A
male
age
26-29,
anonymous
writes:Hi friends. I have posted here before and I find users here very kind and honest with answers. I want to ask advise about going for job interview.My company has very strict policy. I must apply for leave 4 weeks in advance.Office hours not flexible. I cannot go for interview in the early morning or late evening.I had interview a few days ago. So I told my boss I was sick. But I went to 3 doctors because the first 2 refused to give fake sick letter.But I read in Internet that it is bad to take a sick leave for interview.In my country I must provide evidence that I am sick. But it is very difficult.Now I feel afraid to apply for new job.
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male
reader, anonymous, writes (25 January 2021): Hi friends. Thank you very much for all your advises.
The interviewer company asked me to come for interview at 9.00am. My company has very strict hours. I must be at the office between 8.00am to 5.00pm. So I said I give up the interview and not attend it because I don't want to lose my now job.
Now today the interviewer company asked if I can come for interview at 6.00pm on Friday. So I agreed. Why I did not think this idea before? They will stay so late to interview me, during dinner time. Is this normal in Western countries?
Do interviewers in Western countries always ask for job reference?
In my country and some other countries, the interviewer NEVER ask for job reference. This is because:
a) The job applicant will always have a buddy in their workplace. The buddy can lie that he is a friendly worker, no enemies and say good things only.
b) The previous boss will always be revengeful because the applicant resigned and gave the company trouble because they must find new worker. The boss will say only bad things.
I have already changed jobs 2 times. Each time, no job reference was asked by interviewer.
I have a cousin working in UK. Everytime she changed job, they asked for job reference.
A
reader, anonymous, writes (23 January 2021): I don't know if others realized there is a Malaysian flag above your post. I am not being critical of your nation; because we are the last country to point fingers at anyone these days. The old order of government is less a picture of democracy than before under the 13 states of Malaysia. Though parliamentary, it still has a monarchy of sorts. We have to be careful how we approach your question not to get you into any sort of trouble. We do not know how your internet use is monitored for government security purposes.
It would be best that you save vacation time to pursue employment. A lot of companies are doing their interviews online or by phone; and not actually in-person, due to covid-19 safety precautions. You should ask each place you apply to if they will conduct online interviews? Your company may be purposely structured to make it difficult, if not virtually impossible, to seek employment elsewhere. Perhaps they prefer to dismiss employees, or that you quit; giving them the upper-hand to stain your employment-record before you are able to secure another job. Making it difficult to use them as a job-reference.
Don't go to on-site interviews, while claiming you are sick. I've known employers here in the United States who hire agencies to actually investigate to be sure. This is unethical, and a form of intimidation. Labor Laws protect us from such over-zealous big-brother tactics. Stick to online interviews that will keep you safe healthwise, protect your privacy, and won't offend your present employer. Many will interview at mutually-agreed time-schedules. It is a financial loss and inconvenience to a company to replace you; and they may have invested much in your training and compensation. Thus, they make it hard for you to use sick-time, personal-time, slowly accrue your vacation time, and sometimes won't pay you for emergency time-off.
They have a right to protect their own interests. Even in America, some employees have to sign noncompete agreements not to enter into markets or professions considered to be in direct competition with their employer. Their current employer may have to be concerned about corporate sabotage, and the sharing and disclosure of their company secrets and intellectual property. There is not always an ominous purpose behind their making it difficult for employees to apply for jobs on their paid time.
Just be vigil and careful. Use wise discretion. What applies here in the United States doesn't necessarily apply in your country; although you also live in a democracy. Employers everywhere have great latitude, depending on the size of the company. Larger corporations and government agencies have powerful political influence; so their policies reflect less employee-friendly codes and guidelines regarding your off-time.
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A
female
reader, Youcannotbeserious  + ♥, writes (23 January 2021):
 I have to ask, why can't you attend interview early morning or late evening? That is how most people get around this sort of situation. Most potential employers will be flexible with timing an interview if you explain you do not want your current employer to know you are attending interviews but you also don't want to lie to them to cover for your absence. I have myself scheduled interviews very late for people before so that they could attend after working for their current employer.
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A
female
reader, anonymous, writes (23 January 2021): I would explain to the company that you've applied to that you need to give notice to your current work to have time off. This shows your new employer that you respect your current employer, that you're trustworthy and wont skive. Then ask if they can call you on your lunch break, morning or evening to do a first interview. You could ask your current employer if you can leave work a couple of hours early one day for 'family reasons' or because an old friend is in town. Dont skive. If you skive you risk being fired. And your new employer could also ask your old employer the reason you took time off to come to the interview.
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A
male
reader, anonymous, writes (23 January 2021): Hi. Yes I have vacation days.
But I have to book 4 weeks in advance. New company usually wants to interview me in 1 week. They cannot wait 4 weeks for me.
Maybe I can book 2 days of vacation every month. I hope my boss will not suspect because it will be strange.
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A
male
reader, kenny + ♥, writes (22 January 2021):
 Probably taking sick day for an interview is not the best of idea's.
I think a bit of forward planning is needed here. So book a week off or a fortnight in four weeks time to keep in with company policy.
During the run up to the holiday you have booked this will give you plenty of time to plan and organise plenty of job interviews.
On your vacation time it is completely up to you what you do, and nothing to do with your organisation if you attend interviews for other jobs.
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A
female
reader, Honeypie  + ♥, writes (22 January 2021):
 Do you not have vacation days?
If you do, take a day or two off - and set up interviews for those days.
Trying to fake illness is rarely a great idea. It's how people get fired.
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A
female
reader, anonymous, writes (22 January 2021): Hi
Yes, employment requires us to stick to certain rules, contracts etc and when we know this contract restricts us we still have a duty to stick to contracts that we knowingly signed up for.
On the other hand I would never be tied to anything of this nature in the first place, nobody owns anybody and nobody should feel the need to sneak around in fear or start lying.
You should take a lesson from this, only sign up for what you are prepared to give of yourself.
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