Interview expenses – can this be right?

12p per mile for driving? Seems very stingy even for a public sector type organisation. Wouldn’t mind so much but was a 750 mile round trip so I’m about £80 out of pocket on fuel alone.

Train would have meant an extra day ( and night ) and was nearly 300 for an open return.

Worth querying there ever so helpful hr dept ; ) or should I suck it up and be glad I didn’t get the job?

Your lucky to get any expenses for an interview. Stop complaining.

I’ve never had expenses for an interview.

I’ve never understood why people expect expenses for the opportunity of getting a job. Unless trying to woo an international candidate with a weekend stay etc I’ve never volunteered our policy. Paid when asked, yes, but not offered.

Public sector paying interview mileage is amazing, my mileage rates mean I am effictivley paying to do my job.

winston_dog – Member

Your lucky to get any expenses for an interview. Stop complaining.

^^^ This.

🙄

I think it is quite standard to get interview expenses when travelling a long distance, and usually at the hrmc recommended rates. As you already haven’t got the job I would query it.

It’s a test – part of the interview process. Your response may mean success or failure. Good luck!

Contrary to the above posters, I’ve never _not_ got expenses for attending an interview (well, once was just a bus fare so I didn’t ask for that).

They need an employee as much as I need a job, it’s a (small) part of their recruitment expense. If they’ll not spend that, don’t bode well as an employer?

Yep should be standard practice : interview a week before with a charity paid at 35p per mile covering petrol and a wee bit of wear and tear.

As for wooing an international candidate the job was in Scotland does that count?

Cheers for your responses folks : )

Leaving aside should you expect expenses for an interview (getting anything is a bonus IMHO)

The rate is most likely based on HMRC rates (albeit based on those for a company car). HMRC allows (or allowed IIRC) 45p for a private car used for business purposes

HTH

Was there catering on site? 😉

I haven’t been for a ‘proper’ interview in many many years — but to be honest if I was travelling for any distance / incurring expenses I’d appreciate the interviewing company to offer. If you’re already in employment, you’ll have taken a day (or more) of holiday time as it is.

On leaving university it was pretty common practice to get expenses, and I think for another round of interviews I had 25 years ago it was the same.

The responses above as regard ‘lucky to get expenses’ I find quite surprising to be honest. Given my current location any interview would involve quite an expense no matter where the job was..

As I understand it it’s not business as your applying for the job so you get public transport rate.

Welcome to the public sector.

I have never heard of or received interview expenses. I’ve also conducted plenty of interviews and never once been asked about expenses; do I live on some other planet or is it that all my work & interview experience have been private sector?

The one job interview I went to, I was paid for the train ticket and hotel accommodation too. That was IBM.

Expenses??? 😯

I count myself lucky to get a response.

I’d not pay someone to come for an interview at my firm.

I’d take what they are offering and don’t make a deal out of it – if you do start to make a fuss how do you think that would affect your chances of getting the job?

One day public sector in this country is going to have to stop wasting money and all those workers who have become accustomed to getting away with it and being ‘entitled’ to everything under the sun are going to be in for a shock.

One day public sector in this country is going to have to stop wasting money and all those workers who have become accustomed to getting away with it and being ‘entitled’ to everything under the sun are going to be in for a shock.

YAWN

My last employer paid 15p a mile to attend the interview.

Never been paid expenses to attend an interview. Never worked at a company that would either. Have worked public and private sector.

I have an interview on Tuesday and the “work for us” page on their website where all the job postings are found quite clearly states that they don’t pay expenses. Doesn’t bother me in the slightest.

In my experience interview expenses are quite normal, including overnight accommodation. Remember, they are trying to attract the best candidates, and expect to pay to meet them. This is only a fraction of the fees paid to the recruitment agencies they use!

given you didn’t get the job, Id ask for full compensation….you’ve got nothing to lose
Sorry and good luck!

Been paid interview expenses everywhere I’ve been, mileage is normally at around 20p/mile. I’d only expect it to cover fuel not wear & tear.

I have always had interview travelling expenses paid (by large law firms), except on the one occasion when I came to the interview on the bus (which they felt was beneath them). I had not got two beans to rub together at that point. 🙂

Haha snap big dummy except it was an il company in aberdeen and i told them i arrived by bicycle- she looked down at her form and looked surprised and said – ” we have here your address as arbroath” (55 miles away and id moved to aberdeen since i applied)

Couple years later she let slip – well that certainly got you remembered when it came to selection ( it was for graduate positions)

One day public sector in this country is going to have to stop wasting money and all those workers who have become accustomed to getting away with it and being ‘entitled’ to everything under the sun are going to be in for a shock.

Oooh can I have one of those jobs while they are still going? Just point me in the right direction please glasgowdan,

I’ve always had my expenses paid too if it involved travelling outside home town.

Good luck getting candidates from the other end of the country or abroad Glasgowdan.

I can’t believe I’d ever say this, but Drac has posted the right response.

If you are PS, going for a job within the PS, it is classed as concessional, not official. The lower rate then applies, which is 25p or public transport rates.

However, if you are not PS already, I’d join the “suck it up buttercup” crew and be grateful you’re getting paid anything.

12p sounds a bit random though.

I have an interview on Tuesday and the “work for us” page on their website where all the job postings are found quite clearly states that they don’t pay expenses. Doesn’t bother me in the slightest.

Good for you, we need more like you !

Years ago had an interview in Aberdeen, flight tickets all arranged by them in advance. Didn’t get it 🙁

I’d not pay someone to come for an interview at my firm.

I’d expect to be reimbursed for my expenses for an interview. In fact I always ask during the interview if the interviewer is not forthcoming about it.

It wouldn’t be a deal breaker, but it would certinally put me off as the type of job I do requires international travel for extended periods, and the subsquent large expense claims, and if they won’t pay the reasonable expense of my interview, what else won’t they pay for??

We (public sector) no longer pay interview expenses. And about time too. An individual finds vacancy, knows where it is, applies, is lucky enough to get an interview and they should be prepared to travel for it.
We’re looking after public money. And for the comments above about getting it all, wasting money etc etc – clearly never worked in the public sector and don’t appreciate the hammer it is currently under.

Spud I know many people in public sector and the stories shock me. People spending time chatting away to all including management about everything BUT work, extended lunch breaks, skype chats with colleagues on holidays during work time, management approving unreasonable requests for paid time off including staff who don’t even call to say they’re having a sick day, random ‘bonus’ payments from a past era that haven’t been sorted out… one ongoing cost saving exercise has ran to £10M WITHIN ONE ORGANISATION! And it is only part way through. Staff claiming ancient overtime rates that should have been changed years ago but have been let slip. Free Occup Health visits to help with personal problems that they don’t even bother to attend.

I haven’t worked in public sector for a while, which is perhaps why I have a more realistic grip on how to run an efficient organisation.

This hammer that you’re suffering under hasn’t even brought you close to the way an efficient private company runs. Be prepared for more ‘pain’!

So interview expenses are something that is easy to cut, won’t annoy employees, but is so insubstansial in the face of things that’s it’s just pissing into the wind. Yup, sounds like the public sector 😉

I’ve never understood why people expect expenses for the opportunity of getting a job.

I think them having to pay reasonable expenses may focus their attention on finding the best candidates rather than padding out the sift with numpties to make their preferred (internal) candidate look adequate. If they won’t pay reasonable expenses maybe you’re not a plausible candidate?

Oh, and

This hammer that you’re suffering under hasn’t even brought you close to the way an efficient private company runs. Be prepared for more ‘pain’!

– can’t say I’ve ever come across any large private company which is any better than the Public Sector, but I’ve really only had experience in Aerospace, Defence and IT. Maybe the teeny wee ones are great.

Welcome to the public sector.

12p a mile is pretty standard in the private sector – or it was until very recently*

Anyway, just view it as 12p a mile towards your expenses.

*based on working for large Pharmaceutical companies for the last 15 years

padding out the sift with numpties to make their preferred (internal) candidate look adequate

I can honestly say I’ve never once done this is any of the hundreds of vacancies I’ve recruited for, I’ve little enough time for interviewing as it is. Doubt any of my colleagues have either. Everywhere I’ve worked has had a rigorous process for identifying and offering suitable internal candidates before even looking externally.

In general of you think you’re a top quality candidate, in short supply and would be doing a favour by interviewing for a company then ask for expenses. Otherwise be aware that there are almost always plenty of other candidates just as good as you who won’t quibble over a few quid.

It’s also worth noting that those with a genuine need for expenses, i.e. those on jobseeker’s allowance, can claim at the cost of the taxpayer.