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AIBU?

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Original poster

To think they should pay for expenses

86 replies

broichehead748 · 10/07/2026 15:15

I was rejected for a job.

It involved:

a first stage interview made up of 10 questions and a 30 minute presentation (remote on Teams)

a second stage interview that was not mentioned in the original job listing. This entailed:

another 30 minute presentation
with follow up questions

The second interview interview gave me one weeks notice to take a full day annual leave, organise childcare, travel by car then train to a city 3 hours away, stay overnight in advance for an early interview time.

In total the interview prep took me two full days of my time. The original application took a day. Travelling to and from took two days. The cost of travelling and staying over was £300.

I was given the feedback that the successful candidate had more experience in terms of years in the sector then I did. Which they knew before asking me to the second interview. I’m so gutted that it cost me so much in time and money for a no based on something they already knew about me in advance. It would have hurt less to have not made second stage considering the stress and anxiety of travel and leaving my children to do the interview.

There are no expenses refunded. Is this unreasonable of them?

OP posts:
7238SM · 10/07/2026 16:25

@JustGotToKeepOnKeepingOn and setting an early morning interview when they know where you’re travelling from is just thoughtless scheduling.

But would the person slotting in the interviews actually know where OP is travelling from?

I asked why OP didn't ask whether a later interview would be possible?

Original poster
broichehead748 · 10/07/2026 16:24

Radrover · 10/07/2026 16:23

Annoying given it was a remote role. The reason would have be a standard response - giving proper feedback has landed companies in tribunal so it saves time to say something bland like the other candidate had more experience - it's a fact you can't argue with. Send them feedback on the interview experience - they might think twice the next time. Good luck finding a good role.

Thank you. I’ll keep on trying.

OP posts:
Radrover · 10/07/2026 16:23

Annoying given it was a remote role. The reason would have be a standard response - giving proper feedback has landed companies in tribunal so it saves time to say something bland like the other candidate had more experience - it's a fact you can't argue with. Send them feedback on the interview experience - they might think twice the next time. Good luck finding a good role.

MsGreying · 10/07/2026 16:21

I think I'd have told them to shove it for a remote job. What a bunch of "Terminally Wayward Attitude Types"

Binnyforthewin · 10/07/2026 16:21

broichehead748 · 10/07/2026 16:06

Hello!

Thanks for the feedback so far. To be clear - I don’t expect prep time to be paid for. I have no intention of asking them to pay me anything at all. I mentioned my experience to a friend and they were shocked that I had to travel so far and pay for an overnight stay and there had been zero offer from the company to cover expenses. So it got me thinking.

The general vote seems to be that I should be expected to pay out large sums to attend interviews.

Edited

To be fair I think the general advice is that you should ask before attending the interview and then decide whether you want to spend the money or not.

BillieWiper · 10/07/2026 16:18

As others say, if it's located at the place they sent you to then travel would just be what you'd do anyway if you worked there. But if they compelled you to sleep in a hotel then that should be covered in my opinion. You can but ask.

Original poster
broichehead748 · 10/07/2026 16:18

IronEverything · 10/07/2026 16:10

You do realise that all of this was optional don't you? If you can't afford it then why did you book a hotel instead of just getting up early?

To be honest it sounds like you're just sour that you didn't get the job. Which is understandable but doesn't make this any less unreasonable.

An early train would not have been able to get me there in time. I was worried about the amount of trains being cancelled due to the heat, and was very anxious of an early morning train cancellation making me very late. I can’t afford to live on the salary I’m paid, so I took a risk to try to better my life for my children.

OP posts:
JustGotToKeepOnKeepingOn · 10/07/2026 16:16

Prep time no, but travel expenses yes. Their feedback is very poor. At the very least they should give you proper detailed feedback. The ‘less experience’ line is weak and setting an early morning interview when they know where you’re travelling from is just thoughtless scheduling.

Original poster
broichehead748 · 10/07/2026 16:14

RVectensian · 10/07/2026 16:13

Was the interview at the potential place of work, or was it for a remote job?

It was a fully remote role. Not at their head office. They chose a random city to interview from.

OP posts:
RVectensian · 10/07/2026 16:13

Was the interview at the potential place of work, or was it for a remote job?

7238SM · 10/07/2026 16:13

I'm assuming that the office they interviewed you in was a head office, and not the branch you would have worked in, IF you'd got the job?

Surely when you saw the early interview slot, didn't you ask whether a later one could be accommodated, and save yourself an overnight stay?

Peonies12 · 10/07/2026 16:11

I would have asked beforehand, and said you couldn't attend in person otherwise. You would have had far more leverage before than you do now. Of course be upset / annoyed but all you can do now is ask, be prepared they'll say no, and be more careful next time.

IronEverything · 10/07/2026 16:10

You do realise that all of this was optional don't you? If you can't afford it then why did you book a hotel instead of just getting up early?

To be honest it sounds like you're just sour that you didn't get the job. Which is understandable but doesn't make this any less unreasonable.

Original poster
broichehead748 · 10/07/2026 16:08

Bonkers1966 · 10/07/2026 16:04

You could send them an invoice and see what happens. If you don't ask you don't get. Sorry this happened, OP. Horrible for you.

Thank you that’s really kind. I’m not going to ask them but I just wanted to know whether most others thought this was acceptable. Or not.

OP posts:
Original poster
broichehead748 · 10/07/2026 16:06

Hello!

Thanks for the feedback so far. To be clear - I don’t expect prep time to be paid for. I have no intention of asking them to pay me anything at all. I mentioned my experience to a friend and they were shocked that I had to travel so far and pay for an overnight stay and there had been zero offer from the company to cover expenses. So it got me thinking.

The general vote seems to be that I should be expected to pay out large sums to attend interviews.

OP posts:
Bonkers1966 · 10/07/2026 16:04

You could send them an invoice and see what happens. If you don't ask you don't get. Sorry this happened, OP. Horrible for you.

Original poster
broichehead748 · 10/07/2026 16:03

ExpectMore · 10/07/2026 15:49

You have to speculate to accumulate. £300 is negligible in the grand scheme of what a new job might have got you.

Just be thankful you can afford these costs to be in the competition. Others couldn’t have afforded them so couldn’t even have tried.

Best wishes with your job search

I can’t afford them. They are on my credit card. £300 is not negligible to me. It’s a large sum to me.

OP posts:
Original poster
broichehead748 · 10/07/2026 16:00

Backedoffhackedoff · 10/07/2026 15:17

Didn’t you post about this before the interview too?

No

OP posts:
fireandlightening · 10/07/2026 15:54

broichehead748 · 10/07/2026 15:15

I was rejected for a job.

It involved:

a first stage interview made up of 10 questions and a 30 minute presentation (remote on Teams)

a second stage interview that was not mentioned in the original job listing. This entailed:

another 30 minute presentation
with follow up questions

The second interview interview gave me one weeks notice to take a full day annual leave, organise childcare, travel by car then train to a city 3 hours away, stay overnight in advance for an early interview time.

In total the interview prep took me two full days of my time. The original application took a day. Travelling to and from took two days. The cost of travelling and staying over was £300.

I was given the feedback that the successful candidate had more experience in terms of years in the sector then I did. Which they knew before asking me to the second interview. I’m so gutted that it cost me so much in time and money for a no based on something they already knew about me in advance. It would have hurt less to have not made second stage considering the stress and anxiety of travel and leaving my children to do the interview.

There are no expenses refunded. Is this unreasonable of them?

Travel and acco should be paid, but time off/interview prep etc is on you.

fashionqueen0123 · 10/07/2026 15:52

They should pay for the hotel and travel. You have nothing to loose, Id email and ask.

ExpectMore · 10/07/2026 15:49

You have to speculate to accumulate. £300 is negligible in the grand scheme of what a new job might have got you.

Just be thankful you can afford these costs to be in the competition. Others couldn’t have afforded them so couldn’t even have tried.

Best wishes with your job search

Binnyforthewin · 10/07/2026 15:44

CalmTheFuckDownMargaret · 10/07/2026 15:20

I’d very politely word this feedback to them so that they can make their ‘company and recruitment process more attractive to future applicants.’ Just thoughtless, really, aren’t they?

That just sounds bitter.

Binnyforthewin · 10/07/2026 15:43

I think it depends where the job is. If the base if the office you went to then its fair enough not to pay expenses since you wouldn't get expenses if you worked there.

If you're going to work in town A but had to travel to town B. The expenses would be reasonable.

No one is going to pay for preparation time.

Flippoflak · 10/07/2026 15:41

I think whether travel expenses are likely to be paid or not depends on whether they were held in the location where the job is based, or e.g. head office when the role is based elsewhere. The latter I would expect expenses to be paid, but you probably have to be proactive about asking.

Time off work at short notice is fairly normal for any sort of interview if you work FT.

Goditsmemargaret · 10/07/2026 15:40

The time to negotiate this was before the interview I'm afraid.