<p>A little background - S1 graduated May 2013 and was fortunate to land a job fairly quickly. It wasn’t his “dream” job, but he was happy to have it. Although, he knew he would eventually move to a new city (to be with college GF and other friends), he knew this job would allow him to live at home for a short bit and save enough money for the eventual move.</p>
<p>He has now found a “dream” job, in the new city. He has moved past the first 2 (long) interviews and they want him on-site (this Friday - its moving quickly) for the final round. He is thrilled, but feels terrible about “lying” to his current colleagues and managers about his whereabouts (the new city is a plane ride away). </p>
<p>He really likes the current company and loves his team, and hates appearing like a slacker. He already had to leave early yesterday for a 90 minute skype interview - he said he had a dentist appointment. Aside from calling in sick (which he finds so lame), or asking for a weekend interview (haha), we are out of ideas. He feels so bad about being dishonest and is so concerned about burning bridges, that he is tempted to tell them the truth - an idea we quickly squashed!! He is really stressing about this. </p>
<p>Obviously, this could all fall through so he may find himself in the same boat with the next position. Any thoughts or experiences with this type of situation??</p>
<p>Well, he can either tell the truth, which is not a good idea, or he can lie. Those are his two choices.</p>
<p>He can always tell them that the dentist’s treatment now requires a root canal, and that’s what he’ll be doing on Friday. This stuff happens all the time.</p>
<p>He is not a bad person for doing this. He is taking charge of his career. I’m sure if/when he gives notice at his current job, he will provide plenty of lead time so his current employer can make other arrangements.</p>
<p>In our family, we’ve used PTO/vacation days for interviewing. No reason or explanation of whereabouts has been given. Employers aren’t entitled to know what employees do on their days off, and it’s not that hard to deflect or change the subject if one is asked.</p>
<p>If your son has been on this job for 6+ months, does he have any accumulated personal time off? I know some people hate to burn a vacation day for something that’s not leisure related, but IMHO it beats lying (and then possibly getting caught in a lie.)</p>
<p>Good luck to him! It sounds very promising.</p>
<p>Seriously? Fake a root canal?! Sounds like he would just be digging himself in deeper! What about the “how was the root canal” questions when he returns to work???</p>
<p>Honesty is the best policy - or I should say a degree of honesty. How about just saying he has an unexpected personal issue that he needs time off for (and to hopefully resolve)???</p>
<p>If he can’t take vacation time and he doesn’t work somewhere that sick and vacation are combined into PTO (personal time off). he should simply say he has a personal issue that is going to require him taking a day (sick-day) off…he should not need to say anything more. If he has zero vacation and sick time because it’s used up or he’s too new, he should request the time off without pay.</p>
<p>As a business owner I never know why anyone is out unless they share it with me, I don’t ask. I give vacation and sick days. He doesn’t need to say anything except he’s taking off Friday as a personal or vacation day.</p>
<p>Maybe it’s just me, but I shudder at the thought of inventing a fake medical reason when there is no problem. Bad karma, taunting fate, however one expresses that. </p>
<p>How about:</p>
<p>Q. (from anyone at work): So, you’re not coming in tomorrow?
A. Right. I have to take care of a personal issue."
Q, if anyone on his team should ask a follow-up, even in friendship… “What’s up?”
A. “It’s personal.”</p>
<p>It has the added advantage of being the truth.</p>
<p>How about, “I have a job interview in X city.” ??? That’s what I would say! Good candidates get job interviews. Everyone knows that. Lying is the wrong way to go here. Tell the truth. Heck… if offered job B, Job A may even come back with a better offer for more money or position. It is a mistake to tell a lie for this.</p>
<p>So the update - he said he needed the day off for a family matter. He didn’t want to make up a medical issue. So far, no questions have been asked.</p>
<p>He does have “unlimited” time off, which is a nice perk but they prefer more notice than 48 hours. That was the biggest issue for him. He had the skype interview last night and heard back several hours later asking if he could meet on-site this Friday. They did offer to do another video interview (they realize he doesn’t live in that city) but he really felt the need to meet them in person, see the office, etc. He would have felt better about it, if he had more time.</p>
<p>Now, fingers and toes crossed for a good result!!:)</p>
<p>Funny story … my son had an interview on the west coast when he lived on the east coast. It was all worked out so that he flew out on Saturday, met the brass on Sunday, interviewed in the office on Monday, and was supposed to fly back on Monday night so he only had to burn one vacation day. The interview was in October 2012. What happened was Sandy! </p>
<p>His office ended up closed for the entire week – he couldn’t get back to the east coast, but it didn’t matter anyway. He ended up not using his vacation day and never had to explain where he’d been! As it turned out, his apartment was powerless for most of the week also, while he visited his new hometown. (He got the job.)</p>
<p>There’s a lesson here for all of us with jobs – when asking for time off, do not always explain why. That way, when you take time off for a job interview, it won’t stand out as an unusual situation.</p>
<p>It is never a good idea to lie and make up stories with reasons for taking time off. “Personal” is a great explanation - most people will not ask any further. We have a guy who got a job at another company, and he took 3 sick days off for “doctor appointments” and “flu”. Then 5 days after the “flu” he announced that he is leaving (and leaving his current project in total ruins, but why should he care any longer :rolleyes:). I guarantee that someday we will get a call from another employer doing an unofficial “background check” on him, and our recommendations will not be glowing. Which brings up another issue: it is also not a good idea to leave any loose ends and unfinished bits and pieces when you resign. Try to do as much as you can in your last 2 weeks on the old job.</p>
<p>At my job if they find out you are looking you are done-- and then if your interview doesn’t turn into an opportunity you are unemployed. The last few friends I’ve had who have quit have been escorted off the premises as soon as they turned in their notice without being allowed to stay for the two weeks. </p>
<p>If I ever go elsewhere, I will be “sick” and will be outta there! They don’t leave much choice.</p>