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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:
Sobriety78 · 07/05/2026 19:01

Sunisgettinganewhaton · 07/05/2026 16:19

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

No - send it in coins but dont pay enough postage - far more inconvenient

AhBiscuits · 07/05/2026 19:01

The coffee and the rejection are not linked.

AgnesX · 07/05/2026 18:56

You've escaped.

Ignore them, the hiring manager should be putting it on expenses anyway. Whoever it was that emailed you is a CF. I wouldn't have the front to put that in an email given the circumstances..

ITriedToStopSwearingButICunt · 07/05/2026 18:54

Just reply with

"LOL 😂"

Seriously, what tight and petty bastards.

I went for an interview as a teaching assistant at our local comp. We had coffee, biscuits and sandwiches laid on for us!

Zov · 07/05/2026 18:54

PuppyMonkey · 07/05/2026 17:57

Ha ha, good one OP.

Good one?

Mintearo7 · 07/05/2026 18:52

I would ask for them to send over the amount and bank details to pay into…then post a sceeenshot on LinkedIn/social media. How utterly disgusting. I was just thinking the other day how nice my previous company were - I was a skint graduate travelling constantly to London from the north for interviews. They were the only company who proactively offered to reimburse my train fare. I stayed there for years and they were a lovely, caring employer.

Epidote · 07/05/2026 18:49

Well, fell happy you are not working with that manager.

InterestingDuck · 07/05/2026 18:37

How do they expect you to pay her - did they give you her bank details?

I would just ignore it.

dayswithaY · 07/05/2026 18:34

OP, can you tell us how this request was worded? A little context is needed.

Plus, definitely name and shame.

Anyahyacinth · 07/05/2026 18:32

Sunisgettinganewhaton · 07/05/2026 16:19

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

Love
What cheap bastards
Ask for your claim form for travel expenses.
They sounds awful

Thepeopleversuswork · 07/05/2026 18:32

Onetimeusername1 · 07/05/2026 18:30

Totally agree. What companies pay for your travel expenses to interview? I can only imagine possibly head hunted people might be paid but otherwise, it's not the 1980s.

Show quote history

Its one thing not to reimburse travel expenses for an interview but its quite another to try to claim such a paltry sum back from a candidate.

Thepeopleversuswork · 07/05/2026 18:31

I do seriously think you should out the company OP. If only to warn off other applicants. Any company which is that tight won’t treat its staff well.

Onetimeusername1 · 07/05/2026 18:30

Watdidusay · 07/05/2026 17:32

Surprised how many posters think 5 rounds is excessive. It's definitely the standard now. 7-8 rounds is on the high end but companies have been doing 7 rounds for years now.

I don't know where you all are working but I have never been offered reimbursement for interview travel! Nor has it ever been booked for me.

Totally agree. What companies pay for your travel expenses to interview? I can only imagine possibly head hunted people might be paid but otherwise, it's not the 1980s.

SpaDaysForAll · 07/05/2026 18:29

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

How did you respond?

Thepeopleversuswork · 07/05/2026 18:27

Watdidusay · 07/05/2026 17:32

Surprised how many posters think 5 rounds is excessive. It's definitely the standard now. 7-8 rounds is on the high end but companies have been doing 7 rounds for years now.

I don't know where you all are working but I have never been offered reimbursement for interview travel! Nor has it ever been booked for me.

I don’t think five rounds is particularly excessive but I am surprised that the sort of company which will do five rounds of interviewing would be so tight that they would try to claim a few quid back from a job candidate!

An investment bank or a law firm might do five rounds of interviews but that sort of company wouldn’t be cheap enough to try to claim back a sum of money that their senior managers would make in about a second!

IsabellaVireauxLaurent · 07/05/2026 18:25

what role was it, mi5 ? @ToeSucker

MidnightMeltdown · 07/05/2026 18:25

PumpkinPieAlibi · 07/05/2026 18:02

You do realise that when multiple interview rounds are requested, it's usually more interviews with the Line, or with the main Client depending on sector/industry or it may be for technical assessments or presentations right?
HR can't just decide to add interview rounds randomly.

Show quote history

I know people who work in HR and they do a lot of interviewing. Including for specialist/technical roles that they know fuck all about. I’ve given presentations in interviews before, but it’s always been as part of the main interview. Not a special separate interview just for a presentation. How can it possibly be justifiable to have 5 interviews?

Companies who do this should be legally required to pay people for their time and all travel costs. I’d be fuming if I went for 5 interviews and then didn’t get the job.

oncemoreuntothebeachdearfriends · 07/05/2026 18:25

Tell them to deduct it from the £240 they owe you.

Tillow4ever · 07/05/2026 18:23

I can’t imagine you were rejected because you didn’t pay for the coffee. It’s ridiculous they are asking you for the money though.

At my company they reimburse all travel expenses regardless of role level and at all stages of the interview process (to be fair there is normally only a single stage of interviews). I seem to recall they also provided lunch and drinks throughout the day. That is what a company you want to work at does.

purpleme12 · 07/05/2026 18:23

Wow

I'd be incredibly pissed off!

Gwenna · 07/05/2026 18:13

StationJack · 07/05/2026 16:22

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

This! 👏😂

C8H10N4O2 · 07/05/2026 18:06

What sort of company is this? We would pay in country travel expenses and supply refreshments to candidates being interviewed in person or attending one of our selection sessions (for junior roles).

That sounds quite shocking and deserves to appear on Glassdoor at least!

Abhannmor · 07/05/2026 18:05

Abhannmor · 07/05/2026 18:03

God Almighty you certainly dodged a bullet there! Rail fares are insane btw 😲

HR - Human Remains a friend calls them...

Steeleydan · 07/05/2026 18:05

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.

Do u think all the others go a bill for coffee? How pathetic 🙄

BlueMum16 · 07/05/2026 18:04

LittlePinkWeed · 07/05/2026 16:27

If this is true, tell them they can deduct it from the reimbursement of your train fare and ask to whom you should send the ticket receipts.

This.

I've always had reasonable travel expenses covered for in-person interviews.

Lucky escape.