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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU at this job interview?

16 replies

NephewsNames · 19/02/2017 19:14

I went for a job interview this evening. I'm self employed so I set my own fees. I told them before hand what my fee is. I travelled 20 miles to get there. I'd barely sat down before they said "we can't afford £xx only £yy" which is 30% less than what I charge. I was so annoyed as its cost me in petrol and they knew full well what I charge.

AIBU to think you just don't do this??

OP posts:
Brokenbiscuit · 19/02/2017 19:16

So was it a job interview or a meeting with a potential client?Confused

Original poster
NephewsNames · 19/02/2017 19:17

I guess meeting with a potential client. Not sure what the difference is??

OP posts:
Original poster
NephewsNames · 19/02/2017 19:18

I'm a self-employed nanny so wouldn't call the parents "clients"

OP posts:
Brokenbiscuit · 19/02/2017 19:20

Well, if it's a job interview, I think the employers get to set the terms, though of course, you can choose not to accept. There is less risk in being an employee, so I wondered if they might have thought that you would be willing to work for less.

If it was a meeting with a potential client and you told them the rate up front, then yes, they were wasting your time. Can you bill them for the meeting?

flumpybear · 19/02/2017 19:20

I'd charge them your petrol and a fee for time wasting if I was you!! - I'd be livid!!

PuppyMonkey · 19/02/2017 19:21

It depends, they may have been trying it on, they may have been expecting you to negotiate. You could have shown them you were so fabulous at the job they would have to change their mind and pay you double.

Funny time for a meeting anyway! Grin

Original poster
NephewsNames · 19/02/2017 19:21

The fee they were willing to pay is way below the national living wage too.

OP posts:
PuppyMonkey · 19/02/2017 19:23

So how did you leave it OP? Smile

Original poster
NephewsNames · 19/02/2017 19:25

I said I would get in touch. I'm a wimp so didn't want to say no to their face.

OP posts:
Chickoletta · 19/02/2017 19:44

Send them an invoice for your travel expenses.

TestingTestingWonTooFree · 19/02/2017 19:49

A friend of mine had once made it very clear to a recruiter that she would only move to a job if it paid more than her existing one. This was passed to the company in question who would not say what the salary was, despite being asked repeatedly. As soon as the interview started she asked the salary, it was less than the one she was on, she suggested the interview would be a waste of everyone's time and got up and left. I admire that kind of no nonsense attitude.

TestingTestingWonTooFree · 19/02/2017 19:50

(I don't think you can invoice them though, you don't have a contract to do it, and they don't sound like decent employers who would recognise their error).

HappyFlappy · 19/02/2017 19:51

I would have told them (politely) to say I couldn't afford to work for £yy, and that £xx was my minimum and thanked them for the interview and left straight away without wasting a moment more on them.

IonaNE · 19/02/2017 19:53

If you are a self-employed nanny, then yes, the families/parents are your clients. A job interview is for a job with an employer.

Iamastonished · 19/02/2017 20:06

"As soon as the interview started she asked the salary, it was less than the one she was on, she suggested the interview would be a waste of everyone's time and got up and left."

I did something similar. I had a long commute in the job I was already in, and went for an interview with a company more local to me. They told me that hey wanted an account manager to travel up and down the country. I said that I wasn't interested and didn't want to waste any more of their time.

We subsequently moved nearer to where I worked, I got promoted and my company bought the company I went for an interview with. Funny how things turn out.

EnormousTiger · 19/02/2017 20:48

That's appalling. It's one reason I (a self employed lawyer) don't offer meetings, don't offer free firs tinterviews, don't do beauty parades and if people don't like my fees they can find someone else. there is far too much of this type of time wasting going on.

I went to see a law firm once who thought we might co-operate in some way. I was a bit reluctant unless the money was good and it was occasional consultancy stuff. I traipsed all the way over to their office - the refused to come here even though I make more money than any individual in their firm and so my time is more valuable. Then they called me back a second time and it was a different group of lawyers wanting to pick my brains and then they decided no collaboration. It confirmed that my no interviews rules is a wise one (not of course possible for nanny interviews but even so.....)

In your case they knew your fee so I would try to get them to pay the cost as they led you right up the garden path, it's almost misrepresentation!

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