Shoma Chaudhury’s words were harsh: “It’s not like we are waiting with baited breath.” I had called Shoma, Tehelka’s features editor, to find out where things stood. The Editor-in-Chief Tarun Tejpal had agreed to pay me Rs. 35,000 a month, and I needed to check in about one more issue before coming on board.

Would I have the freedom to reprint any articles I wrote? I wasn’t expecting to produce Pulitzer prize-winning material, but I figured that the time to ask about ownership rights was before you wrote anything, not after.

Still, Shoma’s harsh words were a negative surprise. I had already interviewed with her face-to-face, and she in turn took me to meet the editor-in-chief. But on the phone, it seemed like I was talking to a different person. Not waiting with “baited breath?”

In that phone call, Shoma also expressed displeasure that I had mentioned the salary offers I was getting from NGOs. She though NGO offers were irrelevant, the implication being that I was new to journalism. But she was telling me this after our salary negotiations had come to a close. Tarun had originally proposed Rs. 30,000 per month, and I asked for Rs. 40,000. He split the difference and said Rs. 35,000, and I was ready to get to work.

Perhaps the problem was that Tarun accidently sent me the email he intended for her, a message instructing her to offer me Rs. 35K. I had forwarded the message to Shoma and then replied to both of them thanking them for the upward flexibility. Maybe she felt cut out of the loop and was now expressing her displeasure via these snide remarks?

Or maybe it was a difference in work culture? Perhaps Indian managers didn’t find it appropriate to mention other job offers as leverage – even if you did it as politely as possible. That seemed to be what Shoma was indicating. I was concerned about this possibility, so I checked in with some local Indian friends. They disagreed – it was fine to mention your other job offers. No differences in work culture there.

I was disheartened by my future boss’ strong words. Tehelka had a reputation for doing decent journalism in an age of fluff pieces. But as good as Tehelka’s reputation was, I suddenly had to ask myself – did I really want to work for this person? Normally, supervisors are at their nicest when someone is considering an offer. Shoma’s tone was downright hostile. Good magazine, bad boss?

Tarun privately assured me that she was probably just having a bad day. I swallowed my doubts and came on board. But in hindsight, the interaction was a warning sign, not an aberration.