ettiquette for missing work for interviews?

[jonno]

i've got 2 interviews, and i'm currently working full time. my boss doesn't know i'm applying to med school (i currently work in research, and i told a fib during my job interview and said that i wasn't planning on going to grad school for a while - i'm not a bad person, really, i just needed a job really badly!)

so,this puts me in a bind - i've been debating as to whether or not to just tell my boss or to call in sick. here's the twist - i've got no vacation days left and i'll need to use sick days to go to the interviews. my boss is also connected to one of the med schools i'm applying to, although i don't think he'd find out, but there's always that chance. he's also a great guy and i feel kind of bad going behind his back but it needs to be done one way or another.
has anyone been in a similar situation, and if so, what do you think i should do?

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[riceman04]

i've got 2 interviews, and i'm currently working full time. my boss doesn't know i'm applying to med school (i currently work in research, and i told a fib during my job interview and said that i wasn't planning on going to grad school for a while - i'm not a bad person, really, i just needed a job really badly!)

so,this puts me in a bind - i've been debating as to whether or not to just tell my boss or to call in sick. here's the twist - i've got no vacation days left and i'll need to use sick days to go to the interviews. my boss is also connected to one of the med schools i'm applying to, although i don't think he'd find out, but there's always that chance. he's also a great guy and i feel kind of bad going behind his back but it needs to be done one way or another.
has anyone been in a similar situation, and if so, what do you think i should do?

I will not experience this until next year (during the next app process) but I think you should be up front with him since he is a cool person and is affiliated with a medical school. Since you are involved in research is there a way to have make up days for days you miss. For instance, you could ask about making up hours on the weekend or after regular working hours. Think about how you really think he would react and then be upfront with him. I think that he will be happy to find out that you are applying to med school. If you get into the school with which he is affiliated then you might be able continue working in his lab during the summers and maybe even one day a week (for a few hours) once you start.

good luck! Dont be hesitant to let him know! The last thing you would want him to do is somehow find out from someone else. Good luck and congrats on your accomplishments thus far!!!

Keep chugging!

 

[jonno]

I will not experience this until next year (during the next app process) but I think you should be up front with him since he is a cool person and is affiliated with a medical school. Since you are involved in research is there a way to have make up days for days you miss. For instance, you could ask about making up hours on the weekend or after regular working hours. Think about how you really think he would react and then be upfront with him. I think that he will be happy to find out that you are applying to med school. If you get into the school with which he is affiliated then you might be able continue working in his lab during the summers and maybe even one day a week (for a few hours) once you start.

good luck! Dont be hesitant to let him know! The last thing you would want him to do is somehow find out from someone else. Good luck and congrats on your accomplishments thus far!!!

Keep chugging!

yeah, you're probably right - its not what i wanted to hear though! its just that i already had an emergency and had to use all my vacation days plus some and rearrange the schedule earlier, so i feel like i'm pushing it by telling him i might be leaving and asking for a favor at the same time on top of all the other stuff.

thanks for the advice

jonno

 

[ClearDay]

i've got 2 interviews, and i'm currently working full time. my boss doesn't know i'm applying to med school (i currently work in research, and i told a fib during my job interview and said that i wasn't planning on going to grad school for a while - i'm not a bad person, really, i just needed a job really badly!)

so,this puts me in a bind - i've been debating as to whether or not to just tell my boss or to call in sick. here's the twist - i've got no vacation days left and i'll need to use sick days to go to the interviews. my boss is also connected to one of the med schools i'm applying to, although i don't think he'd find out, but there's always that chance. he's also a great guy and i feel kind of bad going behind his back but it needs to be done one way or another.
has anyone been in a similar situation, and if so, what do you think i should do?

I was in a similar situation... I got away with 3 interviews without telling them (I used some personal days). By the 4th and 5th interview, it was obvious that I had to tell my boss (because I respect my boss and I think she already knew). It was no big deal for her. In the end, I think being honest pays off.

P.S. You don't have to use your sick days... Maybe you can just do leave without pay?

 

[PharmD2MD]

i've got 2 interviews, and i'm currently working full time. my boss doesn't know i'm applying to med school (i currently work in research, and i told a fib during my job interview and said that i wasn't planning on going to grad school for a while - i'm not a bad person, really, i just needed a job really badly!)

so,this puts me in a bind - i've been debating as to whether or not to just tell my boss or to call in sick. here's the twist - i've got no vacation days left and i'll need to use sick days to go to the interviews. my boss is also connected to one of the med schools i'm applying to, although i don't think he'd find out, but there's always that chance. he's also a great guy and i feel kind of bad going behind his back but it needs to be done one way or another.
has anyone been in a similar situation, and if so, what do you think i should do?

I'm in the same situation. Fortunately, I work a few weekends here and there and they compensate me by scheduling the days off when I request them. I don't plan on telling them about med school until I'm certain that I am going.

I just tell them I have an appointment or "stuff to take care of" or something equally vague. So far, they haven't asked any questions. Don't feel bad about it- med school is a big roll of the dice, so I feel like I need to advance my current career while pursuing med school at the same time. I would recommend being vague and taking the sick time.

 

[gary5]

You can't win with your situation. I'd say that they better option is to call in sick, versus explaining that you're applying to med school. I was working when I applied and never told my employer. If they had known, I would have been the first selection for layoffs, which is not a good thing.

 

[riceman04]

You can't win with your situation. I'd say that they better option is to call in sick, versus explaining that you're applying to med school. I was working when I applied and never told my employer. If they had known, I would have been the first selection for layoffs, which is not a good thing.

But then it does depend on what kind of job you have.

 

[doctoresse]

I am on the same boat, I haven't told my boss but i told my direct supervisor who totally understands that I want to keep it for myself until I am accepted (he actually recommended that). Just because I still want to work there until I get accepted and would certainly be passed on for promotions, important projects... Plus I would hate having everybody at work asking me how it's going so far, if I got accepted and so on.
I knew I would probably need to take days off for interviews so I accumulated my vacation time and that's what I am using for interviews far away. We do not carry sick days so I might as well use them for interviews close to home. I work in a lab too so I arrange to get a ton of work done before leaving. But you have to look out for your best interests, nobody else will do it.

 

[Doctor Bagel]

You can't win with your situation. I'd say that they better option is to call in sick, versus explaining that you're applying to med school. I was working when I applied and never told my employer. If they had known, I would have been the first selection for layoffs, which is not a good thing.

man, i dream of getting laid off. realistically, if there were any talk of layoffs at my company, i'd offer to be put on the high list just because it would much less devastating to me to get laid off than to one of my coworkers who wasn't already planning on quitting in the summer.

i haven't directly told my supervisor because i've just been using vacation for interviews. i feel like i've told everybody else, though, so i'm sure the word's gotten out. i have my annual review soon, and i'll probably need to bring it up then.

to the op, this is a tough one. i'd definitely be honest with your boss if you hadn't already lied to him to get the job. as it is, he might feel a bit betrayed. how long ago was the first lie? if it was several months ago, you could reasonably say that you changed your mind afterwards and decided to apply. if it was like a month ago, i think you'd need to stick with the lie and call in sick.

 

[Elastase]

I would definitely be honest. It is what will define your medical career.

I also work in the lab, and worked overtime constantly before applying to med school, so my boss is cool whenever I take time off. However, he will be relieved when my interviews are over. I plan to continue working over 40 hours when I done with this whole process until I go to med school next Fall. When you work in a lab, there just isn't enough time for all the experiments planned.

I would tell your boss, and work your a$$ off in the lab. Good luck!

 

[45408]

Be honest, but keep it on a "need to know" basis. Tell him you have an appointment that day, and you'll take time off without pay. If he really presses, then tell him what it's for, but he might not really care if you just say you have an appointment.

 

[beefballs]

I disagree with most on this thread, I am in your exact position and until you hold an acceptance in your hand your future is still up in the air. I said in my interview that I had future goals and hoped to further my education but was deliberately deflective of any questions regarding a timetable. I respect my boss and enjoy and work hard at work but I will not risk the paycheck my wife and I depend on until I know for sure that I am in. It may sound cold but you have to take care of yourself first.
best of luck and as soon as you have an acceptance then would be the appropriate time to say something.

 

[Ashanti Rock]

I also work in a research lab and during my interview I was asked where do you see yourself in 5 years, I answered by saying that I would like to eventually go back to school and become a physician and changed the topic. This left my boss (also an MD) knowing that this was something I was interested in but not gving a specific time sequence. I had already began AMCAS before I had even started my job, but I made it a point not to disclose my plans until I was accepted. After my first acceptance, I actually told him and he was really supportive. I just plan on working extra hard so that when I'm gone for interviews the work is still getting done. I think honesty is the best policy. Being upfront made my boss realize how serious I was and he is even trying to send out a couple of papers with me in hopes that it will help me with the process or later on applying for residencies.

 

[mintendo]

If he never asked you when you were planning on going to med school, then just go ahead and tell him. If you actually lied about applying to med school this year, then I think it's best to not tell him about your interviews.

 

[jonno]

If he never asked you when you were planning on going to med school, then just go ahead and tell him. If you actually lied about applying to med school this year, then I think it's best to not tell him about your interviews.

thanks a lot for all the input guys. i've decided to keep it to myself. it would be a different situation if i had vacation days to take, but i don't, so telling the boss would be a major risk, (a choice between going to the interview or keeping my job is not a choice i want to make). i'm in a financial position where i really need to keep my job until med school (hopefully) starts. i'm going to take the sick day but come in on the weekend even though my sick days are paid.