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Interview and the company not paying for travel

SarcasticDwarf

SarcasticDwarf

Diamond Member
Out of the blue I got a call from a recruiting agency (a reputable national one) who had my resume from a job search a year ago. They want to have me interview with a company in Chicago (my profile still said Milwaukee so they initially thought I was in Milwaukee). The position is a client-facing position (they want a photo) that would have direct and indirect reports that is subject to bonuses and the pay is 60-75k. This would be a huge jump in responsibility and pay for me and also get me into the field I want to be in.

The only catch seems to be that they are unwilling to pay for the travel expenses. First I will need to drive about five hours to the recruitment company's nearest office. Then if the call there between the recruiters, myself, and the client went well I would need to fly out to Chicago at my own expense.

Thoughts?
 
Originally posted by: iFX
You can't make the initial phone interview from your place in WI?
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Actually I am in Montana now. They thought I was in Wisconsin which has lead to all of this. I doubt they would have ever called me but now that they have found someone they think would work they would like to hang on to me (at my expense).
 
If you currently have a job I'd say no. If they want you that bad then they can do the phone interview from where you currently are or they can pay your travel. Otherwise keep doing what you're doing.

Offer them a video conference option from where you are perhaps? Good webcams are fairly cheap 🙂
 
Originally posted by: racolvin
If you currently have a job I'd say no. If they want you that bad then they can do the phone interview from where you currently are or they can pay your travel. Otherwise keep doing what you're doing.

Offer them a video conference option from where you are perhaps? Good webcams are fairly cheap 🙂
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I have a job, but I know I will leave here within the next couple of years (not enough work for me and I can't stand being bored).

Benefits of the job (as far as I know): Relatively close to some family, in a field with many more opportunities, far easier to get a good job in this field, pay is far more than I make now (barely getting by with student loans), etc.

Video conferencing does not really seem to be an option offhand, and I am not sure that there are any facilities for it in the area (within 100 miles).
 
How much is it likely to cost?

If you are getting offered more money in this economic climate, and have better prospects why not go for it? It could set you up nicely when the economy stops tanking...
 
it seems odd that they want to interview you but don't want to pay for travel expenses. I thought it was common practice to do so?

 
Originally posted by: polarmystery
it seems odd that they want to interview you but don't want to pay for travel expenses. I thought it was common practice to do so?
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Some companies are cheap or unsure how much they want the candidate.

Best option would be to have a phone screening interview or two.

Then if both sides are interested, you decide if you want to take the chance and foot the flight or insist that the company does.

I have been in that situation and refused to pay for the flight. If the company is so unsure that they are not willing to foot $500 for Travel and Meals when the candiate is worth $100K, then they are not worth the effort. Remember, you are also sacrificing by taking a day off from work to meet with them.

A couple of times, the recruiter picked up the tab - that was fine by me.

 
Originally posted by: polarmystery
it seems odd that they want to interview you but don't want to pay for travel expenses. I thought it was common practice to do so?
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Company I interviewed with flew me from Colorado to Florida for the face-to-face + tour.

I'd be willing to drive the 5 hours (if there's no other way to do it locally), but I wouldn't be willing to pay for my flight out to Chicago.
 
Do not forget that the expenses when looking for a job are tax deductible. While ideally they would pay, it will at least help offset some of that cost. If you are in a position to afford the travel and it is in an industry you really want to be in, you owe it to yourself try to do the interview. Try to talk to them and see if you can minimize the travel required as mentioned earlier. Chances are you are not the only person being interviewed, so avoid paying for travel until you know the likelyhood of being hired is a lot better. Don't ever forget that interviews are as much you interviewing the company as it is them interviewing you. Maybe set up something so you can find out more about the company and position to ensure you want to do the travel. If worse comes to worse and they won't budge and you're sure it is something you really want to do, don't squander your opportunity over the travel expenses. At least the 5 hour drive won't cost that much and you'll know more from that interview to decide if you want to pay for the flight.
 
Why can't they set up a phone conference or webinar and have you connect from home?

I find their lack of competence disturbing.
 
Originally posted by: DaveSimmons
Why can't they set up a phone conference or webinar and have you connect from home?

I find their lack of competence disturbing.
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They can. My guess is that it went something like this:

1) Client company directs recruiters to find local candidates
2) Recruiters find my resume in their local database from a year ago which still had my local address
3) Recruiters call me and realize they have a decent candidate but is not local
4) Recruiters make me pay for it since they would not be reimbursed

They will set up a phone conference from the recruiters office which is five hours away. The recruiters want to get a look at me before they do anything further.
 
Go see the recruiters and if they/you want to proceed wrangle the $250 it would cost them to send you to the interview out of their tight fists.
 
Originally posted by: K1052
Go see the recruiters and if they/you want to proceed wrangle the $250 it would cost them to send you to the interview out of their tight fists.
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$250? What world do you live in? The cheapest I could possibly get there is $350, plus hotel.

Edit: I should also note that the timing on this sucks. I will be there for a conference in six weeks, but of course they want it sooner. Of course if I GOT the job then I would save about $1k for lodging at the conference *sigh*
 
Originally posted by: nanobreath
Do not forget that the expenses when looking for a job are tax deductible. While ideally they would pay, it will at least help offset some of that cost.
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There are different stupid rules and caveats when it comes to that, however. I believe it may have to do with whether or not it is in a field you are currently in or not. Your travel expenses would be deductible but the meals would only be 50% deductible. I can't remember all of the rules though. The tax code is unnecessarily complex.
 
Odd, I thought it was standard practice to pay for travel for interviews.

With that said, if it's just a 5hr drive and you really want the job I'd get in the car and go. But I would push for a phone interview.
 
Originally posted by: dmw16
Odd, I thought it was standard practice to pay for travel for interviews.

With that said, if it's just a 5hr drive and you really want the job I'd get in the car and go. But I would push for a phone interview.
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No, it is a five hour drive (each way) just to get to where I need to do the phone interview from. It is a flight halfway across the country for a final interview. Both are unpaid.
 
Just sack if off if you can't be bothered. Some jobs take sacrifices to get to. The question is are you willing to do it? If they are too cheap to fork over for your travel expenses f0ck'em. Why work for a cheap company? But in saying this they don't know jack about you apart from your CV which could be completely BS. My bosses have had a lot of people who pretend to know a lot more then they actually do and didn't get pass the first round of interviews.

You seem keen but the £££ is making you be swayed. See what other offers you are getting and it may take a bit of an expense here to make a big jump in salary.

Koing
 
i've had this happen with a couple of recruiters when they bring up travel on my own dime or relocation expenses.

I bring up that this expense is a fraction of what the annual salary would be and much cheaper and less legal hassle than hiring an H1B.
 
I'd do the phone interview at the remote location and then deal with the plane ticket issue if there still was one. They might not like you after the phone interview and the recruiter screening, so I'd just play it by ear.
 

Ask for a phone interview now, then spend a few hundred ***** fly out for the second interview if you think that you have a good chance at getting the job.

 
Well the question that you should be asking yourself - is it a "huge" enough jump in salary to make this hassle worth your time? If yes, then take it up the ass like a big boy for the initial interview (though they really should be willing to do this over the phone - odds are because it's client facing however, this is why they won't).

If you end up with an interview with the actual company, well then the company should be willing to pay for travel (at the very least reimburse). Even small companies have travel budgets, and interviews are part of that budget.

Again - is the job what you're looking for exactly, will you be happy, and is the salary that you'd potentially be getting worth it ... to YOU?
 
Originally posted by: SunnyD
Well the question that you should be asking yourself - is it a "huge" enough jump in salary to make this hassle worth your time? If yes, then take it up the ass like a big boy for the initial interview (though they really should be willing to do this over the phone - odds are because it's client facing however, this is why they won't).

If you end up with an interview with the actual company, well then the company should be willing to pay for travel (at the very least reimburse). Even small companies have travel budgets, and interviews are part of that budget.

Again - is the job what you're looking for exactly, will you be happy, and is the salary that you'd potentially be getting worth it ... to YOU?
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The job itself is interesting. I know the general field the company is in and that is about it. The job description is...interesting. There is both a technical component as well as a social? component. It would be managing an outsourced group as well as some internal people (which I have never done). I would say that I am completely confident that I can learn the technical knowledge needed, but am more unsure about the management/client-facing aspects as I have never done it. I also REALLY hate sales, but it does not look like the position involves this. The position is basically two steps above where I am at in my career now. For comparison, I make ~$38k/year now. The job pays at least 60k and while the cost of living is much higher it should still make a significant difference in my disposable income (almost none at my current job).

So, since the job has responsibilities I am unfamiliar with it is hard to be sure how much I would like it.
 
Originally posted by: SarcasticDwarf
Originally posted by: K1052
Go see the recruiters and if they/you want to proceed wrangle the $250 it would cost them to send you to the interview out of their tight fists.
Click to expand...

$250? What world do you live in? The cheapest I could possibly get there is $350, plus hotel.

Edit: I should also note that the timing on this sucks. I will be there for a conference in six weeks, but of course they want it sooner. Of course if I GOT the job then I would save about $1k for lodging at the conference *sigh*
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I just glanced at Southwest out of Spokane to MDW earlier and they had some $99 fares. Not seeing them now though as lowest appears to be $320 all in, oh well. You should be able to Priceline a decent enough hotel here for $30-40.

If the phone interview goes well and they want to see you I'd at least ask if the recruiter will pick up the tab, if not I'd probably still take a gamble on the travel to the interview. Then again personally I'd probably be so desperate to get the hell out of Montana that I'd UPS myself to the godamned interview if that's what it took.
 
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