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Original poster

Excuse for interview

54 replies

Spacemannn · 06/07/2023 16:08

Need to pop out of work (home based) for an hour or so tomorrow for an interview. What's a believable excuse I can tell my manager??

It's at 9.30am so can't do it over lunch!

OP posts:
blahblahblah1654 · 06/07/2023 19:06

OneMoreCookieMonster · 06/07/2023 16:18

If i was manging you I'd ask for proof of appt. Don't give them a reason where they can ask for evidence of your appt.

I'd be vaguely honest. You need to step out for an hour for a very personal appt that you'd rather not discuss at this time but when you have more information you'll let them know. And, will happily make the time up.

Talk about micromanaging!

FuckoffeeBeforeCoffee · 06/07/2023 19:08

Maybe not MOT but tyre replacement or something like that?

OneMoreCookieMonster · 06/07/2023 19:11

Yep, I'm a terrible manager. Really not that successful either. Can't believe I even still have a job.

I don't take shit and my teams know my expectations.

It's shit like this and other threads that pop up that you can see why proof/evidence may be asked for. The entitlement to unpaid personal time off is ridiculous. And, at short notice. And, tbh you should have taken annual leave. Why should they pay you to go to an interview. Hugely disrespectful and unprofessional. Well done, you!

But, yeah op, you go for it.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

Jobs
LoobyDop · 06/07/2023 19:22

OneMoreCookieMonster · 06/07/2023 16:18

If i was manging you I'd ask for proof of appt. Don't give them a reason where they can ask for evidence of your appt.

I'd be vaguely honest. You need to step out for an hour for a very personal appt that you'd rather not discuss at this time but when you have more information you'll let them know. And, will happily make the time up.

It’s been a long time since I reported to anyone like this, in fact I’m not sure I ever have. My manager wouldn’t even expect me to tell him. If I got back and found he’d been looking for me, “sorry, I had to step out for an hour” would be enough.

justanothermanicmonday1 · 06/07/2023 19:23

Migraine and you need to lie down for an hour or two and you'll let them know how you feel later in the day!

Crinkle77 · 06/07/2023 19:25

OneMoreCookieMonster · 06/07/2023 19:11

Yep, I'm a terrible manager. Really not that successful either. Can't believe I even still have a job.

I don't take shit and my teams know my expectations.

It's shit like this and other threads that pop up that you can see why proof/evidence may be asked for. The entitlement to unpaid personal time off is ridiculous. And, at short notice. And, tbh you should have taken annual leave. Why should they pay you to go to an interview. Hugely disrespectful and unprofessional. Well done, you!

But, yeah op, you go for it.

I don't expect unpaid time off. I would expect to use flexi time or work an extra hour at the end of the day instead. I did this the other day when I had to get a last minute opticians appointment as I was having with my vision. I told my manager about the appt and said I'll be back in an hour and they were fine with that. I took a short lunch and worked extra half hour at the end of the day. No need to give evidence of my appointment. She trusted me and in return I didn't take the piss and made the time up.

tacomaco · 06/07/2023 19:28

OneMoreCookieMonster · 06/07/2023 19:11

Yep, I'm a terrible manager. Really not that successful either. Can't believe I even still have a job.

I don't take shit and my teams know my expectations.

It's shit like this and other threads that pop up that you can see why proof/evidence may be asked for. The entitlement to unpaid personal time off is ridiculous. And, at short notice. And, tbh you should have taken annual leave. Why should they pay you to go to an interview. Hugely disrespectful and unprofessional. Well done, you!

But, yeah op, you go for it.

Defensive, shitty management. No one pays for me to have time off. I make up time by coming in early, working lunch or leaving late.

Yunner · 06/07/2023 19:29

Definitely don't say MOT. Employers often hold car registration plates and bosses usually at least see your car at some point, and a quick online search after would show your MOT wasn't due and hadn't been done at the time you said.

EarringsandLipstick · 06/07/2023 19:33

I don't take shit and my teams know my expectations.

I bet they do!

This is awful management practice. I manage a team too; I trust them. In my experience, it's clear fairly quickly who is genuine & committed, and who's taking the piss.

And then you deal with that scenario 🤷🏻‍♀️

toodlesofoodles · 06/07/2023 19:33

Anyport · 06/07/2023 16:28

How do people prove a doctor's appointment?
Ask reception for an appointment card.

My drs does over the phone appts, I get no text etc... the only way I could "prove" it would be to send a ss of me calling them to ask for an appt.

As an aside, I'd never ask someone who works for me to prove they had a drs appt.

IncomingTraffic · 06/07/2023 19:34

I cannot imagine asking any of my team
to prove an appointment to me. I trust them to manage their diaries. And I know they all work bloody hard!

I would be interested if they wanted to leave, but only because I’d like to keep them and would try to do so.

It wouldn’t even occur to me to ask them to produce an appointment card or something. Although, I guess that being that kind of manager would probably explain why they wanted a different job.

Dontrecogniseme · 06/07/2023 19:35

Yunner · 06/07/2023 19:29

Definitely don't say MOT. Employers often hold car registration plates and bosses usually at least see your car at some point, and a quick online search after would show your MOT wasn't due and hadn't been done at the time you said.

Agree with this but I would still use a car excuse (if I needed an excuse). Something along the lines of it's gone to the garage as it's not sounding/running quite right or needs a new tyre is better

IncomingTraffic · 06/07/2023 19:35

Yunner · 06/07/2023 19:29

Definitely don't say MOT. Employers often hold car registration plates and bosses usually at least see your car at some point, and a quick online search after would show your MOT wasn't due and hadn't been done at the time you said.

Any manager who is finding out your license number and looking up when your MOT is due has too much time on their hands.

Haveallthesongsbeenwritten · 06/07/2023 19:36

OneMoreCookieMonster · 06/07/2023 16:18

If i was manging you I'd ask for proof of appt. Don't give them a reason where they can ask for evidence of your appt.

I'd be vaguely honest. You need to step out for an hour for a very personal appt that you'd rather not discuss at this time but when you have more information you'll let them know. And, will happily make the time up.

You cant ask for proof of appointments. What kind of management is that.i know in this instance she is after an excuse but as a manager i do not ask for proof if my team goes to doctor/dentist/whatever else.

Greenshake · 06/07/2023 19:37

@OneMoreCookieMonster you sound incredibly uptight and distrustful. I bet your team aren’t half as content as you think.

CuriousGeorge80 · 06/07/2023 19:38

I’m just imagining my team’s response if I asked for proof of a Dr’s appointment 😂😂😂😂😂

toodlesofoodles · 06/07/2023 19:42

IncomingTraffic · 06/07/2023 19:34

I cannot imagine asking any of my team
to prove an appointment to me. I trust them to manage their diaries. And I know they all work bloody hard!

I would be interested if they wanted to leave, but only because I’d like to keep them and would try to do so.

It wouldn’t even occur to me to ask them to produce an appointment card or something. Although, I guess that being that kind of manager would probably explain why they wanted a different job.

This!!

I can't imagine being that distrustful! In return for me not asking my team to prove every little reason as to why they may be late/have to leave early/step out for an hour they do overtime when asked, swap shifts at short notice and generally give back what I give them; a comfortable, trusting and happy working environment.

In fact if someone needed to step out for an hour for a job interview they'd just tell me. I know our industry isn't the career goal for everyone and I support my staff into progressing, even if it isn't in our company/industry.

Crinkle77 · 06/07/2023 19:51

In fact if someone needed to step out for an hour for a job interview they'd just tell me. I know our industry isn't the career goal for everyone and I support my staff into progressing, even if it isn't in our company/industry.

Yep this. Managers in my work are very encouraging around progression and have no problem with anyone applying for jobs internally and externally. My managers have even looked over job applications for me. And likewise I gave done the same for staff I manage.

EarringsandLipstick · 06/07/2023 20:25

Crinkle77 · 06/07/2023 19:51

In fact if someone needed to step out for an hour for a job interview they'd just tell me. I know our industry isn't the career goal for everyone and I support my staff into progressing, even if it isn't in our company/industry.

Yep this. Managers in my work are very encouraging around progression and have no problem with anyone applying for jobs internally and externally. My managers have even looked over job applications for me. And likewise I gave done the same for staff I manage.

Same in mine. We would suggest potential roles to staff. We feel movement & advancement benefits the individual & the organisation.

IbizaToTheNorfolkBroads · 06/07/2023 20:32

Is anybody realistically going to miss you for an hour?

ShakeYourFeathers · 06/07/2023 20:39

IbizaToTheNorfolkBroads · 06/07/2023 20:32

Is anybody realistically going to miss you for an hour?

You just know that the one time nothing happens everything happens.

greyhairnomore · 06/07/2023 20:49

Can't you be honest ? Why lie ?

Whichwhatnow · 06/07/2023 20:57

OP do you not have calls or Teams/Zoom meetings in your role? Or is your manager involved in/aware of them all? I would personally just block the hour out in my Outlook calendar so if my boss or anyone was wondering where I was or trying to get hold of me I would be showing as 'busy' on Teams etc, and if they wanted to view my diary they'd see that hour blocked.

My manager is very hands off though and trusts me to get the job done (thank god! I can't even imagine being asked for proof of a gp appointment 😳) and generally has very little clue what I'm doing day to day other than having a weekly 30 min 1 to 1.

caringcarer · 06/07/2023 21:07

Emergency dentist. You cracked a tooth eating a boiled sweet.

RumNotRun · 06/07/2023 21:11

LMNT · 06/07/2023 16:30

You’re the worst kind of manager, I’m glad I don’t work for you. Is your name Jess by any chance.

Dentist, doctor, blood test etc. Good luck!

Show quote history

Well that made me briefly paranoid! I did have a quick think and I have never asked my team for proof of appointment though 😁