How do you get to interviews when you work?

20aday

CupOfChai wrote: »

Sorry to bump an oldish thread, but this is driving me mad lately. I've already had to miss out on one interview quite recently because I requested the day as leave and it was declined, and now it's happened again!

I'm going to try my best to plead for this day off, because it's a job I'm extremely keen on and I feel like I just can't miss this chance, especially when I've already had to miss out on the chance of one job. The employer can't do another day at all. I'll be so gutted if they don't let me have it so I can't at least have the chance of an interview.

I don't want to fake sick days to go for interviews, I wouldn't ever usually throw a sickie and I'd much rather legitimately book the time out of my annual leave, but it seems like it's going to be quite difficult to get the leave. It would be stupid to go off sick for this time anyway since I already requested the day off. I just hate that I'm missing out on chances at jobs because of not being allowed to take a leave day, and that potential employers and recruiters might be thinking I'm not really bothered or that I'm being inflexible, when really I'm making every effort I can to go and really want to.

Sorry, needed to have a rant

Nothing wrong with having a rant. And I hear where you are coming from!

In my (personal) experience I've applied for a Talent Pool day with a train company and I've contacted them twice to see if I've been successful in attending it as I need to book the day off work (and it doesn't go down well with my present employers when I ask for a day off, let alone at the weekend!)

I, like you, hate missing out. We're trying to make something of ourselves and go places!

GlasweJen

Unfortunately it's a loss lose situation. In my work we need to give 6 weeks notice for a day off and it's entirely at one managers discretion if you get it, even if it's something like your dress and make up trial for your sisters wedding where you're innthe wedding party and every other suitable weekend has been taken and no one else has this date off yet.

You lose if you ask in advance because if they say no then you can't exactly phone in sick. If you don't go then you don't get job and you're obviously looking for a new job for a reason.

[Deleted User]

I hear you, you maybe right in thinking, show absolutely no loyalty is what I've learnt (it's my biggest problem right now)

The interview last week wasn't that thrilled when I asked for day after they offered, I think I could hear it in their voice but I so genuinely wanted the chance to book it off as unpaid in my mind, really I feel it went against, on the brighter side it ended up probably best I didn't get it when I think who is on holiday right now! (wouldn't have been easy especially as day after everyone was really nice and throwing compliments around that I was on tenderhooks anyway)

This will make anyone chuckle, I had another interview lined up for this week, on calling up to cancel and plead my case, they only said didn't you get our message the interviewer is sick !!! shot myself right there? anyway they re-scheduled for like the third time as I await confirmation

I really don't know if one should go sick anymore, where I am currently has a relaxed culture about it ^^ even but still it feels wrong, but can't help think it is costing me jobs now :cool: this seen as loyalty problem

20aday

GlasweJen wrote: »

Unfortunately it's a loss lose situation. In my work we need to give 6 weeks notice for a day off and it's entirely at one managers discretion if you get it, even if it's something like your dress and make up trial for your sisters wedding where you're innthe wedding party and every other suitable weekend has been taken and no one else has this date off yet.

You lose if you ask in advance because if they say no then you can't exactly phone in sick. If you don't go then you don't get job and you're obviously looking for a new job for a reason.

BIB: I couldn't have worded it better myself. My current employer requests we give a month's notice in booking time off work.

I suppose I should've done it a few weeks ago but I didn't want to use my day off in lieu for working Easter Monday on a Saturday off I wasn't successful with the train company.

I'm really eager to get a job with them because I know I'd excel in the role. I love travelling and meeting new people... and I'd be able to work my way up the ladder within the company.

20aday

Deleted%20User wrote: »

I hear you, you maybe right in thinking, show absolutely no loyalty is what I've learnt (it's my biggest problem right now)

The interview last week wasn't that thrilled when I asked for day after they offered, I think I could hear it in their voice but I so genuinely wanted the chance to book it off as unpaid in my mind, really I feel it went against, on the brighter side it ended up probably best I didn't get it when I think who is on holiday right now! (wouldn't have been easy especially as day after everyone was really nice and throwing compliments around that I was on tenderhooks anyway)

This will make anyone chuckle, I had another interview lined up for this week, on calling up to cancel and plead my case, they only said didn't you get our message the interviewer is sick !!! shot myself right there? anyway they re-scheduled for like the third time as I await confirmation

I really don't know if one should go sick anymore, where I am currently has a relaxed culture about it ^^ even but still it feels wrong, but can't help think it is costing me jobs now :cool: this seen as loyalty problem

I know what you are saying. When it's going good at work you feel disloyal in applying for interviews elsewhere... It's the times it doesn't you wish you'd been more forthright and taken the bull by the horns!

SandraGenJobs

Actually this is the best way to deal with this issue. Sometimes you just have to pick between these two, and I think your comment explains very well on how to manage that with the least ''consequences''.

DKLS

I have had to pull out of 3 interviews this year due to inflexibility of the interviewers, despite informing them of when I can interview those 3 came up with dates and times I couldnt make, thankfully some employers are more flexible with times and sometimes locations, I have been interviewed in service station cafes and restaurants in the past.

makeyourdaddyproud

GlasweJen wrote: »

Unfortunately it's a loss lose situation. In my work we need to give 6 weeks notice for a day off and it's entirely at one managers discretion if you get it, even if it's something like your dress and make up trial for your sisters wedding where you're innthe wedding party and every other suitable weekend has been taken and no one else has this date off yet.

You lose if you ask in advance because if they say no then you can't exactly phone in sick. If you don't go then you don't get job and you're obviously looking for a new job for a reason.

Given the above testimonial about your current employer, you would be hard pressed to do anything recreational let alone job hunting. You have to question whether this employer is worth staying with regardless.

I sympathise: you can't know if you will be successful, but with the cost of a black mark against your employee record (wouldn't matter to me given the straightjacket approach to time off) it might seem not worth the risk.

Or is it?

If you threw a sickie you will still be gainfully employed and the infraction might me spent in a certain amount of time. Thing is, you're evidently not happy with your emp as you are looking elsewhere, so why bust a gut over them?

What I would be concerned about is being questioned about the absence at interview, like an earlier poster postulated.

[Deleted User]

20aday wrote: »

I know what you are saying. When it's going good at work you feel disloyal in applying for interviews elsewhere... It's the times it doesn't you wish you'd been more forthright and taken the bull by the horns!

Yeah that's it, well I've never been of sick to attend an interview (though I am beginning to understand why peeps do it) and at one such recent I did get asked about absence record felt great saying zero though I'm yet to hear back from that joyous one! so it is swings and round-abouts, can't imagine how I'd have felt answering that if indeed there was a sickie pulled

It's isn't going good where I am and I am just ruining the CV in a role I'd never have interviewed for which employers simply don't get, you know when you land up regret picking up the phone! still I am fortunate in that a colleague every so often manages to drag a convo out of me in front of everyone so it's really not like they don't know, on a sore matter I had to hear my reason for unsuccessfulness through them as well for another role ouch in a bill nighty way alright!

spokeneasy

I would always advise that I have a doctors appointment or dentist appointment and make up for loss hours within lunch break or overtime due to awkward appointment times.

I would never pull a sicky just to go to an interview (amount of sick days in last job when you sign a contract in new job never goes down well!)