Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To feel a bit annoyed this is why I got rejected?

239 replies

ToeSucker · 07/05/2026 16:17

I completed 5 rounds of interviews for a company. For the final interview, I had to travel across the country for an in-person meeting.

At this meeting (I met the whole team) there was a coffee break where we popped out to the local coffee shop.

The hiring manager asked me what I wanted. She also asked me what the team members next to me wanted. She paid for everyone's drinks.

Today I received a call from HR saying I was rejected, but mentioning I owe the hiring manager £3.70 for a coffee.

I'm shocked by this. I'm not sure I should be. I should have offered to pay I suppose but you're not in a normal frame of mind during interviews. I'm more annoyed I had to pay almost £240 for the train tickets and got rejected with this seemingly contributing to why.

OP posts:
New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Flamingcoming · 19/06/2026 10:31

Well you had a lucky escape.

Original poster
ToeSucker · 15/05/2026 18:19

Thank you everyone for the comments. I didn't log back in for the rest of the day and was just completely overwhelmed by all the responses when I got back. I didn't even know where to start.

I did send an email to HR 3 days ago to ask for the train fare. I haven't yet gotten a response.

I have since contacted a few journalists but no one has responded. I'm not sure they're actually interested.

Mostly I'm glad to hear it wasn't just me who thought this was terrible.

OP posts:
Nettie1964 · 11/05/2026 17:12

Get another job thenSell your story to a tabloid, premium top quality companies would have covered your travel expenses. They took you to a coffee shop, they should have explained at the etiquette to you as in "we all pay for our own" .

LeaderBee · 10/05/2026 16:39

Do you have a contact with them? They rejected you? Oh no! I guess it's not enforceable then 🤷‍♂️ guess they're just going to have to fuck off with their request you repay their cup of coffee

OldScribbler · 10/05/2026 16:33

My partners and I started a business many years ago. We couldn’t afford an office so we took space with another firm and paid the rent by working free.
8 years later we sold our business for a ton of money.
Our “strategy” was to do the best work we could and make working for us fun.
The moral? “Happy hens lay more eggs”

OldScribbler · 10/05/2026 16:24

Tell them to send the money you invested in applying to work at a firm no sane person would want to work for less the cost of the coffee.

Devastatednowtotally · 09/05/2026 19:47

I can’t believe that folk believe this actually happened

Bunny65 · 09/05/2026 18:48

eggandchipsplease · 09/05/2026 17:08

Could this be part of the interview process (think Willy wonka / gobstopper scene at the end) and if you send a refund you get the job ? Might be worth a try ?

If that's the case how incredibly petty. I'd hate to work for a company that would practise anything so pathetic.

eggandchipsplease · 09/05/2026 17:08

Could this be part of the interview process (think Willy wonka / gobstopper scene at the end) and if you send a refund you get the job ? Might be worth a try ?

Snakebite61 · 09/05/2026 16:04

ToeSucker · 07/05/2026 16:17

I completed 5 rounds of interviews for a company. For the final interview, I had to travel across the country for an in-person meeting.

At this meeting (I met the whole team) there was a coffee break where we popped out to the local coffee shop.

The hiring manager asked me what I wanted. She also asked me what the team members next to me wanted. She paid for everyone's drinks.

Today I received a call from HR saying I was rejected, but mentioning I owe the hiring manager £3.70 for a coffee.

I'm shocked by this. I'm not sure I should be. I should have offered to pay I suppose but you're not in a normal frame of mind during interviews. I'm more annoyed I had to pay almost £240 for the train tickets and got rejected with this seemingly contributing to why.

I think you dodged a bullet there. Sorry you wasted your money on them.

Mummyof2andthatsenough · 09/05/2026 15:16

This. She offered to buy everyone drinks. The offer was not conditional upon you getting the job. Ridiculous.

user233675892 · 09/05/2026 11:46

C152 · 09/05/2026 10:54

Jesus, is this for real?! I'm sorry you went through such an arduous interview process and didn't get the job in the end. However, it does sound like you had a lucky escape! Don't pay the money for the coffee, of course. If someone senior asks you what you (and others) want, then pays, you assume they are being generous. The twat probably expensed the cost anyway. I hope you charged them for the cost of travelling across country to meet them? (I had a flatmate years ago who was going for a hospitality management job at a well known club. Prior to interview, she asked for a paid dinner - plus travel costs - at the club, so she could experience how it worked. They agreed. I really admired her for it and have kept it in the back of my mind. If employers are serious and want you, they'll act reasonably. This company doesn't sound like they have reasonable processes.)

Jesus, is this for real?

I'd put my money on no.

C152 · 09/05/2026 10:54

Jesus, is this for real?! I'm sorry you went through such an arduous interview process and didn't get the job in the end. However, it does sound like you had a lucky escape! Don't pay the money for the coffee, of course. If someone senior asks you what you (and others) want, then pays, you assume they are being generous. The twat probably expensed the cost anyway. I hope you charged them for the cost of travelling across country to meet them? (I had a flatmate years ago who was going for a hospitality management job at a well known club. Prior to interview, she asked for a paid dinner - plus travel costs - at the club, so she could experience how it worked. They agreed. I really admired her for it and have kept it in the back of my mind. If employers are serious and want you, they'll act reasonably. This company doesn't sound like they have reasonable processes.)

Pherian · 09/05/2026 10:25

ToeSucker · 07/05/2026 16:17

I completed 5 rounds of interviews for a company. For the final interview, I had to travel across the country for an in-person meeting.

At this meeting (I met the whole team) there was a coffee break where we popped out to the local coffee shop.

The hiring manager asked me what I wanted. She also asked me what the team members next to me wanted. She paid for everyone's drinks.

Today I received a call from HR saying I was rejected, but mentioning I owe the hiring manager £3.70 for a coffee.

I'm shocked by this. I'm not sure I should be. I should have offered to pay I suppose but you're not in a normal frame of mind during interviews. I'm more annoyed I had to pay almost £240 for the train tickets and got rejected with this seemingly contributing to why.

I would tell them they can subtract the £3.70 from the reimbursement of your train ticket. Are they serious. What a cheeky piss take on their part.

MellersSmellers · 09/05/2026 08:52

StationJack · 07/05/2026 16:22

Ask them for an invoice then sell your story to a tabloid.

Absolutely this. Completely unreasonable and this company should be outed.
I would reply that you'll be sending a counter claim for your train fare.

BlackCatThinking · 09/05/2026 06:34

WiddlinDiddlin · 07/05/2026 17:49

Five rounds of interviews? And £240 train ticket cost - where was this final interview, the Moon, via both Penzance and Edinburgh?

I'd be invoicing for the train ticket and let them know they can knock the coffee cost off that!

£240 is about the cost, maybe a bit less, of a walk up peak fare from my home in the northwest to London. Yes, I paid £45 quid a few weeks ago for a leisure trip but I chose the date, bought in advance and selected off peak. Interview candidates generally
can’t dictate when an interview is scheduled in order to get a cheap advance fare.

Bunny65 · 09/05/2026 02:02

I would send a polite email saying it was not made clear at the time that you were supposed to pay and that as you spent £240 going there and was rejected after 5 interviews you consider it a strange request.

Miaminmoo · 09/05/2026 01:43

I had to travel for an interview once but they paid my travel expenses - this is disgraceful and they should be embarrassed - she can claim these drinks back as expenses 🤯 my hiring manager meets people all over the country in various settings and she claims all the coffees back for her and the people she is recruiting and honestly, it’s not an issue and we aren’t even a huge business. At least it’s money I don’t have to pay tax on 🤣

VividPinkTraybake · 09/05/2026 00:33

Sunisgettinganewhaton · 07/05/2026 16:19

And I'd send the money recorded delivery. In 1p pieces.

No you wouldn't

sunshinestar1986 · 08/05/2026 23:55

Omg 🤣 😂
How pathetic of them.
Definitely pay in pennies as suggested by a pp

mjf981 · 08/05/2026 23:47

Google review now and a scathing email reply to the company, CCing anyone important you can find on the website.

Ridiculous. I find it hard to believe its actually true tbh.

Devastatednowtotally · 08/05/2026 23:41

user233675892 · 08/05/2026 22:53

I'm extremely dubious that this is true.

Me too. It’s BS

FraZles · 08/05/2026 23:32

Name and shame in tabloids op

user233675892 · 08/05/2026 22:53

I'm extremely dubious that this is true.

Lilrubes · 08/05/2026 22:43

ToeSucker · 07/05/2026 16:17

I completed 5 rounds of interviews for a company. For the final interview, I had to travel across the country for an in-person meeting.

At this meeting (I met the whole team) there was a coffee break where we popped out to the local coffee shop.

The hiring manager asked me what I wanted. She also asked me what the team members next to me wanted. She paid for everyone's drinks.

Today I received a call from HR saying I was rejected, but mentioning I owe the hiring manager £3.70 for a coffee.

I'm shocked by this. I'm not sure I should be. I should have offered to pay I suppose but you're not in a normal frame of mind during interviews. I'm more annoyed I had to pay almost £240 for the train tickets and got rejected with this seemingly contributing to why.

Who asks what you'd like to drink & then asks for the money after? No one, it's ridiculous & what a lucky escape you had.