To ask for advice about ringing in sick to attend a job interview

[Winterjoy]

Ok, I know its very wrong but I have to do it - environment/management at current job has driven me to the brink of a breakdown, to the point where I spent each morning having a panic attack as I walked down the road leading up to the building. I have finally got to the point where I feel mentally strong enough to apply/interview for new roles and after a number of failed applications over the last 6 or so months, have finally been invited an interview later this week.....

Unfortunately there is NO WAY to take leave on this date, and no way to change the interview date. So, I have resolved to call in sick (feel terrible about this) but am now panicking about:

1. If offered position new employer will check sick dates as part of reference and withdraw offer as a result

2. At interview I will be asked about how it is possible to attend i.e. am I on leave?

Any advice?

House emergency (plumbing is good), sick child or similar. Don't say you are sick yourself.

In all the many interviews I've held, I've never asked how people managed the time off to attend! That's their business! pretty much all interviews are held at times when people should be at work so really, if the interviewer is that concerened they need to interview on Saturdays or after 7pm.
If you are really worried, could you change the interview time to 9am and go in late, just call/email in early to say you had a problem in the night so are popping to the GP first thing.

Why would they ask?? Everybody attending a job interview who isn't currently unemployed has taken leave of one sort or another.
And that's what they'd say if asked; that they'd taken leave.

The interviewers won't waste their time asking.

Just do it, it'll be fine. Don't admit to it upfront. Say you're taking leave.

Unless you are being headhunted or your experience/seniority sets you apart so much you can say 'I can't make this date' and know they will rearrange for you, surely most job interviews are done via allowed leave OR sickies?

I once had an interview request for later that day for a junior (second rung of a job really) position - no choice but to take a sickie at that point.

Why would people advocating this not simply take unpaid leave?

ilovesooty, I imagine the OP is stuck in one of those situations where it is deemed that a certain number of people have to be at work and even asking not to be, even if you pay for the privilege, brings a ton of shit upon you and you still don't get permission. That is why I was saying that minimising the time she takes and making it all about some very urgent personal appointment - and making up the time - might be the best bet.

Really, most successful people take the piss left right and centre. I don't advise the OP do this as the less worry she has the better.

I think OP has just internalised a horrible all pervading sense of guilt and failure from her current circs. I've been there.

Absolutely do not tell your interviewer you pulled a sickie to attend - that will guarantee you don't get the job!

It is extremely unlikely they will ask but if they do just say you took unpaid leave for a personal emergency.

I wouldn't pull a sickie either to be honest. Been there, got the t shirt, not worth it. As PP has said, this is what plumbing emergencies are for. Yes it's still lying but the key thing is its unpaid so not fraud!

I have been in work situations that made me ill but have never rung in sick to attend an interview. When I was teaching it wasn't an option anyway and I wouldn't consider doing it now. However I've never been refused unpaid or annual leave to attend.

Plumbing thing is looking like a goer.

sooty because if it is on a day when she can't take annual leave then clearly they aren't going to give her a day unpaid leave either!

I've never known anyone take unpaid leave aside from large stretches related to procreation anyway, so more than likely it will a. look very suspicious and b. they'll say no anyway

Exactly. Taking unpaid or annual leave isn't fraud. Ringing in sick if you get paid sick leave is fraud.

Oh or going on sabbatical, I've known a couple of people do that.

OP only needs 1 day though, not 9 months to help save tortoises in asia somewhere

We would get paid if we rang in and said the plumbing had exploded.

I think.

Assuming it wasn't the sort of thing that happened very often.

Actually having said that if the plumbing exploded they would expect us to work from home while it was sorted.

The last time I took unpaid leave for a day was to go on strike.

Probably how it all works depends a lot on nature of industry / sector etc.

OP is best placed to know the norms in her workplace.

if I asked for a day unpaid leave at work they would look at me like I was mad. Then they would ask what for and I'd have to lie to their faces which would be just awful actually, no that wouldn't work at all!

The trouble with phoning in sick is that there are not many 1 day illnesses.

The plumbing lie is for your current employer - in case you are spotted going to the interview, then "the plumber had finished by then"
I can't imaging the interviewer asking, but you can truthfully say you took a day annual leave, which would impress them that you are keen for the job.

If the lie ever comes out, disobedience (taking annual leave without permission) is forgiveable, but financial fraud is not.

It really is so different sector by sector.

In my sector (private, media):

wrong way:

Me: "Please can I take annual leave on Monday 3rd?"
Boss [insincere head tilt] "I'm sorry, I just can't authorise that. I've got x and y out that day and I need you in the office. They booked their leave months in advance and this is only a week, so you must understand you can't always get the leave you want."
Me: "OK CAN I TAKE IT UNPAID"
boss: "erm. I don't know. Is this - very important? Does it have to be that day? Is there any other way we can work this?" (thinks: I have no idea when the last time anyone took annual leave was, how do you even do this, why is this person being so difficult, if she has an interview can't she just take a long lunch like everyone else?)
me: "I CANNOT TELL YOU WHY I DO NOT WISH TO BE PRESENT AT WORK THIS DAY. I REQUEST TO BE ABSENT AND FORFEIT MY SALARY IN RETURN"
Boss (thinks) Oh god.

Right way:

Me: "Please can I take annual leave on Monday 3rd?"
Boss [insincere head tilt] "I'm sorry, I just can't authorise that. I've got x and y out that day and I need you in the office. They booked their leave months in advance and this is only a week, so you must understand you can't always get the leave you want."
Me "Ok I get it!" fake cheerful look.
Boss (thinks) I bet there'll suddenly be a dental appointment or a long lunch or something but at least she'll be here some of the time and will probably work extra hard so as not to attract extra attention to the time she missed.

If I had the first inkling you'd thrown a sickie I wouldn't employ you in a million years. Do it, don't do it, it's your life call, but fgs don't let on (as PP said) to anyone.

I understand your position, but from an employer POV it's awful form, and in most lines of work integrity is considered a critical quality in an employee.

If you must lie, I second the plumbing excuse... Best of luck.

Perhaps one of the crucial differences is whether you tell an employer you're attending an interview elsewhere.

I always have because I've asked for a reference prior to the interview. In teaching under safer recruitment there is no option to do anything else anyway and in my current place of employment people would ask for the leave (annual leave) say why and be granted it. If you rang in sick when you weren't it would be deemed gross misconduct.

Stop fussing! Take the sickie it will be fine neither new or old employer will know... They won't ask how you came to be there!

Ive never had an interview that could be arranged to suit me. Ive always been offered work times so had to have made up appointments. As for the advice about taking unpaid leave that is not always an option. It might be a case where there are too many people off that day already booked. The OP is much better off not even asking for the day or any time otherwise they ask get told no then rings in sick.

The world won't end due to taking a sickie. Bit extreme all this talk of fraud for one day.

Agree with not telling the interviewer about pulling a sickie. Ive been asked a few times about how I made the appointment. Not always in the interview setting, but during the chatting phase on first meeting.

Good luck OP. I've been where you are in regards to panic attacks going into work. Its awful. Hope things work out.

Is there any chance potential new company could tell current company you'd been for an interview with them? This is more likely if new company is in same industry or a competitor. I knew someone this happened to and as she'd pulled a sickie it wasn't pretty! She didn't get the job and ended up resigning anyway.

Everywhere I have worked, being spotted taking a sickie means dismissal and it's a small world in my line, so you'd be unemployable.

In the area I work in new employer would certainly tell current employer you'd attended an interview there. If you'd pulled a sickie the new employer would regard you as lacking integrity and probably would retract their offer. Current employer would discipline you.

I wouldn't like to work in an environment where lying was the norm.

But sooty, is it also the case that in the area you work in it is considered acceptable to ask for time off for interviews, paid or otherwise? there is no point in trying to apply the standards and conventions of one context to another. Or implying that you are morally better because you work in a field with those conventions