Job interview question

Obviously an effing stud.

 

We spent about $1,000 flying in a candidate. Before we did, we gauged their interest to be as high on us as we were on them. later,they turned us down. Our next candidate was a drive-in and we hired that person.we don't pay moving expenses, but we do pay the mileage for moving.
Not great, but not nothing, either.

on the same note, I'm not flying in anybody I'm not serious about hiring.

 

So you can feel my irritation when he bitches to me for all the "garbage work" he has to do.

 

It'd be a bit of a red flag that they're having you split costs on a job interview. Never had that experience, but I think some context might be in order in terms of the size of the paper you are dealing with. Under 100K? Under 50K?

 

It's a 15-20K paper in terms of circulation. I origianlly thought it was more, but I checked the circulation at one of the audit sites linked to SportsJournalists.com.

 

I agree that they should pay the cost to get you there, but a lot of papers that size wouldn't even consider a candidate from across the country because of the cost so at least they are open to hiring you. My first job out of school was about 1,100 miles away from where I was living, but my fiance was already living in the area. I fudged a little bit and put her address on my resume. They called thinking I was a local candidate, but were willing to bring me in when I explained the situation and that I was (sort of) splitting time between two places. They didn't pay for my plane ticket, but I was willing to do it since my parents helped me pay for it and it was an excuse to go visit my fiance again. I was young and scared that they would be mad that I didn't really live in their state full time so I didn't push it, but if I had it to do over again I'd try harder to get them to pay for it though.

 

Heh. I'm young and scared that if I don't take them up the offer of an interview, somehow I'll never get to the position of finalist for a job anywhere ever again. Which is completely illogical, but it's what panicking about getting a job will do to you.

 

It's not illogical in your situation. I remember my first job interview at a newspaper in Kansas. They put me up in a hotel, but didn't pick up any driving expenses and very few meals. They just ordered in Pizza a couple of times and expected me to stick around all day (interviewing about 12 hours each day) and watch their opperations. Even though the trip was horrible, I felt really bad turning them down (but it was a neccesary evil since I had a better offer). It's tough to turn down something that is either promising or a can't miss for an offer.

 

They paid for my trip, first-class meals, gave me a jersey with my name stitched on it and arranged for a couple of hookers to come to my hotel. I really wish I had gotten that job.

 

Here's the deal with the whole thing.

I once was asked to interview in Connecticut. I lived in Georgia. I said, "OK, how do I get there?"

First, they wanted me to pay my own way up. I told them no deal, then. Then it was we'll fly you up, but you're going to have to foot the hotel bill. No deal.

Finally, they agreed to the flight, the hotel, all food and a limo from LaGuardia to the paper and back. Offered me the job.

You just have to let them know that if they're really REALLY interested in you, they're going to have to show it or they're just going to have to trust a phone interview.

 

You went from nothing to a limo? Man, you friggen stud you.

 

I am assuming that the airfare is the biggest expense here. Get them to pay for that and as part of the split, you take care of hotel and car. You can control those factors by renting a compact car or using public transportation (if available) and/or staying at a cheap hotel outside of town or something like that. I can understand a smaller paper trying to be cheap and splitting costs with you. Explain your situation and if they won't pay for it all, at least see if they will pick up the airefare, or whatever the biggest expense is.