How to get time off for interview?!

[coralsmith]

I'm about to enter into some of the busiest months of our company.

 

I am good at my work and organise myself well - I rarely have things leftover that I need to do after 5pm.

 

However I am also desperate to leave (I've worked there a year now and desperate to move on).

 

I am in the process of applying for jobs, the problem is, I expect to run into difficulties if I even get offered an interview - especially as I'm applying for jobs in a different city.

 

Any advice on how to manage this? If I'm expected to give a solid reason for needing a day off, what can I say without actually outright saying I have an interview elsewhere?

 

A bit preemptive, but it is something that is worrying me a lot.

[GemmaUK]

Book holiday time.

Make an excuse as to why you need it.

Old friend in town..etc..

[CarrieT]

As awful as this sounds, start complaining of some mysterious ailment that - down the line - will involve "doctor appointments."

 

Then, when offered interviews, try and schedule them first thing in the morning or at the end of the day. This way, you aren't taking off whole days but are asking for enough time to "see the doctor."

[anne1707]

That suggestion might backfire Carrie. The OP doesn't want to get a reputation for being off sick etc just when a reference might be needed

[CarrieT]

Having an illness shouldn't preclude one's effectiveness in a job and if it is only a few hours or there, it shouldn't effect a referral.

[d0nnivain]

See what you can do about scheduling interviews before or after work or at lunch time.

 

If all else fails take one personal day & schedule multiple interviews.

[anne1707]

I have had reference requests in the past that did ask for details on amount of absence due to ill health. On that basis it would seem that some employers do take it into account. Much of this for the OP depends on how long it would take to get a job so how much time would be lost for bogus doctors appointments

[pink_sugar]

I have this problem as well especially now that I work 2 jobs and share a car with my husband. Luckily my first job is pretty lenient about time off for appointments, but I don't get PTO, so it has to be a really important interview...meaning I know I would take the job if offered, not just to see what they say etc. It also starts to get obvious if you do it routinely, so try and schedule multiple interviews on the same day.

[coralsmith]

I am a bit hesitant about calling in sick. Reason being;

1. I feel dishonest

2. My HR Manager recently raised my sickness - I have taken 5 days off (maybe 4?) intermittently in the last 12 months. However I have also had a few days where I've had to leave early an hour or two due to illness.

 

I explained I had a bout of Gastroenteritis (my whole house was affected by it actually), which sometimes caused me to start vomiting out of nowhere. It has calmed down now, but I guess if she felt it was a big enough issue to raise in the first place, I shouldn't be taking any more days off.

 

As the city i'm applying for jobs in is 2 hour travel each way, the option to take half a day or interview during my lunch isnt an option!

[coralsmith]

I should have made it clearer in my first post - I wanted to book a day off in October and I was given grief about it by a line manager - she said that we werent really supposed to take time off during this time of year because of how busy we were.

 

Even if I was completely on top of my workload, I think it's so there isn't the pressure on the person covering me.