Written by Vaclav Koranda

How to Handle Taking Time Off for Job Interviews?

Attending interviews demands time for preparation and travel, spanning from a few hours to an entire day. If you’re currently employed, it may likely clash with your working commitments, necessitating some resolution. Many candidates ponder how to handle this issue discreetly and avoid disclosing their plans to leave their current job to their employer. If you’re in this situation too, you’ll find valuable insights in this edition of my newsletter.

A job interview typically involves a power imbalance. Which party has the advantage depends on factors like the candidate’s seniority, the nature of the job, the current job market conditions, and the urgency to hire or to be hired. It’s challenging for interviewers not to feel empowered, especially when they receive hundreds or even thousands of applications for a single position (like some of the most renowned brands do). However, I once found myself in a situation where we urgently needed to hire a key resource for an important project. In the entire country, only two individuals possessed the required technical expertise and industry experience. One of them was already committed to another project. Thus, we had to hire the other candidate to avoid losing the project. Guess who held the upper hand throughout the hiring process…

In most cases, however, the employer will have a stronger position and candidates may feel obliged to accommodate whatever date and time they suggest for the interview. But surprisingly, that may not be the best approach. Actually, if you openly share your work schedule with the interviewer in a polite and constructive manner, most of them will likely understand the demands of your current job and appreciate your dedication. There may well be a possibility to find a suitable time during your off days or outside of your regular working hours which solves your issue. Moreover, by proactively addressing your availability, you not only showcase your professionalism but also your strong planning skills, which are qualities employers appreciate.

If scheduling the interview outside of your working hours isn’t possible, you may consider using personal days, vacation time, or any other applicable time-off benefits that your current job offers. If you plan to change jobs well in advance, it is beneficial to accumulate annual leave or time off in lieu before you start going to interviews, depending on your company’s policies and applicable laws. Doing so will make it easier to take leave day by day rather than in a larger chunk.

If you’re on a shift schedule, you may also consider arranging a shift exchange with a colleague. In industries with shift operations, it is common that employees help each other out to accommodate personal commitments.

In any case, you should always make sure to adhere to your workplace policies concerning time-off requests and scheduling changes, and obtain the necessary approvals as per your company guidelines. You don’t want to jeopardize your current job before you secure the next one, do you?

Regardless of how you get your time off, you may still be asked to provide the reason for your absence. This is where it may get tricky. Depending on the applicable law in your jurisdiction or your company’s policies, you might not even be obligated to provide a reason. Nevertheless, you could face social pressure from your manager or colleagues. Choosing not to disclose the reason, however legitimate, could strain your professional relationships. In any case, it’s wise to have a response prepared. Here are your options:

  • If you have a good working relationship with your manager and they are supportive of your career goals, you can openly discuss the situation with them and explain the real reason.
  • You may consider using a white lie and give a fake reason (as most people do, actually). But keep in mind that the truth might surface later, impacting your credibility. Moreover, if there’s a sudden spike in time-off requests for various “personal” reasons, it might pique your manager’s curiosity and essentially lead to the same outcome.
  • Pro-tip: Schedule a real event, such as a medical checkup, on the same day as the interview. This provides a genuine reason for your absence that you can validate if necessary.
  • Pro-tip II: If you have accumulated leave as per my advice above, you may just well say that you need to clear your excess leave without mentioning any specific plans.

To make the right decision about taking time off for job interviews, consider your company’s culture, your working relationships with your manager and colleagues, and weigh your desire for the new job against the potential risk of harming relationships and your reputation in your current position.

And if you’re wondering why it’s better to keep your current job before securing the next one and how it can help in negotiating a higher salary, you’ll find all the details in my book, Get Your Dream Job.

Good luck!

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