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

[ToeSucker]

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.

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?

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.

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.

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.

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

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

Plus, definitely name and shame.

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

I would just ignore it.

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

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.

Good one?

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!

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..

The coffee and the rejection are not linked.

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

Ask if you can pay in instalments!

Wow. That is pretty shocking.

Did everyone else she bought coffee for give her the money there and then? I'm just clutching at straws as to why this is a reason not to give you the job.

Every employer both my DC have applied to for pay for expenses .. Maybe it depends on the industry, and how professional/high ranking the job is. Maybe with lower ranking jobs - the employers don't pay expenses.

.

Tell them they owe you £240 for the train fare, but you'll knock off the coffee.

I seriously hope they are reimbursing the train fare.

I really don’t think I believe this

You don't want to work for them if they rejected you for that.

I don't believe this at all.

I mean I actually work in HR so I do know something about what I'm talking about. Obviously HR is not an SME for technical roles which is why the Line is always on the panel and may request additional interviews with additional Line members if the role is a specialist one. I don't know how it's done in the UK but HR does not make the final decision on hiring any role - only behavioural suggestions. The Line chooses the final candidate based on their technical competence.

In addition to the first interview, there may be technical assessments, for higher level Client contract roles, the Client may also want to meet with the candidate. Then, my company is a joint venture and if the role is senior enough, there is a possibility of an additional interview with either parent company or the CEO.

Now, to be clear, our company doesn't have more than 2 interviews in general and I do think 5 is madness but my point is, there can be many reasons for multiple interviews that have nothing to do with HR.

ETA - And yes, recruiters spend a lot of time interviewing but for example, in my company at any given time, we have anywhere between 30 - 70 vacancies and 2 recruiters so unless it's a very senior role, there is rarely more than 2 interviews.

If you are applying for a job in your local area, but the company insists you travel across country at your own expense to interview, or for any part of the hiring process, then I'd pass (Zoom, anyone?). And tell HR after spending £240 to travel for the interview you're shocked they want £3.70 back for the coffee the manager bought for you and the other applicants.
If true, you definitely don't want to work there.

yes it’s normal from my DC experience too. They just got a 6 week paid summer internship after five stage process! Application, personality test, flash one way on line interview, technical assessment, interview. And it was the same for all the summer internships they applied to - not unique to this company.

Sorry - they actually said - you were rejected as you didnt pay for the coffee? As in they didnt give you the job, because you didnt pay for the coffee?!