Corporate Travel [corporate travel policy discussion at interview?]
May 31, 2019, 10:23 am
#31
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: London
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 1,346
I own a small company and would not think you were a - what did you call it - plonker - for bringing it up. In fact, I would fully expect you to ask about travel policy and expectations. If you were to ask that question from our HR people they would look at you with a blank stare and ask why you didn't cover that already in your earlier interviews. HR's job is to enforce the rules for everyone per stated policy. You'll get traction from the people who are actually going to hire and supervise you. If the person was someone that I really wanted and felt they could add a lot to the company, I would not let the travel policy get in the way.
Plonker. I am going to use that all the time now.
Plonker. I am going to use that all the time now.
In relation to the topic, it's perfectly reasonable to ask what the policy is in the interview, less reasonable to start negotiating it and telling them why you deserve better before they've offered you the job.
May 31, 2019, 11:28 am
#32
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: UA US CO AA DL FL
Posts: 50,262
Having worked in Procurement and had some exposure of running the travel policy I must admit I am more a little cynical with the "working on flights" approach. Often I hear "preparing for a presentation" well if I was your boss I'd hope you were better prepared.
Defo ask what the policy is but I wouldn't push it in the early stages of the process.
Defo ask what the policy is but I wouldn't push it in the early stages of the process.
May 31, 2019, 2:02 pm
#33
Join Date: May 2018
Programs: BAEC Silver
Posts: 219
Cost is the reason! Margins are tight and we either cut cost from somewhere, or someone will do it for us (usually by cutting head count).
May 31, 2019, 4:31 pm
#34
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Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: New York, NY
Posts: 557
Thinking of switching jobs, and there is one on the horizon with potentially a lot of travel. Business is engineering/pharmaceutical consultancy. How do I bring up the class of travel without sounding like a plonker? potentially a lot of travel to US and SEA from IE. Sounds to me like they might be a Y or W only type of crowd. I'd be okay with W, not sure about Y. Also, they probably would let me book the travel myself (full flex fares seem standard now), so push comes to shove, I would be getting decent avios/TPs
How do you bring up the travel policy?
How do you bring up the travel policy?
I don't believe in the "I will be more productive" approach as they probably are of the mind that their current employees are productive despite flying Y, so essentially "You'll find out it's not as bad as you think. Our team has never had a problem."
Jun 1, 2019, 2:05 pm
#36
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: SJC/SFO
Programs: WN A+ CP, UA 1MM/*A Gold, Mar LT Tit, IHG Plat, HH Dia
Posts: 6,284
If you have interviews with prospective peers who travel, ask them casually. Perhaps start with a general question such as, "What's a typical workweek like?" That can be the starting point for all manner of insightful conversations, not just about travel. Then gently steer the topic toward travel. How often do you actually travel? For how long? What class of airfare and what class of hotel are used? How quickly is reimbursement paid? Note that the answers you hear from prospective peers may show a different truth than what is stated formally in the job description or travel policy, especially with a smaller organization.
