[happygal]

Hi!!! 🙂

I am working as an accounting intern at an engineering firm and my boss said that unless it is an emergency to not ask for time off these next few weeks because of audits happening there, month end closings, etc. A recruiter for an auditing position just contacted me and did a phone interview (a very nice auditing firm!) and said that his manager would be available only one day this week to do an in-house interview and I totally froze because I didn’t know what to say, and I just told him the truth. Because that’s what generally happens to me when I am in that situation, I just blurt out the truth and after I told him that I apologized that I couldn’t make time for the interview for this reason. There was a moment of silence because I guess he didn’t really know what to say, and then he was like okay I will speak to my manager. Did I do the right thing? I just couldn’t think of anything else at that moment other than saying yes and then telling my boss I was sick, and I don’t like doing that. It would make me feel real guilty and I don’t like skipping on important work because it gets really hard to learn/catch up later. I would totally understand if that recruiter doesn’t want to talk to me again. I am not complaining, I just want some tips on how you guys/gals would have handled that situation, how to move on from it, and how to make time for interviews during work schedules. Thanks 🙂

[Credit Revenue]

You have to figure out how to get to the interview. You currently have an intern position. I would make a plan to go on my lunch break or whatever you have to do. Do you get paid anything where you currently are?

A - 79 expires 4/30/16 need a pass on REG
B - 78
F - 80
R - 83!!! Can live again!

[happygal]

@ Credit revenue yes its a paid internship.

[Credit Revenue]

Take a longer lunch and stay a hour later. Come up with something so you can go.

A - 79 expires 4/30/16 need a pass on REG
B - 78
F - 80
R - 83!!! Can live again!

[Anonymous]

Some places do after-hours interviews, too. If you are able to take lunch and take it at a given time (like you can make sure you leave at a certain time), doing your interview over lunch would be great, but if not, you might see if you could come in at – say – 5:30. I never realized I could ask for something like that when I was in a position that it would have been very helpful, but I've found since then that as long as you phrase it OK, you have a good chance of being able to do it after-hours. Something like “I'd love to interview. I have obligations at work on Wednesday, but will be free from them at 5; could we meet at 5:30?”

Alternatively, you may be able to schedule something first-thing in the morning and tell your boss that you have some personal business you need to take care of, but should be able to be at work by 9 or 9:30, or a similar line related to a near-lunch-time interview, if you need to leave earlier than usual or think you may be gone longer etc. – “Mr. Boss, I have a personal appointment over lunch on Thursday, so I need to leave a few minutes early and might not be back till around 1:30 or so, is that OK? I can stay late to make up the time.”

Being in a spot where you're not able to ask for time off but also need to interview is tough. 😐 I got a call back for a job that seemed like a dream while I was in the middle of a period at work that I knew there was no way I could get off work. It was a shorter period (we had a week every month that there was no time off – not even come-in-late, and some days we didn't take lunch at all, and we stayed till 8 or 9 every night) than what you're talking about, so I wasn't sure I could even pull off the “personal issue I need to tend to” excuse, cause my boss would be like “do it next week”. Thankfully for that, since it was a shorter window of time, it turned out they were scheduling interviews a couple weeks out anyway (government job), so I didn't have to worry about it, but I remember the panic when I got the voicemail and was like “Yay! But how can I interview?” Given that you can't just wait till next week, I know your position is going to be rougher, and I could end up in a similar position myself since my current job has a 3-month period of “you'd better not ask for time off unless you're dead or dying” type time…so I wish you the best of luck, and be sure to let us know how it goes!

[jessica8926]

i agree with credit. when i was interviewing i also told them i worked long hours and all the way out in the suburbs not the city. but they worked with me and i was able to go in super early or late in the evening. i also scheduled an interview the day of one of my exams haha so that was fun, but you just gotta do what you gotta do to get that job!

AUD - 77
BEC - 82
FAR - 75
REG - 81

Illinois Certified Public Accountant 2016

AUD - 69, 77
REG - 74, 81
FAR - 75!
BEC - 71, 82

IL candidate!

Finally done (5/24/16)!! Yahooooooo!

[ruggercpa2b]

I have done late interviews as well. Where I came in to work early and left early so I could make my interview and I just said I had a doctor's appointment. Also, I have done early in the morning at 730am and was in the office by 9am.

AUD - NINJA in Training
BEC - NINJA in Training
FAR - NINJA in Training
REG - NINJA in Training

AUD - 1/6/18
FAR - TBD
REG - TBD
BEC - TBD

AUD - 73, 72 retake 7/2/2016
BEC - 8/20/2016
REG - TBD
FAR - TBD

I am so ready for this nightmare to be over. Been at this way too long.

[Hello2016]

Schedule a super late or early interview ?

[Missy]

Today is already Tuesday, if the audit position is so inflexible that the will only offer one day out of the next three days to interview its likely a company that would be obnoxious to work for. You did the right thing and possibly dodged a miserable employer.

Old timer,  A71'er since 2010.

Finance manager/HR manager

 

 

Licensed Massachusetts Non Reporting CPA since 2012
Finance/Admin/HR Manager

[happygal]

Thanks everyone! 🙂
a late interview would be a good idea but the recruiter said that the latest that they could do would be 4pm which would not allow me time for my two hour commute to SF, I didn't ask for an early one because I didn't think of it at that time. I am over it now and i'll just apply to other firms after the audits in my current one are done with in two weeks 🙂 🙂 🙂

[Author]

Replies