To tell or not to tell...my boss i have interviews

Savvy_Sue

an9i77 wrote: »

If it literally gets to the point where I am unable to get the time off, then I have decided I will tell him and offer to come in early/late that day - although we are under resourced it's not like we have to have a certain number in at any time, so long as the work gets done that day/week.

If you can make the time up, then that's the way I'd play it, NOT say why I was asking, just "Would you mind if I came in late / left early on Friday, I've got something I need to sort out."

I had to come in late at short notice the other day because I needed to see a man about a wall (a falling-down garden wall), and I may need to leave early one day next week because I need to read a medical report at my GP surgery. My boss doesn't need to know all the minutiae of my personal life, just that I've got something I need to sort out in work hours, I'm sorry about it, but I'll make the time up.

And then you'll have more paid leave available anyway ... rather than using it all up in odd days and half days for interviews.

Slinky wrote: »

Can't see how that would work without backfiring.

especially not if you're still there when the Olympics start ... plus employers are not REQUIRED to give time off for this or any other volunteering, once in a lifetime opportunity or not! In fact many employers are saying "no time off during the Olympics, end of".

an9i77

I'll try the leave early/start late due to personal reasons tack. As I've said, i'll do this for as long as I can get away with it, who knows maybe the interviews will dry up or the first stage ones next week not go well so I don't want to tell him anything and then be left in some awkward limbo land if it doesn't pan out. If I really get to the point where I have to either tell him or miss the interview, then I'll tell him rather than miss it, but I'll try everything else first.

By the way a lot of people have condoned lying to the boss in this situation. Usually on MSE when anyone mentions lying (on CV/to pull a sickie/etc) everyone jumps up and down saying how bad and immoral that is. Just strange how it is so acceptable in this situation but most of the time if you even think about lying at work everyone makes out like youre the spawn of satan or something.

londoner1998

an9i77 wrote: »

Does anyone on here have any experience of telling their boss they were going for interviews, and what happened?

I'm thinking that I will probably just try and get the time off without actually lying (I'd feel so bad, especially as he's given me lots of time off for a genuine medical problem) but if it gets to the point where I am prevented from taking time off when an interview is actually scheduled I will have to just bite the bullet and come clean (in an 'I didn't want you to find out but I've no option but to tell you' kind of conversation) .

Yes, I have. And I agree with Sambuca: don't tell your boss. Every time this has happened to me, I somehow managed with a variety of strategies: taking the day off, saying I had something to sort out at home so I would go in late/leave earlier, etc...
THe last time, in December, when I was being made redundant and finishing an internal transfer within the same company, they knew I was going for interviews, chats about prospective jobs, meetings, phone calls, etc... and that was all, theoretically part of the arrangement we agreed on and the redundancy package.
Well, straight away I started to be micro-managed in a way that was bordering stupid and they decided to pile more and more work on me. My line manager started to lay 'traps', ie not telling me she wanted x done and then reporting to the Head without talking to me, who would proceed to call me in to the office and threatened to escalate if I didn't show more 'enthusiasm'. It all ended up in a big mess, as I had to file a Grievance just two days before going off for Christmas.
I had the worst two weeks at work of my life and I know it is because they resented me having the flexibility to go and do my thing, even though I was entitled to it and they couldn't do anything about it. What they did instead is start to bully me and try to make me look bad.

So, I would advise caution, as more likely than not you will be looked at as under a microscope.

I wouldn't lie, try to re-arrange the interviews on the days off you have planned.

Sambucus_Nigra

an9i77 wrote: »

I'll try the leave early/start late due to personal reasons tack. As I've said, i'll do this for as long as I can get away with it, who knows maybe the interviews will dry up or the first stage ones next week not go well so I don't want to tell him anything and then be left in some awkward limbo land if it doesn't pan out..

:T:T:T

Finally.

jfh7gwa

an9i77 wrote: »

By the way a lot of people have condoned lying to the boss in this situation.

Well, others have suggested ways around having to outright lie.

The concensus is more to do with "don't tell them you're attending an interview" rather than "tell them you've got a GP appointment" or something. Subtle difference.

an9i77 wrote: »

Usually on MSE when anyone mentions lying (on CV/to pull a sickie/etc) everyone jumps up and down saying how bad and immoral that is.

That's because the pros vs cons are entirely different. Pros being that it might give you an edge in the candidate pool, cons being that you'd end up fired if you were found out (easily done sometimes).

an9i77 wrote: »

Just strange how it is so acceptable in this situation but most of the time if you even think about lying at work everyone makes out like youre the spawn of satan or something.

That's because the downsides of telling your boss you're attending interviews is so astoundingly obvious and tangible that 99% of people wouldn't volunteer the information as an employment strategy, even if they're beacons of honesty in all other aspects of life.

You really do have a lot to learn about the workplace - your employer is not your friend, this is a business relationship. Attending interviews is a business decision. Just like if they were thinking of making you redundant.

There's a difference between volunteering the information and weakening your own position significantly vs. telling them at an appropriately professional time (usually, just as you have to tell them, to kick in your notice period because you’ve had a confirmed job offer).

How can you fail to grasp this during navigating the modern workplace?

an9i77

jfh7gwa wrote: »

Well, others have suggested ways around having to outright lie.

The concensus is more to do with "don't tell them you're attending an interview" rather than "tell them you've got a GP appointment" or something. Subtle difference.



That's because the pros vs cons are entirely different. Pros being that it might give you an edge in the candidate pool, cons being that you'd end up fired if you were found out (easily done sometimes).



That's because the downsides of telling your boss you're attending interviews is so astoundingly obvious and tangible that 99% of people wouldn't volunteer the information as an employment strategy, even if they're beacons of honesty in all other aspects of life.

You really do have a lot to learn about the workplace - your employer is not your friend, this is a business relationship. Attending interviews is a business decision. Just like if they were thinking of making you redundant.

There's a difference between volunteering the information and weakening your own position significantly vs. telling them at an appropriately professional time (usually, just as you have to tell them, to kick in your notice period because you’ve had a confirmed job offer).

How can you fail to grasp this during navigating the modern workplace?

I don't know, but I don't really care for your tone, I came on to ask a question and there's no need to be so caustic in your reply. Thank you for your comments but if you can't reply without being impolite and using terms such as 'you really do have a lot to learn' 'how can you fail to grasp' etc I'd really rather you didn't.

Maybe you're the one with some things to learn.

Anyway I'm not replying any further on this thread, so if other people want to post on it then fine but I'm out of here.

MrSnuggles

an9i77 wrote: »

I don't know, but I don't really care for your tone, I came on to ask a question and there's no need to be so caustic in your reply. Thank you for your comments but if you can't reply without being impolite and using terms such as 'you really do have a lot to learn' 'how can you fail to grasp' etc I'd really rather you didn't.

Maybe you're the one with some things to learn.

Anyway I'm not replying any further on this thread, so if other people want to post on it then fine but I'm out of here.

Let us know when your employer deliberately gives you more work and stops you from attending any interview. It's your choice if you want to be nice and come clean, but it's your employer's duty to sack or stop you from leaving.

londoner1998

Having been on both sides of the fence, OP, what you need to remember is that, in spite of your honesty and good intentions, your company DOESN'T have to pay you to attend interviews with other companies in company time. In fact they SHOULDN'T.

OP
It is really important you consider this, because although an understandable line manager will (and probably should: if you are unhappy you will go anyway, sooner or later) let you go for interviews during working hours, they don't have to, and it sets a very dangerous precedent.

The comment about navigating the workplace might have come across to you as a bit harsh, but I totally agree that you have to be very pragmatic about this and consider it from the employer's point of view, eliminating any subjective elements with regards to 'what a good/understanding manager' should do. Be professional, be practical and cover your ar**.

I know you want to go, but you will have to wait to say so until you have a firm job offer. In the meantime, keep your head down and attract as little attention to yourself as humanly possible.

Northerness

Slinky wrote: »

Can't see how that would work without backfiring. Unless you know anybody who had actually gone along for volunteers interviews. Having said you're going to be interviewed, the boss is bound to ask some questions about where you went, how you got on, what sorts of things would you be doing etc etc. You'd have to be a very good liar to blag it successfully,

It's actually none of the bosses business, all they need to know is you want the day off as a holiday because you're applying to volunteer and going through the process (much better than lying about being ill and totting up a sick record, or asking for days off at last minute and the boss getting suspicious).

If they allow you to book off the time as holiday - you do not have to answer their questions. You are off work legitimately and are not breaking any rules. You're acting as if your boss has a right to know everything you do in your spare time - they don't! Like I say, I know MANY people volunteering at the Olympics who have full-time jobs, and I don't grill them about it and neither do their bosses. Most people aren't that nosy and in any case you just reply "it went fine" and change the subject!

an9i77

londoner1998 wrote: »

Having been on both sides of the fence, OP, what you need to remember is that, in spite of your honesty and good intentions, your company DOESN'T have to pay you to attend interviews with other companies in company time. In fact they SHOULDN'T.

OP
It is really important you consider this, because although an understandable line manager will (and probably should: if you are unhappy you will go anyway, sooner or later) let you go for interviews during working hours, they don't have to, and it sets a very dangerous precedent.

The comment about navigating the workplace might have come across to you as a bit harsh, but I totally agree that you have to be very pragmatic about this and consider it from the employer's point of view, eliminating any subjective elements with regards to 'what a good/understanding manager' should do. Be professional, be practical and cover your ar**.

I know you want to go, but you will have to wait to say so until you have a firm job offer. In the meantime, keep your head down and attract as little attention to yourself as humanly possible.

Thank you londoner, I can see where you are coming from - I don't have a problem with the advice (to not tell my boss) its just that a couple of posters were being a bit rude in the way they said it, whereas you on the other hand have said your piece without making any disparaging comments about me.

After reading everyone's advice, I think I will just ask for the time off as holiday, if that's refused I'll say personal appointment can I come in early/stay late to work the hours back - and if that fails well at that point i reconsider my options- maybe I'll come back and post on here in that eventuality, you don't all bite!

Although there's no guarantee of another job of course, the market is picking up in my field and I'm confident of at least a few interviews as I already have two confirmed and two where the recruitment agent has forwarded my CV -so whilst I don't want to count my chickens that could be a few interviews in the next few weeks esp if I get to second stage, but lets just hope the boss doesn't ask me to explain 'personal reasons', or I can get them out of hours or whatever.....