, I asked for the package. He came up with a new package (say Package 4). The amount was in between Package 3 and Package 2. Still I agreed for that and asked him to send me formal mail with package details. He sends the package details by mail and Mr. D asked me to accepted it formally. I replied to the mail accepting it. He replied me saying that the formal offer letter will be issued.

5 weeks since I informed them my acceptance, and still I didn’t get the formal letter.

Now, my question to the HR experts and industry experts here….

1.     How do you feel about the whole incidents?

2.     Is this the way a reputed company do their recruitment? A person giving an offer (by writing), then another person saying he was inexperience and hence a mistake…. and this person giving another offer in writing, then no response….so on.

3.     The HR is offering a package and later saying, management didn’t approve it. Remember, it was not HR consultant, but HR Manager of the company. So, the HR is initiating selection process without talking to management and knowing the budget?

4.     When I talked to Ms.A, at the first, I had told her my contract require 3 month notice period. She told me, they can’t wait for that long and I agreed that I will try to get relaxation to notice period either by convincing my company or by paying the penalty (there is a clause for that in our employment rules). Now, they themselves, lagged the process for about for two months.

5.     This company is a reputed international company having many years’ experience. And I am having more than 19 years working experience. So, how will be smaller companies treating the junior staff?

6.     Mr.C, told me that TL was satisfied with my profile and expertise and so recommended me. The TL won’t enquire why the person is not joined yet, after a month?

7.     When the HR is playing child plays like this the company’s reputation is damaging. Who is responsible for that?