Travel Expenses for Interviews
Question for the forum. Is it standard practice for a firm to expect the candidate to pay for travel expenses associated with in person interviews? I have had a couple first round interviews for both Summer Associate and permanent roles where this was the expectation. It was my understanding that if you passed the initial phone screening, firms would fly you in for the in person interviews. I have read some articles that suggest my thoughts are correct.
The poor, ramen-noodle eating graduate student in me is starting to worry about not being able to fund future interviewing expenses. Is this standard practice, or should I push back or be put off by companies expecting me to foot these travel expenses?
Thanks for the insight!
You're a first-year grad student, right? For the roles you're looking at (internships, analyst or associate roles), I don't think I've ever heard of firms covering expenses. I would try to schedule multiple informationals/interviews over the same couple of days if you have to make a trip out of it to better stretch your limited funds, but I would avoid inquiring about expense reimbursements unless the firm specifically brings it up.
This is purely anecdotal, but the above has been my experience (I was where you're at a year ago).
I've had both. One firm paid for all my expenses to fly out and interview, another didn't pay for my amtrak. I think if they are a big shop they should usually pay, its immaterial to them
I have never had a company not pay for this. They should be on the hook for everything from parking, to airfare, to taxi fares if it's for an interview. It doesn't matter if you're an intern or managing director.
Yeah, first year grad student, looking at Analyst, Associate and Summer Associate roles. In my past I have never had to pay for travel expenses, so this caught me off guard. Good tip on trying to cluster other interviews/informal informational coffees around the formal company meeting.
Call me crazy, I just think it is a tad arrogant of the firm to assume the candidate should fund travel costs. Both of the companies that have required that I do this as major shops. The alternative is to do phone or Skype interviews which I feel would disadvantage me from other candidates who interview in person.
If this is market, than it is what it is. I just wanted to get some prospective.
Every company I've interviewed with has covered costs. One company was even generous enough to give a $250 debit card on top of expenses as "compensation for my time". If they don't cover basic travel reimbursement, it's a good warning sign.
I completely agree with author of this comment. Have the same experience. Sometimes I had to ask myself whether company will cover costs, but such situations happened 1-2 times, in small companies. But mostly, in big companies, they did it automatically.
Every reputable company will pay for all your expenses. If you're flying out to a boutique with 5 people and no HR staff they might not, but I wouldn't worry too much about it.
One thing to note though is that it generally takes even the larger firms a month to multiple to get you the reimbursement, so don't budget on having that money for awhile.
This was my thought, but one of the firms I interviewed with is a very reputable REPE firm, another is a smaller, mid-market firm. Granted, I am at the genesis of my search, but two firms have expected that I fund travel expenses. I wasn't sure if there had been a phase shift in the market that dictated the change.
Both of these companies are big enough to where the name would be great on the resume, so it is shocking they don't fund candidate travel.
Should I be worried about this? I greatly dislike the idea of having to interview via phone or Skype but don't exactly have unlimited funds to toss towards interviewing costs.
I've never not had my travel expenses covered, but could it be that you are competing against local candidates so they don't feel the need to bring you in.
However, you are talking final rounds/super days, not just 2nd rounds, right? One company I interviewed with did phone, phone, VC at a local office, and then flew me in before making me an offer (HR originally said the local/VC was last round, but the MD wanted to meet me face to face).
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