To think they should pay for expenses

[broichehead748]

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?

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?

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

@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?

They said they needed to do earlier in the day to give them time to travel back to where they’d travelled from.

I've read this before as well, someone else has had the exact same experience, I don't know how there's turned out but I don't suppose it could be the same employer could it?

I’d email and ask! I’ve been to ones like this and train travel was paid for

Assuming you don't intent to work for them in the future, I'd email requesting expenses paid.

On the basis that they knew the other party had longer in the industry, I'm assuming there were other things that tipped it, they just found this as the easiest explanation.

I understand but I guess it’s one of those unavoidable costs of employment alongside work attire, commuting costs etc.

On the basis you got through to second stage and that it seems like the job will be well paid given how far you’d have to travel to it I suspect it means you’ve a fair chance of getting another similar job soon that’ll cover the loss so good luck!

That's kind of selfish. They should have offered to pay.
I think it would be reasonable to write to them saying you were sorry not to get the job and struggled to afford the cost of attending this interview so early that it meant a hotel stay, so please could they make a contribution. Appeal to their better nature.

YABU because you should have asked about this before you went.
YNBU for having expenses repaid

I think it’s just one of those things like buying a new suit for an interview etc.

I can’t afford them. They are on my credit card. £300 is not negligible to me. It’s a large sum to me
You knew from the start that there was a reasonable chance you wouldn't get the job. If it was such a large sum for you, why didn't you asked about expenses when you were invited for a second interview? It seems like a lack of initiative on your part.

Why aren't you going to ask them? You should have asked before really but you can't whinge about not being paid for something you haven't asked for.

In terms of the 'experience' rejection - people can write any old manner of exaggerated dross on their CV/job applications. They won't know until the final interview whether or not someone stands up to that experience. We've all been rejected for a role because of the 'experience' answer - it just means that someone was better at proving that experience on the day.

Expecting reimbursement after attending without ever having mentioned it before looks unprofessional. This is a conversation you have after the first interview when you ask what the next stage is - where they would have said about the second interview, and then when you were offered the second interview and knew where it was, that was the time to talk about expenses.

I'm sorry you're out of pocket and don't have the job, but this is the process I have been through my whole professional life. Plus some companies just don't and never will reimburse interview expenses if it's just not in their policy. When you know the costs involved and if you will/will not be reimbursed then you make a choice on that basis. I hope you find a really good role very soon.

The unintended consequence of not paying travel expenses for interview is that people who have less disposable income can’t apply for better roles. It stops social mobility. If you’re already an ok earner, you’re in a couple and the other person is earning a reasonable amount or you come from a family that has spare cash and is willing to fund you you’re ok. If you’re doing this all on your own it’s another invisible barrier to progression. Just like the new suit an earlier poster mentioned - all expenses that show you’re either in the club (already middle class) or you’re not.

I don’t think your expenses should be paid, imagine if a company had to pay expenses for every interview candidate they have. Let’s say a company interviews 5 people and they all spend £300 on travel, do you think the business should pay £1500 out to people that they aren’t even hiring? Can you see how you’re being unreasonable? You said yes to the interview and made plans to travel so the cost is on you.

Totally agree it's a barrier and a reflection on the company. Much like places that don't state salary expectations or have 'hybrid' in their conditions and refuse to say prior to application what that means in real life. It's a form of discrimination too. That said, lots of companies have policies prohibiting the paying out of expenses - I know a lot of heritage and charity places like this.