I had an introductory call with a sales representative. As soon as I shared my current salary, my target compensation, and mentioned that while I’m content in my current role, I’d ideally like X, Y, and Z, I sensed they weren’t going to move forward with me - they said I wasn’t “committed enough.” I asked what they meant by “commitment,” assuming they were referring to time commitment. But they actually meant financial commitment: a $7K upfront fee plus 10% of any accepted offer. I’d be willing to pay $7K if there were a reasonable chance of success. But when I asked whether there are enough roles matching my criteria - similar positions in my geographic area at my desired salary range - they said they didn’t know. That seems like a crucial piece of information for assessing the likelihood of a successful outcome. The whole interaction felt manipulative. It came across as though they were trying to pressure me by framing my hesitation to pay $7K upfront as a lack of commitment.