Attending job interviews

[geek84]

Hi Folks

I'm just curious to find out that if you already have a full time job but want to leave, what excuse would you give your present employer for taking time off to attend job interviews?

Would you day you have a doctors/dentist appointment, an appointment with the bank, book annual leave, or throw a sickie?

Thanks in advance for your responses.

[PHlL]

Personally would always take annual leave as it's your time.

Different for internal interviews, but anything external I'd take leave.

[craigjm]

Depends on what kind of line of work you are in, how senior you are and the size of company you are in really. I’ve already arranged stuff in my lunch break or start or end of the day unless they are very local and then I would just have an “offsite meeting” in my diary.

[mcg_]

Current job I went for a meetings after work.

If I remember rightly, my last job I took annual leave and said I had to take my misses somewhere or something

[GT03ROB]

If it needs a full day, then annual leave. Otherwise arrange for 1st thing & you have a doctors/dentist appointment

[Countdown]

geek84 said:

Hi Folks

I'm just curious to find out that if you already have a full time job but want to leave, what excuse would you give your present employer for taking time off to attend job interviews?

Would you day you have a doctors/dentist appointment, an appointment with the bank, book annual leave, or throw a sickie?

Thanks in advance for your responses.

When I used to work fixed hours it was always annual leave / TOIL.

Nowadays it depends on the likely length of the interview and how long I'm going to be away from my desk; If it's an all day affair then it will be Annual Leave, if less than half a day then I'd just make the time up during evenings/weekends.

Unless your boss is the owner of the firm and a total and utter slimeball then "throwing a sickie" seems a bit "Council" to me.

[prand]

I had a guy working for me who I knew was looking for another job (he had told me, and I didn't mind as he was useless and wanted to replace him). He had a couple of doctors appointments, a couple late starts or early finishes. he didn't take any formal days off for annual leave. When he resigned he had about 3 weeks A/L left over which he got paid for the cheeky git.

My preference for interviews is to do them first or last thing so I can still do as close to a full day of work and just slope a bit late or off early, or take a proper day's leave if it's a long session or a long way away. I'd never say I was going to the doctors as I'm generally honest and you never know how that could backfire. (Such as that lady policewoman in the news who just lost her tribunal against the Met police/IPCC. Although she sounds a total nightmare, a lot was made of her falsifying timesheets, which could be something as simple as saying you were off sick when you were off doing an interview).

[chunder27]

Depends on the situation

But I have recently, after a few years contracting, started simply telling employers that I am attending interviews.

That way, if you are decent at your job but have asked for more money, or wanted more tasks, they might think about allowing that or at least it alerts them to the fact you are looking elsewhere, and let's be honest if you are looking anyway, you can't be entirely happy.

I always think if you make excuses, you are shooting yourself in the foot, as most people can see through it.

[MitchT]

Typically I'd book a day off but my current employer can, at their discretion, refuse any leave that hasn't been booked with 28 days' notice, so that could make things difficult. In an ideal world prospective employers would interview on evenings where required.

[creampuff]

I'm guessing expensing to your current employer the travel to the job interview with someone else, would be totally taking the mick?

[Nickbrapp]

Took a sick day for my last one, a few others just said I was going to the dentist etc

[James2593]

chunder27 said:

Depends on the situation

But I have recently, after a few years contracting, started simply telling employers that I am attending interviews.

That way, if you are decent at your job but have asked for more money, or wanted more tasks, they might think about allowing that or at least it alerts them to the fact you are looking elsewhere, and let's be honest if you are looking anyway, you can't be entirely happy.

I always think if you make excuses, you are shooting yourself in the foot, as most people can see through it.

This tbh.

If you're unhappy enough to be actively applying for other jobs and are getting interviews then your current employer should be aware that you're looking to leave. Either so they can keep you happy so you stay, or so that they can review the operation as a whole as to the conditions of the employees and what is causing them to look elsewhere.

It may be different for people who are "high up" and are well known in their industry, have a 3 month notice and don't want to tread on anyone's toes, but for the vast majority, it shouldn't matter.

One of our managers has recently been telling most of the office what jobs he's applied for that week and no-one bats an eye lid. When a similar role pops up in our industry half our office applies and everyone talks about when/how/who has applied and who has got interviews. It's crazy but everyone job hops in the world of aviation ground handling.

[Purple845]

Book annual leave or ask if you can work slightly later or earlier in order to attend interviews at the very start or end of the day. But don’t tell your employer unless you’re confident they will try and keep you. I attended a few interviews in my last job and it was obvious what I was doing. I was then made redundant and I don’t think it helped they knew I was looking to leave during the selection process.

Just say you have an appointment as that can mean anything.

[geek84]

Thanks folks

[Bullett]

I work from home/organise my own time. So as long as I deliver what I need to, no one really cares.
The actually interview part is rarely more than an hour so I work remotely up to and after that time and fill in any time out of hours.

Let's be honest, you did the same normally to get where you work today so they can hardly complain.

I think several short noticed days or half days leave requests will flag up something to HR or anyone watching so either way you are taking a punt.

[davepoth]

If you can take leave for it, take leave IMO.

However, I know some workplaces require lots of notice of leave even if it's a couple of hours, so in that case I don't see how else you could do it without saying it was the dentist.

[SydneyBridge]

prand said:

I had a guy working for me who I knew was looking for another job (he had told me, and I didn't mind as he was useless and wanted to replace him). He had a couple of doctors appointments, a couple late starts or early finishes. he didn't take any formal days off for annual leave. When he resigned he had about 3 weeks A/L left over which he got paid for the cheeky git.

I bet you gave him a cracking reference

[LosingGrip]

I've got a interview next week. I've had to take two days off work due to the location and time it starts. Told work, it was fine and taken it as holiday. I think it helps my current job is at a supermarket, and they know that not many people want to just stay there for their whole working career.

[Algarve]

geek84 said:

Would you day you have a doctors/dentist appointment, an appointment with the bank, book annual leave, or throw a sickie?

A lot of industries involve people talking to each other. officially and over a pint on a friday after work.

Do you want to be found out by either side? A sickie to go on a job interview could easily cost you your current job.

Maybe other employers won't care but if I found out someone pulled a sickie to come to an interview at my place, I'd bin your application immediately. You've just shown me you're dishonest and will abuse sick leave when it suits you... why would I want you at that point?

Take a day off and then lie if directly questioned. At that point its not actually my business what you're doing elsewhere, you don't owe me the truth if it doesn't suit you. Or get the interview scheduled for an evening, or lunch if you can make that work.

[Chainsaw Rebuild]

Algarve said:

geek84 said:

Would you day you have a doctors/dentist appointment, an appointment with the bank, book annual leave, or throw a sickie?

A lot of industries involve people talking to each other. officially and over a pint on a friday after work.

Do you want to be found out by either side? A sickie to go on a job interview could easily cost you your current job.

Maybe other employers won't care but if I found out someone pulled a sickie to come to an interview at my place, I'd bin your application immediately. You've just shown me you're dishonest and will abuse sick leave when it suits you... why would I want you at that point?

Take a day off and then lie if directly questioned. At that point its not actually my business what you're doing elsewhere, you don't owe me the truth if it doesn't suit you. Or get the interview scheduled for an evening, or lunch if you can make that work.

That makes sense.Though on the other hand if you work somewhere where they require a lot of notice for leave or can revoke leave that isn't booked 28 days in advance you are short on options. Imagine I offer you an interview for this Friday for a much better job and you know your boss wont give you leave; what can you do but have a dentist appointment or a sudden illness? Its not idea though!