Asking for Time off to Attend Interview for Another Job?

Adamc

Hi 

I have been given an interview for another job. I'd stay at my current job but progression opportunities are too limited. I know there are people in my profession doing what I aspire to at the place I've applied to. The interview date is a specific date within 2 weeks. I know that work cannot cover the work I have booked for that date if I was to attend. I am not sure whether to discuss the new job/interview with my manager. Every other colleague I have known that has applied for a job elsewhere has kept silent and called off sick to attend interviews due to inflexibility ... and has subsequently left. It's awkward as the two managers know each other. But also awkward as it will likely become common knowledge that I have attempted to leave as gossip spreads quickly here. There is no guarantee I will even get the job. 

Is it reasonable to ask for an alternative interview date or an interview during lunch via Zoom? My concern is that managers from neighbouring sites will have made long commutes to sit at the interview panel. 

TELLIT01

There is absolutely no harm in asking if the time can be changed. Have you asked your current employer for the day off?  An explanation of urgent personal business with no more detail than that as the reason.

DontBringBertie

Call in sick.

Purely because if you ask for time off and they say no, you probably have to cancel the interview.

[Deleted User]

DontBringBertie said:

Call in sick.

Purely because if you ask for time off and they say no, you probably have to cancel the interview.

The two managers know each other.

Adamc

TELLIT01 said:

There is absolutely no harm in asking if the time can be changed. Have you asked your current employer for the day off?  An explanation of urgent personal business with no more detail than that as the reason.

I haven't asked them but knowing the situation I am almost sure they will say no. With them knowing the other manager it makes it difficult.  

Adamc

arctic_ghost said:

DontBringBertie said:

Call in sick.

Purely because if you ask for time off and they say no, you probably have to cancel the interview.

The two managers know each other.

Indeed . 

Emmia

I'd ask for an alternative slot - suggesting a time you can book as annual leave, when you do so.

TBagpuss

It's not unreasonable to ask for a different time or date, especially if you offer the alternative of doing it as ZOom / teams meeting.
Obviously each employer is different, and it's harder to rearrange if you have a panel of interviewers, but it is worth asking.

Would you be able to suggest you do it first or last thing, and if so, could you then go into work late or leave early, and work through lunch ?  

AS employers we quite often wend up doing an interview art 5 or 5.30 for this kind of reason

Undervalued

DontBringBertie said:

Call in sick.

Purely because if you ask for time off and they say no, you probably have to cancel the interview.

Dishonest and could potentially lose the OP both jobs!

It is a small world and amazing how often these things come out.

Adamc

Undervalued said:

DontBringBertie said:

Call in sick.

Purely because if you ask for time off and they say no, you probably have to cancel the interview.

Dishonest and could potentially lose the OP both jobs!

It is a small world and amazing how often these things come out.

This was my concern. 

rushda

What I would do is firstly express to your current employer that you have ‘urgent personal business’ to attend to. Chances are they’ll say yes.

If they say no, THEN ask the prospective employer to move it, citing that you’re struggling to get permission for time off at that time.

One of those should work, and at no point will you have lied.