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 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.

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.

Not really no. You don’t need to be so nasty and attacking. You sound very cold, angry and unfeeling. The organisation do not pay expenses as a rule, so there is no point in asking. The interviews were morning only. I’m not furious at all. There is nothing in my post to suggest I am furious. I am very sad and spent the day in tears because the opportunity was really rare. It probably won’t come up again for 4-5 years. It’s soul destroying and the job market out there, across many sectors, is dire. Unless you live in London, when a new job is much easier to pick up. Talk about kicking someone when they are down. I didn’t ask for a character assassination. I asked if the company are reasonable or not in this situation to not pay expenses. Not someone making me feel even more terrible that I already do and bizarrely accusing me of being sour.

@HoskinsChoiceending coldly by saying ‘Do you get the point now?’ is really condescending, unnecessarily aggressive, and rude. I suggest you go and work on your social skills and delivery.

Thank you so much. I’m proud I got to the last two too 😊. Many of my friends have said for final stage interviews for remote roles that they had expenses covered.

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

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.

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.

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.

As if I didn’t feel bad enough already, you’ve managed to make me feel even more worthless. Not everyone lives in the world of high end jobs where they’ll pay to fly you across the world to interview you. Lucky you.

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!