Posted by
negev
18 yrs ago
hi! i've been called in for an interview to singapore (i am based in hong kong)...
the employer apparently has a policy of not paying airafre or hotel expenses for interviewees who fly in from overseas...
we aren't talking about a huge amount of money here, but it's just the principle of the thing...
the organisation does seem quite appealing from the outside, but i really wonder about a place where they arent willing to fork out a couple of thousand bucks to find the right person...
and they are the sort of organisation that really isn't short of money for this sort of thing...
what do you reckon?
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sk76
18 yrs ago
Personally, I wouldn't spend my own money flying to an interview. If they think you are good enough to be short-listed then you are worth them spending the airfare.
I would expect the organisation to cough up!
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I would not invest the money in the airline ticket either
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I wouldn't be inclined to pay myself either. If they are not willing to pay to fly you to Singapore, then they should be willing to interview you via video conference. When I have interviewed for jobs outside of where I was based (although was further than from HK to Singapore) I was interviewed by video conference and offered the jobs based on video conference interviews alone.
I could perhaps be tempted to pay if it was down to the last 2 people (ie: a final interview) or perhaps for my own cross checking once I had been offered the job (to meet the team and make sure that I am happy to make the move etc).
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Devon
18 yrs ago
Did you apply or were you headhunted? I guess if you applied for the job intiially then perhaps you should pay, but if they contacted you intitally, then they should definitely pay.
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if it is going to mean that this would be a lucrative deal and high paying job with all the perks- then i would go pay the ticket
but on the other hand, this also would sends me me flashing signals as to the kind of company that i would be working for.
also they could be looking for someone on local hire terms rather than expat terms.
i don't think its the first case, so i would be wary about paying for the ticket too
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I think it also depends on the stage of the interview process. Do you really want to be paying for the airfares and accommodation if you are one of 20 people being interviewed and then may need to come back to Singapore if you get a 2nd or 3rd interview?
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In Asia, there are tons of experienced applicants for a job posting, so it has become an employers' market.
Most of the global or established companies will provide airticket, 1 night hotel accomodation (if there's no return flight within the same day) for senior management/key professional position when the applicants are called for a final interview. Prior to that there is >1 hr's phone/video conference calls' interviews.
Any other position, then will be at applicant's expense.
For newly startup companies who are in desperate need for experienced employees and they think that you are the person, then after video/phone call interviews, they may bear all the travelling cost, even for jobs other than senior management posts.
2 questions for you to think and make a decision on whether to pay the travelling expenses.
Did you have a conference/video call for initial interview? How long was the call?
Usually, the company don't even book the airticket for you, so this will be reimbursed later.
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SSAVC
18 yrs ago
In short, speaking from my own experience as an employee and ongoing as an employer, the cost should be borne by the hirer. I think you need to question what kind of company this is, and what it says about their philosophy and culture. Sounds like it sends warning signals to me. It also seems like it sends warning signals about what they would do to you on the actual move itself.
Phone calls and video conference are a great way of progressing through the process, and I have personally just hired someone with a final videoconference interview, as I did not have the budget for travel at this time of year.
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negev
18 yrs ago
great advice everyone... and certainly a lot to think about...
thanks so much for taking time out for this!...
i have told the headhunter who is dealing with this opportunity that this is a concern... however, he hasn't confirmed whether or not this has been appropriately taken up with the employer... when we talked about this the headhunter pretty much dithered about saying what a great opportunity this is and so on and so forth, without really addressing the issue...
regardless, i reckon the employer should have though of this, and taken care of things while making arrangements for the interview appointments...
all the wrong signals when it matters most...
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Hmm.
Headhunters usually have no say in the terms for interviews. Their job is to identify potential candidates. I'm suprised that the headhunter did not arrange for a first interview (phone) with potential employer.
Did headhunter inform you who is the hiring company?
Even for the Fortune 500 companies, most have practiced what I had outlined earlier.
My thought. Ask for a phone interview first, rather than face-face which can come later. Who knows, company's guidelines can be waived if they are keen to have you in their final interview.
Good Luck.
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yinhk
18 yrs ago
I speak from the perspective of an employer. There is no hard and fast rule. I have sometimes paid for candidates' travel and other times not. In some cases where I have paid for travel, I have had the candidate turn the offer down. At other times, I ask the candidate to pay first and be reimbursed upon employment. This has also worked well.
Other times, I make sure that the candidate is the final candidate, via phone calls and VC's. If they are the final candidate (and I tell them so), then I will probably pay for travel.
The principle is not so much the money, but ensuring that there is genuine commitment by the candidate to the process.
My 2 cents worth
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cd
18 yrs ago
My husband had to pay his way for an interview here a few years back, and that was for a 'major airline'.
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