That was wildly unprofessional but also I've been told similar things by hiring managers at various stages of my career -- a lot of people are just not very professional and don't know how to be. You may not have job hunted for a while but stuff like this happens constantly. You just have to learn to roll with it. Sounds like you handled it fine but I would definitely treat as a red flag regarding that specific person and potentially also the organization they represent.

I was once told in an interview that half the people in the department I'd be joining were "dead weight" that they couldn't fire because it would be too hard, and that I'd probably get a big workload because I seemed competent and would have to help carry all the people who didn't or couldn't do their jobs.

I was told this by the department head during the "wine and dine" interview where they were trying to woo me with a nice meal and tell me how great it was going to be.

You can't make this stuff up.

Leave a comment about this on their Glassdoor.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I probably would have responded by saying you think you might get laid off too. Instead of saying you want a promotion. He’s not wrong.

But i thought this would be selling myself short.

It would be, and PP is incorrect. Interviewer is wrong.

Also, hoping to lowball is no reason to attack the OP for applying, as interviewer did. This is the kind of boss who will get mad when you ask for a raise, or will promise you a promotion but then give it to Jerry because he's only 5 years from retirement and needs it more. No thanks.