What is the impact of reimbursing job candidates for interview expenses?

Since launching Reimbi, we have focused on a specific type of reimbursement: job candidate reimbursements. On behalf of our customer (the hiring company), Reimbi pays out funds to candidates who have incurred expenses as part of the interview process.

Let’s pause there for a moment. Will companies reimburse a candidate for interview expenses? This is not a universal truth, but “yes” is the definite answer. Reimbi has issued over $1 million in reimbursements, and that number is growing rapidly quarter over quarter. Let’s go back to the companies that choose to reimburse. Every Reimbi customer and prospect that reaches out to us share a belief.

COMPANIES REIMBURSE JOB CANDIDATES BECAUSE DOING SO ATTRACTS MORE QUALIFIED CANDIDATES RESULTING IN BETTER HIRES.

The alternative to reimbursing is to not reimburse. It’s a binary decision. If a company chooses not to reimburse, it is deciding to limit its candidate pool. Your office may be in a thriving city where people are eager to move, or that has exceptional universities. That leads to an excellent candidate pool. However, even in cities like New York, Boston, London, or Tokyo, the odds that your best candidate lives in your town are small. If the office is in a smaller community, with all of the draws and benefits that come with that environment, it is nearly guaranteed that your best candidate is not local. That means to get your best candidates in for an interview; they will need to travel. (Side note on video interviewing: how many successful marriages come from a 100% video dating experience?)

A traveling candidate is taking time away from a job, school, family, and other parts of life. Not reimbursing candidates for their travel expenses only limits your candidate pool. It gives them a reason to turn down the interview. The goal is to reach and attract the best candidate for your company. Reimbi has issued reimbursements for a wide range of amounts, with $205 as the average reimbursement.

Is it worth saving $205 only to lose out on the candidate that will best fill a critical role in your company’s success?

Team Reimbi

Team Reimbi

Portland, Oregon