Interviews and references - how likely?

50_Pence

When somebody raised these scenarios in another thread I asked if they had ever actually happened to anyone, but I think my post got a little lost so I thought I would start a new thread about it.


Basically I may have to pull a sickie to attend an interview, as I will be offered an interview at short notice if I am successful, and the company I will be interviewing with can’t tell me now what dates interviews will be being held.


Scenario 1: Interviewer asks you how you got time off to attend the interview.


Scenario 2: When you hand in your notice you current employer asks you when you went for an interview.


Scenario 3: Current employer gives a reference that says that you were off sick on the day that you attended the interview. (Is there anything to stop your employer listing the dates that you were off, if they suspected that you had pulled a sickie to attend an interview and wanted to get their own back?)


So I was wondering how many people have actually experienced any of the above? (Whether or not you pulled a sickie) Is there anything else I should consider when making my decision whether or not to risk it?


Thanks

elsien

As an interviewer I've never asked anyone how they got the time off. Can't comment on the rest.

t0rt0ise

I've gone sick for an interview and nobody ever asked or found out about any of it. I'd do it again if necessary.

welshbookworm

Nobody ever asked how I got the time off for an interview. I think you are over thinking this.

gettingtheresometime

Never been asked how I got time off or if I went to an interview on a sickie (though I've never done this)

Would imagine though that if you handed your notice in after having a mysterious day off sick it wouldn't be too difficult to work out why you were really 'ill'.

Then question 4 comes into play - would your (soon to be ex) employer care as they're getting rid of someone who pulls a sickie and will be someone else's problem

~Beanie~

You are definitely over thinking this.

1. I have never been asked during an interview how I got the time off.
2. I have been asked, when handing in my notice, when I had been for an interview for the job. I just answered vaguely 'oh, ages ago, when I was on annual leave in August'. I don't think they believed me but didn't say anything.
3. Employers don't usually list dates of sickness, if asked its normally just the amount of time you've had off

Calling in sick is not the best way to get time off for an interview but needs must sometimes and a lot of us have done it at some point.

50_Pence

Thanks for your replies. I probably am over thinking things but I’ve never pulled a sickie in my life and am worried at the prospect of doing so, and like I said, these are all things that posters on here have suggested might happen.

~Beanie~ wrote: »

2. I have been asked, when handing in my notice, when I had been for an interview for the job. I just answered vaguely 'oh, ages ago, when I was on annual leave in August'. I don't think they believed me but didn't say anything.

Good suggestion but unfortunately I’ve not been able to take any holiday this year, and can’t for the foreseeable future, so I can’t use this.