Pre-contract expenses

[Contreras]

If they are willing to pay your travel expenses then they are either (a) really, really keen to see you because they want you; or (b) really, really keen to see you because they want a day of free consultancy.

More often than not, I'd suggest it's the latter.

Definitely wasn't b). Could've been a) possibly. But the hiring manager turned out to be an clueless and deluded control freak intent on destroying the company, IMHO. Their only software dev. was leaving, and given the manager's attitude I don't blame him. As far as I could see the unprompted offer to pay travel expenses in this instance was part of his ego trip.

I agree with your reasoning though, and yeah maybe I missed a trick. Perhaps in future if offered travel expenses then it would be worth trying to negotiate say a half day consultancy fee instead.

[The Spartan]

Done a couple of searches but I'm probably using the wrong terms.

Had an interview a while back for a post that was a bit last minute. It's a long way from where I live.
So I took a holiday, booked a cheap room and drove down for a 30 minute interview.

Now I'm being asked to go back down for an additional test.
Am I being naive by asking the agency if there is any room for recompense for the travel?
I've already accepted that it's another of my holidays wasted (I'm currently a permie)

It's part and parcel of being a contractor so it's soemthing you'll need to get used to if you're going to set out on your own. Case in point I came back from Switzerland at the end of May and decided to take a month off during that time I've attended two interviews. The first one involved a 340 mile round trip and this was after I had, had a telephone interview. I landed the role but all contracts have been frozen so I'm waiting to hear back when/if they want me to start. The second was only a 140 mile round trip subsequently after a bit of deliberation they decided to pull the role completely. Sometimes that's just the way the cookie crumbles