Time off for multi-stage interviews

[TaleOfTheContinents]

I've started looking for a new job and a few weeks ago had a first stage phone interview, a second stage in-person interview and a final third stage in-person interview. It was extremely difficult to get the time off work to attend them because they were in London (where I'm trying to relocate) which is a 35 minute commute each way for me. It meant that I needed to take 2 x half days of leave and I work in a very deadline-driven role in a small company with no HR department so there were lots of questions asked about why I needed the time off.

I didn't get the job and now I'm in a very difficult position because I just don't know how I could possibly get more time off if I have to attend more multi-stage interviews. For my current job, I just attended one interview and was offered the job 2 hours later.

How have other people juggled time off for multiple interviews? Especially if you don't get the job and need to do that 3 or 4 times over? It's giving me sleepless nights!

Take it one step at a time.

You don't know if future interviews will be multistage so that may not be a problem.

You current employers have no right to quiz you on how you are using your statutory entitlement of leave. You don't have to justify it iow.

Depending on how long you've worked there you will be entitled to prorata leave amounting to c5 weeks - do you have enough in the bank to enable you to take legit. time off if you get called to interview? That's all you need to worry about.

You're right, daisychain01 - I shouldn't need to give a reason why. I think when it's inconvenient timing and short notice, they want to know why the urgency, but might be a good idea to keep my explanations brief and vague!

These multi-stage interviews do seem to be the trend nowadays - annoyingly so! Would be great if they could have you come in once and speak to a number of different people/do asssessments etc. in one go.

All very well to say you don't have to explain why you need to take leave but in many work situations taking single days or half-days off at short notice is bound to cause some raised eyebrows, if there are two or three in a close proximity.