I wanted to share my experience for anyone considering Workato or navigating co-op/internship decisions — especially students looking to relocate or those working with tight timelines.
Over the course of nearly a month, I went through an in-depth interview process for a Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A) internship at Workato, a tech startup based in Palo Alto. It included four interviews, a detailed case study, and multiple conversations about logistics. I was preparing for what would have been a short-term international relocation from Canada to California.
At the end of the process, the hiring manager set up a personal call to congratulate me on being the successful candidate. He said he wanted to share the news over a call rather than by email — which made the offer feel genuine and confirmed.
The role paid $22 USD/hour (~$30 CAD), which initially struck me as low given the location — especially with no relocation support. For context, that’s barely enough to cover rent in Palo Alto, where housing alone is often $3K/month. In hindsight, that probably should have been a red flag — especially for a company positioning itself as a fast-growing Silicon Valley tech firm.
At first, I was told they would sponsor a J1 visa and I’d work in the office two days a week. Then the plan shifted — I was told over a call with HR that I’d need to start remotely while the visa was processed, and later either relocate or take business trips (at my own expense). I stayed open to it, seeing the professional value.
Eventually, they told me the role would be fully remote, and since they wouldn’t be sponsoring a J1 after all, I wouldn’t be allowed to enter the U.S. at all — not even to work remotely while visiting. Despite this change, I still decided to move forward, willing to adapt because I thought the opportunity was worth it.
This morning, I received the formal offer letter. By 1 PM — just a few hours later — they rescinded it. Their reason? After “internal discussions,” they were shifting the scope of the role and looking for a different skillset. That explanation doesn’t really add up, considering the hiring manager himself called me just last week to say how he thought I was perfect for the role.
No prior indication. No apology beyond a generic email. Just a complete reversal.
I had spent weeks preparing, doing the case study, aligning my co-op term, and planning international logistics — all in good faith. To have the offer pulled just hours after it was issued — after a personal congratulatory call from the hiring manager and discussions with HR about logistics — was incredibly disappointing and unprofessional.
I understand companies pivot. But this process was mishandled from start to finish — and if this is how they treat candidates, I can’t imagine what it’s like internally.
Between the constant changes, the lowball offer, the lack of visa support, and the way the role kept shifting day to day — from “we’ll sponsor you and you can work in-office twice a week,” to “start remote and move once your visa is approved,” to “actually, it’s fully remote and you can’t enter the U.S.” — everything about the process started to feel off. In the end, I should’ve trusted my gut — there were red flags the whole way through.
Just wanted to share my experience so others can make informed decisions. Not every opportunity is worth the hassle.
submitted by /u/Flashy-Pineapple-731
[link] [comments]