Interview Expenses OK? 2

[WideMike]

Is there anything inappropriate or unprofessional about asking a prospective employer if they will reimburse reasonable expenses incurred to interview with them? Critical remarks welcomed. Thanks in advance.

 

[IRstuff]

I don't think there's anything inappropriate about asking, although, if the interview is in the same city, it might seem a bit petty to ask for reimbursement for mileage.

TTFN

 

[TheTick]

I did have one employer reimburse mefor travel expenses (coach class flight). I was told before the interview was scheduled.

 

[GregLocock]

It used to be standard practice in the UK to reimburse travel expenses, and the few interviews I have attended here in Australia have, as well.

Cheers

Greg Locock

 

[JoeTank]

My recent experience is US has been that major travel expenses (airfare, hotel, meals) have been reimbursed at the prospective employers prior advice. I did not have to request reimbursement,as they offered up front.

Steve Braune
Tank Industry Consultants

http://www.tankindustry.com

 

[RDK]

Canadian practice is much the same. Major expenses (airfare, hotel, taxi etc.) are usually covered.

If I was interviewing someone and they asked for local travel expenses that would most likely end the interview right there.

Best to get this issue out of the way right at the start, rather than be asking for reimbursement in arrears. (especially if you did not get the job.)

If the company offers to cover major expenses before you ask, I think that that says something about how the company treats its employees.

Remember the entire interview process is a two way street, you are interviewing the company as well. Just as they will use every contact as part of the selection process, you should also use every contact to help you decide if you want to work for that employeer.





Rick Kitson MBA P.Eng

Construction Project Management
From conception to completion

http://www.kitsonengineering.com

 

[WideMike]

To All Responders,

It seems OK to ask. In my case, the company was just over 100 miles from home and I asked for mileage, tolls, and parking expenses. I provided the company with a close estimate (about $90.00 U.S.) and showed the math. The company chose not to have me in for an interview. At the risk of sounding like "sour grapes", I feel this may be just as well.

Thanks to all for the input.

WideMike

 

[TheTick]

Some of this depends on the type of position. If its a specialty, where the talent pool is more thinly spread over a wide area, interview expenses are a given. If it's a job requiring skills readily available in the current job market, then not. I have seen some job ads that say "Locals only" in some way.

If a company is interested enough to drag you more than a half-day's drive from home, then they ought to be interested to at least split the travel expenses.

My opinion only: 100 miles? I wouldn't have asked.

"Great ideas need landing gear as well as wings."--C. D. Jackson

http://www.EsoxRepublic.com

 

[jetmaker]

For 100 miles, I would not have asked. This is a nominal expense which is part of job seeking.

Generally, the company will offer to cover interview expenses if they feel it is so warented. I travelled to the UK for a job interview with the reimbursement being a condition of employment. If I accepted the job, they paid all back expenses. If I didn't take the job, it was on my dime. However, only use this approach once major negotiations are complete and it is just a matter of deciding if you want what they are offering.

I have used this approach on many long distance employment interviews. This way the employer knows that I am serious about the position, and let's me decide if their compensation is adequate for the region. After the interview, you can still make a counteroffer if you feel it is so needed.

Regards,

jetmaker

 

[ietech]

WideMike,

Kinda sounds like you weren't too interested in that particular job. I have spent far more on interviews; ie. airfare, rental car, hotel, meals etc. --- really wanted the job, didn't get it though - darn, maybe next time. Could be that age was an issue, at sixty years old not too many folks want to hire me anymore, even though I meet or exceed required qualifications, have excellent health, and I have at least 10 more years of productivity in me.

Some companies will offer to cover travel costs up front. If it wasn't offered I wouldn't ask, especially for 100 miles.

The old adage "Nothing Ventured - Nothing Gained" would somewhat fit this.

 

[IRstuff]

The dividing line, if it was made clear earlier, is major out-of-pocket expenses. Mileage for 100 miles round trip is something like $78, but you are not incurring that as a out-of-pocket expense.

Had you flown there incurring a $78 airfare, reimbursement would and should have been offered.

My feeling is that they felt you were looking for a petty opportunity to make money from them. Your actual out-of-pocket expense, ignoring tolls, etc., was only about $16 for gas, so the differential would not have sit well with me either, since the remainder of the $78 are almost all fixed costs that you would have incurred whether you went or not.

TTFN

 

[WideMike]

Certainly a good deal of food for thought. Thanks to all for the candid responses.

 

[bvi]

It is generally expected that an employer that wishes to interview a candidate that needs to fly in for an interview will pay the expenses of the trip. In some cases they may not, but it is certainly not unreasonable to request this.

If the interview involves simply driving over (essentially a daily commute distance) for the interview, it would normally be expected that the job candidate would do that at his own expense. An employer would have possibly justifiable second thoughts (not because of the expense, but because of the attitude) if someone requested reimbursement for this.

With respect to ethics, which is the subject of this forum, it is not unethical to request reimbursement in either case. On the other hand, it would be considered to be unethical if you had someone fly you to some location for an interview, in which you never intended to take the job, simply to get a trip paid for (e.g. to see relatives).

 

[GregLocock]

I can see this both ways, but to be honest I can't see why any reasonable expenses claim should not be met.

Typically by the time I interview you it has already cost us several hundred bucks. If you are unemployed then the cost of (say) train fare and accomodation might be crippling. Yet it is peanuts compared with the charge-out time we have lost in evaluating your application.

True story: I was told I once got a job because I put in such a big expenses claim (train+hotel all booked by the interviewing company) that the manager involved felt obliged to offer me a job.



Cheers

Greg Locock

 

[pmureiko]

IRstuff is right about your actual interview cost being low, basically gasoline and parking fees (if any).

The company probably viewed your request for reimbursement as a sign of greediness and decided to end the relationship on that basis.

If your expenses were significant, like airplane ticket, hotet room, rental car, etc., then it would be a fair test of the employers culture whether they will reimburse you or not.

 

[plasgears]

One SOB prospective employer cancelled my interview in the lobby because the principals were not available. I reminded the contact that I went thru considerable expense to be there. She agreed to pay expenses. I even went in for a repeat interview. Both trips were not compensated even after turning in detailed expenses.

 

[RDK]

Remember that the interview process is a two way street.

You are interviewing the company as much as they are interviewing you.

I too once had an interview cancelled in the lobby because the person who I was to see had “something more important” come up. This issue arose in time that they could have called and rescheduled before I left for the interview.

My response was that since I and my future was not important to the firm that I saw no future there and that I no longer wanted to work for this firm.

Of course it helped that I did not need the job and travel expenses were minimal.






Rick Kitson MBA P.Eng

Construction Project Management
From conception to completion

http://www.kitsonengineering.com