How can I get to this interview?

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I’ve got a job interview in a different city in early December. I have no holiday left and the interview is on a work day. I go abroad the next day. I’ve considered ringing in sick but I’m worried work will think I’m trying to add another day to my holidays.

I’ve only been there a few months and don’t have a particularly close relationship with my boss. He’s friendly enough but I couldn’t confide the interview. Any ideas?

It would have to be a private place. I couldn’t work from a public setting.

No, it is centred around talking to people about confidential matters. Definitely couldn’t do it from a public place.

They wouldn’t ask unless I was offered the job.

Don't rule out free/cheaper than hotel options. Some places have private booths to encourage people like you to work in their establishment. Brewdog in Waterloo being one of the most recent I've spotted.

Can you not say your flight has been changed and just ask for a day off w/o pay (for the interview)

I think that would be unbelievable but am grateful for your reply.

Just call in sick

Or pretend you have a passport emergency??

If you can afford it, go for it. It’s just doing what you need to do to secure a potential upgrade in job. I’m not sure if you’re going to be based in that city if you are successful? If so, this gives you a chance to trial things out.

Doesn’t massively matter that you’re going on holiday the next day - the primary purpose of staying a night is to secure the job you’re interviewing for, so see it as business? I don’t think under the circumstances (of you rushing around for the interview travelling the same day, then rushing around for your holiday the next day? that you’ll be in the best interview headspace otherwise.

if I were you, I’d work from the hotel and do the absolute bare minimum at work and just use the time to prepare for your interview.

Don't call in sick

If that the flight has changed won't work, explain that you need to take care of additional personal stuff unexpectedly before you go and ask if you can either take the day unpaid, or work extra hours before and/or after your planned leave to make the time up (appreciate that this may not be possible depending on your job)

McDonald's car park.

Can you take a day’s leave without pay?

I think I’d say you made a mistake on your holiday application and meant to book off the day prior too. Say you can be online for the morning and you’re so sorry, honest mistake …

I'd go down the night before. Stay in a Premier Inn. Work in the morning, go to interview and say it's a doctor's appointment, come back and work in the afternoon. Drive home that evening.

Or just work in the morning and say it's a long doctor's appointment from 12pm onwards.

I think going down the night before is better anyway so you're not worrying about traffic etc. on the morning of the interview.

I’ve had a look and can’t get a hotel for less than £100 and petrol will set me back another £100. I think it’s going to have to be ringing in sick. They’ll suspect I’m doing it for my holidays but they can’t do much, so it’ll reluctantly have to be that.

Could you speak to your boss, say you need the day before your holiday off and ask if you could make the hours up beforehand?

This does seem sensible but I worry if I ask for anything and it’s a no it makes the pretending to be ill even more obvious.