travelling to interviews
Discussion
dieseluser07 said:
Hi all,
Have you ever asked a prospective employer if they can change the interview location.
I have a stable job but have an opportunity for a job on more money and i think the interview is more of a formality but they asked me to go to an interview which would be a 5 hour round trip. So i asked for an alternative location as they operate around the uk. Is this unproffesional or reasonable?
By a 5 hour round trip, do you mean 2.5 hours each way? You really don't want the job, do you?! Some of us commute that!Have you ever asked a prospective employer if they can change the interview location.
I have a stable job but have an opportunity for a job on more money and i think the interview is more of a formality but they asked me to go to an interview which would be a 5 hour round trip. So i asked for an alternative location as they operate around the uk. Is this unproffesional or reasonable?
If you can't show any effort and commitment for an interview, what hope is there that you will be a flexible employee? Personally your CV would be "filed" if I were the recruiting manager.
That said, my boss is travelling 3 hours each way to interview someone who claims they cannot get time from their current role to come to London even though he could be met half way. I told my boss he was mad and should either make it a phone interview or not bother. I suspect my boss fancies a trip out for the day though...
I'm not an employer but if I were, I'd be thinking "Does he want the job?".
We have salespeople and account managers come and see us all the time from all over the country, we have folks trying to sell us stuff we don't want pretty much begging to come in to see us from all over the country and we're just an average SME - if these folks are doing it on a punt I don't see 5 hours round trip as a big deal for something which is potentially life changing.
Do you want the job or not?
We have salespeople and account managers come and see us all the time from all over the country, we have folks trying to sell us stuff we don't want pretty much begging to come in to see us from all over the country and we're just an average SME - if these folks are doing it on a punt I don't see 5 hours round trip as a big deal for something which is potentially life changing.
Do you want the job or not?
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hstewie said:
hstewie said: I'm not an employer but if I were, I'd be thinking "Does he want the job?".
We have salespeople and account managers come and see us all the time from all over the country, we have folks trying to sell us stuff we don't want pretty much begging to come in to see us from all over the country and we're just an average SME - if these folks are doing it on a punt I don't see 5 hours round trip as a big deal for something which is potentially life changing.
Do you want the job or not?
I do yes, kind of wish i had went to the interview now, they only told me a day before it was that far away. Dont know how to correct this situation now have probably screwed myself over.We have salespeople and account managers come and see us all the time from all over the country, we have folks trying to sell us stuff we don't want pretty much begging to come in to see us from all over the country and we're just an average SME - if these folks are doing it on a punt I don't see 5 hours round trip as a big deal for something which is potentially life changing.
Do you want the job or not?
I did it in 1989, and got the job. Wish I hadn't as it was a st job.
In my defense I was in my final year at University, had attended local milk round interview, which got me to their 2 day event, where I was interviewed by 5 different divisions, and invited for an interview and personality tests at one division, where they'd earmarked me for interview for a particular department.
Then that department was no longer in existence so they wanted another departmental manager to interview me.
I was already holding a couple of offers, and it was getting close to my finals, and I'd devoted 3 full days plus a half day, so I refused, suggesting to the nice HR woman that they perhaps compare notes.
I didn't have a phone in my student house, and the next time i was in class, I was given a note to go and see the department head, who had arranged with the guy that wanted to interview me, that he could use a quiet room in the library, as they were involved in a joint research project.
The guy and his assistant (the bloke who became my supervisor) arrived in the library 30 mins late, and I gave them a bking, explaining that I was not prepared to miss any lectures (To be fair I think the stress of wanting to pass, was greater than the need for another job offer), so they had just 45 mins.
They spent the next 45 mins lying to me about how great my career would be.
Years later I was told that my ballocking them for being late swung it heavily in my favour.
t job. In my defense I was in my final year at University, had attended local milk round interview, which got me to their 2 day event, where I was interviewed by 5 different divisions, and invited for an interview and personality tests at one division, where they'd earmarked me for interview for a particular department.
Then that department was no longer in existence so they wanted another departmental manager to interview me.
I was already holding a couple of offers, and it was getting close to my finals, and I'd devoted 3 full days plus a half day, so I refused, suggesting to the nice HR woman that they perhaps compare notes.
I didn't have a phone in my student house, and the next time i was in class, I was given a note to go and see the department head, who had arranged with the guy that wanted to interview me, that he could use a quiet room in the library, as they were involved in a joint research project.
The guy and his assistant (the bloke who became my supervisor) arrived in the library 30 mins late, and I gave them a b
king, explaining that I was not prepared to miss any lectures (To be fair I think the stress of wanting to pass, was greater than the need for another job offer), so they had just 45 mins. They spent the next 45 mins lying to me about how great my career would be.
Years later I was told that my ballocking them for being late swung it heavily in my favour.
If its of any use when I finished uni I spent about £1000 in train fares and the odd hotel with interviews. I sucked at some interviews, did well in others but lost out to candidates who had 1 tiny bit of work experience over myself or internal hires, but ended up with 3 job offers.
I wanted a job and recruiters don't mess about with stty grads which at the time was how I was getting sent to interviews. I basically learned to bend over and say 'here you go' in order to secure interviews because any shred of doubt and that's it.
Wouldn't be too picky if I were you....
I wanted a job and recruiters don't mess about with s
tty grads which at the time was how I was getting sent to interviews. I basically learned to bend over and say 'here you go' in order to secure interviews because any shred of doubt and that's it. Wouldn't be too picky if I were you....
Initiative at it's best. Why don't they send a limo for you?
I am a partner in a fairly small company and I am constantly amazed at the results we get when recruiting.
We are a seasonal business and need to respond accordingly. We pay good rates for what is fairly easy work. We get remarks like " The girlfriend doesn't like me working overtime"
Sometimes it is very obvious that they have no interest in the job but just need to tick the box that they have "applied"
Could go on but need to keep the blood pressure down!
I am a partner in a fairly small company and I am constantly amazed at the results we get when recruiting.
We are a seasonal business and need to respond accordingly. We pay good rates for what is fairly easy work. We get remarks like " The girlfriend doesn't like me working overtime"
Sometimes it is very obvious that they have no interest in the job but just need to tick the box that they have "applied"
Could go on but need to keep the blood pressure down!
Soov535 said:
Make a nice event of it. Find a nice pub with rooms, go up the night before, have a steak and a beer, get up early and be there fresh and on time after a good breakfast in a freshly pressed shirt.
This is an excellent approach. Not only is it a nice way to do it it's also a great conversation starter at the interview.Opening questions before you even get to interview room always contain 'did you get here alright?' and to answer with 'It was great, I came up last night and stayed at <the pub>' (as long as it isn't local strip joint) just so smacks of doing it right.
bhstewie said:
hstewie said: I'm not an employer but if I were, I'd be thinking "Does he want the job?".
We have salespeople and account managers come and see us all the time from all over the country, we have folks trying to sell us stuff we don't want pretty much begging to come in to see us from all over the country and we're just an average SME - if these folks are doing it on a punt I don't see 5 hours round trip as a big deal for something which is potentially life changing.
Do you want the job or not?
I do yes, kind of wish i had went to the interview now, they only told me a day before it was that far away. Dont know how to correct this situation now have probably screwed myself over.We have salespeople and account managers come and see us all the time from all over the country, we have folks trying to sell us stuff we don't want pretty much begging to come in to see us from all over the country and we're just an average SME - if these folks are doing it on a punt I don't see 5 hours round trip as a big deal for something which is potentially life changing.
Do you want the job or not?
bhstewie said:
hstewie said: I'm not an employer but if I were, I'd be thinking "Does he want the job?".
We have salespeople and account managers come and see us all the time from all over the country, we have folks trying to sell us stuff we don't want pretty much begging to come in to see us from all over the country and we're just an average SME - if these folks are doing it on a punt I don't see 5 hours round trip as a big deal for something which is potentially life changing.
Do you want the job or not?
Would those sales people and account managers do all that travel on the off chance if they werent getting paid mileage and car allowances? We have salespeople and account managers come and see us all the time from all over the country, we have folks trying to sell us stuff we don't want pretty much begging to come in to see us from all over the country and we're just an average SME - if these folks are doing it on a punt I don't see 5 hours round trip as a big deal for something which is potentially life changing.
Do you want the job or not?
andy-xr said:
Would those sales people and account managers do all that travel on the off chance if they werent getting paid mileage and car allowances?
Of course not, they do it because they get paid to do it and their employer does it as a cost of doing business with the reward of winning and retaining business.In this case the "cost of doing business" is some fuel and a bit of a long day with a reward of a better paying job that the OP seems to want.
I'm not really sure what you're getting at tbh, either landing the job is worth the trip or it isn't, personally I don't think 5 hours is a massive hardship if the job matters enough and I think it demonstrates to the potential employer that you're serious, YMMV of course.
bhstewie said:
hstewie said: Of course not, they do it because they get paid to do it and their employer does it as a cost of doing business with the reward of winning and retaining business.
In this case the "cost of doing business" is some fuel and a bit of a long day with a reward of a better paying job that the OP seems to want.
I'm not really sure what you're getting at tbh, either landing the job is worth the trip or it isn't, personally I don't think 5 hours is a massive hardship if the job matters enough and I think it demonstrates to the potential employer that you're serious, YMMV of course.
What I'm getting at is that as a candidate looking for work you've got to weigh up where your time, money and effort is best spent. A decent job that requires interviews at the other end of the country without being guaranteed an offer is a hard one to call. On the one hand you've got the 'gotta be in it to win it' and on the other you've got to consider whether taking that time off work, paid or unpaid, spending the £100 or so on fuel, without any guarantees you'll see anything back for it is worth it. In this case the "cost of doing business" is some fuel and a bit of a long day with a reward of a better paying job that the OP seems to want.
I'm not really sure what you're getting at tbh, either landing the job is worth the trip or it isn't, personally I don't think 5 hours is a massive hardship if the job matters enough and I think it demonstrates to the potential employer that you're serious, YMMV of course.
That's not so bad for a one off, but consider if you're not offered it. You're back to square one, you then need to do it all again. If someone's leaving a company they'll tend to do it over a month or so, and by the third time of spending time, money and effort you've got to wonder whether you're better off either staying where you are, looking for something more local or getting people to come to you/meet half way and really qualifying 'if I do this, will you make me an offer'
I think the mindset of running here, there and everywhere and funding it from your own pocket each time without guarantees you'll see anything back for it just runs up a petrol bill you've got to work double hard at your old job to claw back.
Edited by andy-xr on Thursday 9th April 09:56
andy-xr said:
I think the mindset of running here, there and everywhere and funding it from your own pocket each time without guarantees you'll see anything back for it just runs up a petrol bill you've got to work double hard at your old job to claw back.
Agree it's not something I'm advocating for "any old job interview" for all the reasons you mention - just got the impression the whole reason the OP posted was because he'd had a bit of a "Ooh fk why did I say that to them?!" moment so presumably did think it was a good potential job.andy-xr said:
I dont see why not, if they're travelling on company business they're entitled to the expenses. A candidate would generally be funding it from their own pocket. Unless like a poster above they're happy to throw £x00 at interviewing without any guarantees that they're going to get an offer, it's not reasonable to expect people to spend what can end up being quite a lot of their own money.
My last interview was a trip to Sweden, so that's travel to an airport, a plane ticket, a taxi at the other end, a hotel, a taxi back...easily £500+ and there's no way I'd take that on myself
Can I ask where you're based in the UK and where you're flying to in Sweden? I fly there every week pretty much and it costs nowhere near £500 including all additionals! My last interview was a trip to Sweden, so that's travel to an airport, a plane ticket, a taxi at the other end, a hotel, a taxi back...easily £500+ and there's no way I'd take that on myself
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