How are you suppose to go to interview?!!!

[HeyArnoldHey]

Ok AIBU.....
Looking for a new job . I currently work Monday to Friday 8-5 . No flexability. One week notice required for holiday day. And questions asked ....

I have been offered a few interviews during my search . Usually 2 days before with really little flexibility on the times offered only 11am , 12, 1pm . How the hell are you suppose to go for interviews......

I went to one and had a sick day (no other option!) and didn't get that. I can't keep being sick if I don't get others.....
How does everyone manage it??

Dear God no wonder you're looking to leave.

It is my understanding they legally have to give yiu time off for it.

@OverTheRubicon

People here absolutely do live in another world when it comes to jobs - or maybe that's just what it's like in the public sector, or they haven't applied for anything for a long time?

1. Barely anyone ever reads cover letters in the private sector (it's unlikely that it will even be a human doing the initial screen), so putting it there won't help
2. In a huge number of jobs, telling your boss you want an interview is career suicide
3. Lots of people have only 20 days leave and often need it to cover school.holidays

Personally I'd ask for 8am or similar and by Zoom for first rounds if possible, use leave if you can, and if not, make the excuse a dental appointment, because they legitimately often form a course of 2-4 sessions. If they won't be flexible then you'll otherwise be stuck forever.

Don't blame the public sector for the MN Job Fairyland scenario! In most public sector organisations these days, covering letters aren't requested - just an online application form. (And public sector tend to have minimum notice periods of at least 5 working days between invitation to interview and interview date.

From a public sector regular recruiter's POV: we will try to be flexible up to a point if a candidate can't make the original date/time offered, if we possibly can we'll offer an alternative slot and we'll interview over Teams or f-to-f, so long as we can make the process fair for all candidates not just the one in the OP's situation. But we're under pressure too; there's still the day job to be done while we're trying to run a recruitment, and getting all three members of the panel free to convene on another day within a reasonable amount of time from the specified interview date isn't always easy. Also we know that we'll end up carrying a vacancy - if we aren't already - as in 95% of cases even a standard recruitment, from drafting the advert to getting the person in post, takes longer to turn around than the outgoing employee's notice period, so we sometimes have to weigh up the risk of potentially missing out on a decent candidate versus dragging out the process even longer. Depending on the level at which the OP's applying, which based on her comments about the inflexibility of her workplace and what they feel entitled to know doesn't sound very senior, we could easily have 300+ applications for one post so if one out of the 6-9 candidates we invite for interview can't make it then harsh though it sounds, there will be plenty more fish in the sea (we always hold a reserve list of the 'next best' candidates to invite in case of drop outs in the run up to the interviews).

As for the PP who said interviewers should offer evening or weekend slots even though the business is 9-5...while the rare organisation may be able to accommodate that, recruiting managers and panel members are people with lives out of work too! My last interview panel was me as chair (carer to disabled DH out of work), panel member two (single mum), panel member three (young man planning his wedding). We don't get paid overtime and I already work the maximum permitted flexi hours every month over my contract so I'd be effectively interviewing for free. Sorry, but when there will be plenty of other promising candidates who can make a 9-5 interview slot...it's just bad luck if one person we'd have liked to see can't make what we're offering or a reasonable alternative that may be a slightly later date or a slightly earlier or later start time but still within 8-6 at best.

Sorry, this got quite long but it irritates me that so many MNers seem to live in some kind of parallel fantasy world where recruitment is concerned, and very rarely think of it from the perspective of the company hiring.

Anyway OP, it sounds like you've been unlucky with short notice invitations; hopefully future interviews will be more reasonable. You can ask for flexibility but be aware it may be beyond the interviews' gift to grant it. And as for your colleagues, you're just going to have to practice saying something like "I need leave/an hour off for a personal issue, it's too distressing to explain" and staying firm in the face of their nosiness. And definitely don't give up your job to seek another! That's crazy talk!

@Changingtides1234

It is my understanding they legally have to give yiu time off for it.

This is only the case if you are being made redundant rom your current job.

@HeyArnoldHey I have also worked in a place like yours where everything was known to everyone and it was horrendous! It was minimum wage retail though. I actually did lie to my employer while looking for a new job. I really hated doing it but at the time I just couldn’t see any other way. They knew I had a mild health issue so I told my employer that I was having to have some tests done that would mean having to attend a few appointments but that I’d give as much notice as I could and try to make them first thing where possible so that I was just starting later.
They were very big on having to know exactly why you were off but they didn’t ever ask to see appointment letters etc thankfully.
Luckily I got the 2nd job I went for. Hopefully you get something ASAP!

@Changingtides1234

It is my understanding they legally have to give yiu time off for it.

For a job interview? Why would an employer give you time off to seek alternative employment?

@Changingtides1234

It is my understanding they legally have to give yiu time off for it.

Only if you're being made redundant.

I swear most of these comments are coming from people who either don't work or haven't interviewed in 20 years.

[quote MyPatronusIsACat]@Terribleluck

that's why I mentioned only quit first if she could afford it.....

You cannot possibly know if ANYONE can 'afford it,' because neither you - or anyone else can know how long you will be unemployed for, (if you are stupid enough to give up your job without getting another one.)

So no-one can actually budget to do such a stupid thing as give up their job without finding another job, because (as I said,) you cannot possibly know how long you will be unemployed for.

Moreover, if I was an employer, I would be very reluctant to employ someone who was so reckless, and irresponsible, and stupid enough to quit their job without having another one to go to.[/quote]
agreed with @MyPatronusIsACat

Some bizarre responses here.

• Quitting a job to search for a job full time. Even if you can afford it, this is a spectacularly terrible idea. You would lose your value in the eyes of prospective employers. You would effectively downgraded yourself voluntarily.

• Most people in the real world do not tell their current employers that they are attending interviews. Unless that is industry specific standard.

• Again, people don't usually book annual leave and hoping the interviews will fall within the annual leave. It would be a waste of annual leave.

• Short notice for interviews is strange, even for highly competitive roles. Typically employers plan to interview people who meet the criteria within specified period and making a decision to find the best person, that's the competitions are for, to find the best person, not to find the ones who are most willing to jump through hoops and put up with short notice.

• Agreed that your current job situation is toxic @HeyArnoldHey

Probably the best option is to say that you have an appointment. Can you make up for a time? (start earlier or finish later).

I didn't think I was going to start such a debate

I was going to reply but, to save time, I'll just say that @smurfette1818 is right about everything.

Your current workplace sounds horrible. But irrespective of the culture, I think for interviews you just have to say you're taking time off for personal reasons - I would be tempted to use a phrase like "family reasons" - and refuse to give them any more information even if they ask - just keep repeating the same phrase until they get bored of asking. While it's tempting to make up a specific story to satisfy them, once you get a new job they'll realise you've been lying to them, and that might affect your reference. For the same reason I wouldn't take sick leave or make up a last minute appointment.

In most industries it's unusual to be given less than a week's notice for interviews. I think you should mention in your application that you need at least a week's notice due to the policy of your current employer (they might not read it, but won't hurt and makes you look proactive), and if they contact you to offer an interview at shorter notice try and negotiate an alternative date if you can. If a potential employer is offering you an interview at two days' notice and won't offer any flexibility, they may be just as unreasonable as your existing employer.

When looking for my current job I applied for a few positions then booked a week off work in anticipation for last minute interviews.
New company should respect your professional integrity and adapt to a time to suit you.

@HeyArnoldHey

I have tried to request different times but these are highly competitive roles and I have told for this one in particular only x and y are available.

But it's an amazing opportunity! They'd have others chomping at the bit!

I've found this to be the case as well. Thing is they're going to find someone for the job regardless so they don't need to bend themselves out of shape trying to accommodate people. It's very much this is what it is - take it or leave it.

If it's a role you're really keen on it may also be worth contacting the employer during the application stage and asking if there's a planned date for interviews - of course the risk of that is that you book the leave then don't get shortlisted.

Well, I once sat next to someone on a park bench in the little park (former churchyard), I used to go at lunchtime, and she was clealy having a telephone interview. A bit embarrassing, and I had to feign interest in my phone, etc. Although the woman carried on regardless.
I also once had a telephone interview on the train. I am afraid I was unable to be as nonchalent as the one I witnessed.

It might not be 'advisable' to pull a sickie, or claim a doctor's or dentist's appointment, but that's what pretty much everyone does in reality.

It is tension-inducing though, I do feel for you. But it's just one of those short-term things you have to just get through.

Even an appointment I'd have to give details and a note to my work

Just say you've arranged to have lunch with a friend/relative.

Or that you need a day to clean the house.

But really you should not have to say anything but if the culture of your company is that everyone has to know everyone else's business, well you just lie. Sounds horrendous.

Dental emergency, flood at home, car breakdown - just remember to write down your lie so you don't forget and start telling people how long it took the RAC to turn up when you've told them you've lost a filling.

Good luck.

I'm going to have to come up with something. I hate being a liar but I'm forced to go to these elaborate measures really as I have to give over so much personal details generally.

IME it's easier to find a job if you already have one - i/e you seem to be more valueable possible avoid a few red flags like possible sacking etc.

When I was interviewing for another position I told the prospective employer the truth - that I rarely got granted time off if requested and felt it dishonest to call in sick to attend an interview so would it be possible to schedule it outside of my work hours.

Try this but the answer may well be no - then try to get enough annual notice time before intevriew - may still be no - then try and come in/leave early - say you have appointment and refuse to be drawn on what.

Thing was last time I had this - the guessed knew the signs and got a bit awkward though I didn't confirm . You'd leave the open plan office for mobile phone calls - because even if you say don't call when at work they do - and you'd want annual leave at short notice.

Last time I was in this poistion - it did get to the point I was think I'd have to leave if for another 6 months and get some more annual leave accrued.

I did pull one sick day as last minute second inteview came up - god the stress and worry in case I was seen was awful. I had a good sick record though.

It is really hard though - though I made it work because I was desperate to leave - which is what I think they rely on.

To be honest yes.... we actually would know all of this about the whole team it's pretty crazy now I think of it confused but anything in working hours is expected to be known. It would be huge red flag if we did not

Blimey. I mean I might say to colleagues ruefully that I had to go for a smear test today but a culture where it's REQUIRED? What on earth is the job that it's felt that everyone has a right to know everyone else's medical business?

your car wouldn't start
Your dc has a school appointment & you have to attend
boiler leaking & you need to be home for plumber at X time but you will be back after
etc

@EmmalineC

Dental emergency, flood at home, car breakdown - just remember to write down your lie so you don't forget and start telling people how long it took the RAC to turn up when you've told them you've lost a filling.

Good luck.

@Grenlei

You absolutely should not be calling in sick or claiming a child related emergency - that would be grounds for instant dismissal with many employers.

Most companies arrange interviews with at least a week's notice so you should be able to book time off. Alternatively do they offer virtual interviews by zoom you could attend in your lunch break?

Instant dismissal, really, don’t be ridiculous. If that’s the case not the sort of company you’d want to be working for anyway