To think they should pay for expenses

That's fair enough, but part and parcel of when I decide to apply for a new role is exactly this kind of thing - do they fit with my values, how do they treat potential new employees. I have a policy of never applying to anywhere that doesn't advertise the salary - or at least a range - as they are just contributing to inequality in the workplace, which is usually the most disadvantageous to women. I had an interview for a job 8,000 miles away from me - no way was I paying for that plane ticket!

When I was invited to an interview overseas I requested that flights, transport, and accommodation be arranged by the company, and they were. Them not paying suggests they weren’t serious about you.

I've worked in multiple companies from start up to large corporate and we've never paid for someone to attend their interview! Admittedly, they were always held at an office that the person would at least work in occasionally.

I did have 1 candidate ask us to reimburse his travel to the interview, but he also wanted his daily commuting expenses paid if he'd got the job! He lived within 30min of the office and was still in a 6 figures job! ummm, NO.

You cannot charge them for preparation time. No-one forced you to apply for this job. Did they tell you there'd be an in-person 2nd stage interview and explain about reasonable expenses incurred? Did you ask? You sound a bit passive about this.

Was the overnight stay necessary? Could you have negotiated a later interview time? Could you have done the 2nd interview online?

But you can't expect to be reimbursed for your time. That's bonkers.

Ok but had you of got the job would you be here complaining about expenses? It’s just one of those things you took a chance it didn’t pay off so now you keep looking. As I said in a different comment, employers shouldn’t have to pay for all interview candidates expenses

I think it depends if the interview was in the location where you would be working. If that’s where your office would be I wouldn’t expect any expenses but if it’s miles from there I would. I applied for a London job and had first teams interview and was offered 2nd interview in Birmingham. I said it was too far and too expensive. They agreed and rearranged for a week or 2 later when big boss was in London. I explained I had no problem travelling etc but wasn’t willing to spend £300 on an interview presumably when I was still only one of several candidates. In future query it if it’s not in your office location.

I think people are very unfair. You did well to get to the last two. My employers would never dream of not paying in these circumstances. To be fair, these employers sound awful.

There's nothing wrong with a second interview but I'd have asked if it could be done via Teams again!

I think the question of expenses does slightly depend on where you live. I once managed someone (in a remote role) who lived in a notoriously remote part of Scotland. Not the islands but very similar. They refused to drive and it took them 5+ hours to get to the nearest large city to pick up other transport connections for any onward travel.

They were fine at the job but, as some face-to-face contact was needed, it was always disproportionately costly and time-consuming for them to carry out those parts of their role. We were a small organisation and it wasn’t ideal. I didn’t recruit them so the original decision had been nothing to do with me!

So if I were recruiting I would give a fixed contribution to expenses but expect the candidate to eat some of those costs if they lived a long way away.

It also could be that that was the deciding factor but not, in itself, an insurmountable barrier. So, the other factors had to be seen/tested.

But you didn’t “have to” did you?
ita 3 hours away. You could easily have asked for your interview to be arranged early afternoon giving you plenty of time to drive there and back in a day.

This changes it for me. I don’t get having to turn up for a fully remote role, especially somewhere far away. I think they should acknowledge that and pay the travel, and that’s not what I was planning on saying. I read the op and thought hiring process has second stage interview and expects an in person interview - well no shit Sherlock.

You're being a bit extra OP. You can't really be suggesting you'll never progess in life because you once had to spaff 300 quid on an interview.

Dust yourself off, try again and next time either ask re expenses or negotiate a better iv time/date so you don't have to overnight.

Why are you still peddling this nonsense. You admit you haven't asked for your expenses.

I'm furious that they didn't give me the job. I didn't apply for it but still, I'm furious. Do you get the point now...?

That's not how recruitment works. They were not wasting her time. They, like every other recruitment process, we're giving the strongest candidates an opportunity to prove they are the best. Not everything is as black and white as you and the OP claim.

Risks aren't guaranteed pay offs. You decided it was worth taking the risk knowing you might lose the money. You win some, you lose some. You lost this one 🤷

Yes, this. We recently interviewed 2 candidates who were equally good, so we chose the one who was available most quickly. We knew their availability beforehand but the one who could join straight away might not have been as good.