# Be Careful When Traveling For Interview...



## Roy T. (Mar 13, 2012)

It's pretty rough out there, having just got back from Australia - didn't realize what the corporate world in america had become.

I was recently asked by a pipeline engineering firm to travel to houston for an interview. They liked the fact I had recent programming experience and had an engineering background. They knew I was in Florida and ask me to "check flights" and wanted to arrange a meet the next day.

I did... and booked a flight for the next day... big mistake

I was told in Houston, in the interview, point blank that I would not be reimbursed for *any* of my travel expense. After a 2 hour interview - no lunch, no coffee. I was back on my way back home - $1100 poorer

I maned-up, did not say anything. Smiled, thanked them for their time and left.

Sure enough, despite all assurances to the contrary, there was no job.

I take full responsibility for that poor decision, big mistake.

Just don't make the same one. Assume nothing.


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## Peele1 (Mar 14, 2012)

Some reimburse, some don't. If you are concerned about getting reimbursed for travel expenses for an interview, ask. However, if they don't offer, most likely, they won't pay. My employer will pay for expenses if the search is considered to be "national", rather than "local".


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## csb (Mar 14, 2012)

What happened to this?



> 18 March 2011 - 10:54 PMHello All!
> 
> After a long and fruitless search for work (civil engineering) in the states, we packed up and moved to the land down under 3 months ago after having got our visa. (benbo, this is for you)
> 
> ...


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## Roy T. (Mar 14, 2012)

Personal reasons brought us back (Mom died and dad is very ill). Otherwise we would not have left Oz.

Happy?

It was because of Australia that dropping $1100 was not a killer. I still may return later this year. But in the mean time decided to see what was out there (recruiter in Texas contacted me - repeatedly - not the other way around).

And yes, anyone who has been to OZ can testify to the vastly higher salaries in OZ (across the board) than in the states.

The job market here hasn't improved much since I left. I feel very sad for America, not at all filled with pride. The Aussies are well aware of just how lousy things are over here, and believe me they lord it over us (But they still pay us huge money when over there).

As an american, it really is rather shameful. We are the world's charity case. A broke, third world state filled with billionaires and hamburger flippers. We are brazil.

The Aussies pity us.

How does that make you feel? I was embarassed, still am.

Ps. After 2 months at my first job, I was handed $5000 AUD in a money clip - was told as an american I would need it to get started in Australia. Think long and hard about that one. do you feel like singing "God bless america?"


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## engineergurl (Mar 14, 2012)

I don't think I like you very much Roy T.


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## treyjay (Mar 14, 2012)

well....they don't pity us so much that they don't want us staging our military there to protect them from China now do they?

maybe they thought they were just giving you back some of your tax dollars.

I am sure they love you there...or maybe they are thinking "hey...another American capitalist who pimps himself out for a buck"

for a guy who describes himself as "selfish" and who is all "about the money"...I bet you are a free-trader too.

I hope you get back there...fast.


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## The Car (Mar 15, 2012)

Roy T. said:


> The Aussies pity us.


Probably because they knew you were coming back here.

Udden, udden


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## csb (Mar 15, 2012)

Roy T. said:


> Personal reasons brought us back (Mom died and dad is very ill). Otherwise we would not have left Oz.
> 
> Happy?
> 
> ...


Wow. I just asked a legitimate question, since you left in such a flourish.


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## Master slacker (Mar 16, 2012)

Find that 5000 AUD quick and head your ass back when you can as you're obviously too good for us.


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## EnvEngineer (Mar 26, 2012)

I started my life and career overseas and it is interesting to see how things have changed. We traveled the world bring our engineering knowledge and many times had to import hardware, software and equipment to get the job done. It is hard for me to see how other countries have moved forward and we had slipped. I still remember most of the world as far behind us, now it seems they have passed us and moving faster into the future.

_*As an american, it really is rather shameful. We are the world's charity case. A broke, third world state filled with billionaires and hamburger flippers.*_

Sorry but after 30 years in engineering I have to agree.


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## cdcengineer (Mar 26, 2012)

I just had a friend and his family here visiting us from Australia for the past week +. We met him and his wife in Europe when my then girlfriend and I ski-bummed (is that a proper noun, verb or adverb?) there years ago.

Then we visited them and there young children there on our honeymoon 5 years ago. He works as an engineer at a power plant and appears to make a nice living. Their lifestyle reminds me of 1950's America with single income and reasonable standard of living. At the time the US dollar was still a bit higher, but I thought the cost of everything from coffee to beer was much higher than here in the states. The price of sporting goods are crazy high in Oz. The people are nice and the housing is cheaper, but I had no idea how they could do what they did in such an expensive place.

Anyway, they just visited us and our now 2+ year old and he is still doing well. He travels a lot for work, but their dollar is now right on par with ours. I assume he's doing well at work and with the dollar being a bit lower he said it was a good time to come. They are travelling for 5 weeks (awesome benefit of international workers).

What I don't understand is how the Oz economy can be as strong as it is considering they have very few natural resources compared to our country. The people don't seem to work nearly as hard which has to translate into productivity levels being lower than ours. It's a nice place to visit and the people are tops, but I can't imagine for a minute that the US will not rise above the current socialist agenda and wake the [email protected]#k up and get back to work. The only explanation is that we have too many parasites leaching off our welfare services.

I wouldn't trade this passport for any other. As for you not getting reimbursed, that is something you should've asked about in advance.


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## cdcengineer (Mar 26, 2012)

The Car said:


> Roy T. said:
> 
> 
> > The Aussies pity us.
> ...


What's Udden?


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## The Car (Mar 27, 2012)

EnvEngineer said:


> _*As an american, it really is rather shameful. We are the world's charity case. A broke, third world state filled with billionaires and hamburger flippers.*_


Well, then fetch me a double bacon cheeseburger. And step on it, burger boy; I've got fuel to burn and roads to drive.

Udden, udden


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## cdcengineer (Mar 27, 2012)

Still lost on the udden


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## Dexman PE PMP (Mar 27, 2012)

It's his thing.


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## Dleg (Mar 30, 2012)

Say it out loud, while pretending to pump the accelerator pedal.


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## engineergurl (Mar 30, 2012)

I want a double bacon cheeseburger now.


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## kevo_55 (Mar 30, 2012)

I suddenly feel the urge to build something with power tools.


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## knight1fox3 (Mar 30, 2012)

^^^ You should listen to him, he's pre-med.


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## Jayman_PE (Apr 2, 2012)

cdcengineer said:


> .... The only explanation is that we have too many parasites leaching off our welfare services.


There it is. I have been thinking some about that very topic recently and have decided that we need to create a new position in the government, probably county or even city level in some cases. We hire very experienced intelligent individuals (lot's of them looking for work) and we bring them in with the sole purpose of checking welfare fraud. Their yearly salary will be around $100,000/yr. If people need welfare (and don't get me wrong many people legitimately do) I guarantee you within 2 months, or less, the savings to the taxpayer would more than cover their salaries. The penalty for not actively looking for work for able bodies? No more paychecks from Uncle Sam.

Of course this probably makes too much sense.

Jason


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## R2KBA (Jun 12, 2012)

Meh, I make a pretty good living here in the U.S. Austrailia might be cool in some ways, but as I think about my legally-owned AR-15s, AK-47s, sound suppressors, semi-auto handguns, my concealed handgun licenses, etc I don't really get the urge to move there, considering they are all banned. Plus I do feel a bit more patriotic knowing my country protects my basic human rights of self defense and the right to defend my family when most other countries (including Austrailia) are extremely hostile towards those rights.

All this coupled with the exclusionary rule and unmatched due process rights makes the grass look much greener where I am standing. More money, hiking in the outback and a feeling of being "progressive" can't make up for all this.


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## Jayman_PE (Jun 17, 2012)

R2KBA said:


> Meh, I make a pretty good living here in the U.S. Austrailia might be cool in some ways, but as I think about my legally-owned AR-15s, AK-47s, sound suppressors, semi-auto handguns, my concealed handgun licenses, etc I don't really get the urge to move there, considering they are all banned. Plus I do feel a bit more patriotic knowing my country protects my basic human rights of self defense and the right to defend my family when most other countries (including Austrailia) are extremely hostile towards those rights.
> 
> All this coupled with the exclusionary rule and unmatched due process rights makes the grass look much greener where I am standing. More money, hiking in the outback and a feeling of being "progressive" can't make up for all this.


There it is.


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## CntrSnr2001 (Jun 18, 2012)

oh please...give me a break. they'd all be speaking Japanese if it weren't for us bailing their butts out of WW2.

*'MERICA!!!!* :unitedstates:


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## greauxpete (Dec 30, 2012)

The austrailian government has virtually no debt if I am not mistaken. That may be a factor in their economic strength.


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## NSEARCH (Jan 2, 2013)

"When the people find they can vote themselves money, that will herald the end of the republic" - attributed to Benjamin Franklin. 

We have achieved the tipping point where there are more people in American who choose to be supported by the government than those who choose to have a higher sense of personal responsibility and pride. America promised the pursuit of liberty. Emphasis is on “pursuit”. It requires hard work, and lots of it. 

Now the majority of Americans want instant, give me, entitlement, equality of outcome rather than equality of opportunity. There is no going back.


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