Article: Look up the location of the company office as soon as possible, preferably when you are applying to the job. Once you are offered an interview, ask for an estimate of its length. Is it possible to get there during your lunch hour? You might end up in an awkward situation if you answer a phone call and agree to an impossible time slot in your excitement. If the date is a week or more in the future, you can probably find a way to rearrange your schedule. But if the interview is offered at short notice, or you know you have an important meeting at your current job during that time, suggest an alternate interview time.  If you are caught in a phone conversation and offered an interview when you aren't certain of your availability, say you will try to clear up space on your calendar and will let them know soon. Call or email them back as soon as possible, preferably within a few hours, to let them know when you can make it. Some employers have unreasonable expectations, expecting potential employees to show up on a day's notice or clear their calendar no matter what. In initial interactions, assume the other person is reasonable. If you've exchanged a few emails and noticed indications otherwise, you may need to cancel important appointments or make similar sacrifices if you're still interested in the job. Be honest with your potential employer, and let them know you already have a job. The company you're applying to join wouldn't want its employers skipping work to apply to other jobs, so trying to arrange an alternate solution sends a better message about your work ethic. If the interview is not available outside of your work hours, and the location is nearby, suggest using your lunch hour. Be sure to ask how long the interview is expected to take, so you know whether this solution is reasonable.  Don't assume the travel time and interview length will stick within your estimates. If it's a tight scheduling squeeze, ask your boss if you can come in early or stay late that day and run some errands during a longer lunch break. Use one of your time off days when you need to schedule a longer interview or one located further away. If you can schedule several interviews for that day, even better.   Depending on how nosy your boss is, you might not need an explanation longer than "I'm taking a vacation day." Sick days do require lying, but with some employers or short notice interviewers, you may not have another choice. If you're planning on leaving your job anyway, using your vacation days for interviewing isn't much of a loss. "I have an appointment Friday afternoon; could I work longer on Thursday instead?" is enough for many employers. It even has the advantage of being true, which makes you sound more convincing. If they grill you about what type of appointment it is, just stick with something simple and believable, such as a doctor's or dentist's appointment.  If you are taking time off for interviews frequently, the dentist or doctor's excuse still works. Many people need to go back several times to check their dental work, and you shouldn't be expected to reveal your health problems. In your anxiety not to reveal your job search, you may end up making your boss even angrier! If you're lying to make your boss think you're skipping work because of a hangover, what are you accomplishing?  Always let your boss know before you take time off, not after. Any excuse sounds unprofessional once you ditched your employer without telling them. Of course you shouldn't fall into the old trap of "my third grandmother died", but really, even the first invented excuse about a family member is a bad idea. It's not uncommon for your boss to eventually meet the person you're talking about, and then you're stuck explaining that your sister developed amnesia about the race car accident. If your interview and travel time is going to take three hours, saying your son is running late for school won't sound convincing when you finally slink into work. The worst mistake is telling your boss the delay is caused by something he or she can fix. "I have a flat tire, but don't send anyone, I'd rather sit on the highway all day." screams dishonesty. Many large companies have daycare services that can look after your kid, so be sure you know that yours doesn't before claiming your son and daughter as an excuse. Most workplaces don't require formal clothing on the same level as interview dress. If you're coming straight from work, give yourself enough time to stop by a public bathroom, clothing store changing stall, or your home and change into nicer clothes before the interview.  If you have no convenient place to store your interview clothing, drop it off the day before at a dry cleaner's and pick it up on your way to the interview. If you manage to get an interview outside of work, but need to take care of your kids, hire a babysitter to cover you for a couple hours. If you can't afford to, find a responsible friend or family member to help you out for this brief period.  This applies to other obligations as well; you may need to reschedule less urgent tasks or ask a friend or family member to do them for you. If you are having a phone interview, make it clear to your interviewer that you need to know when to expect the call. Don't agree to answer the phone during work hours; that's an easy way to get caught.  If you have little time free between when you get out of work and your interviewer does, suggest a phone interview immediately after work, before you get home. You can find a quiet public park to conduct it in, or pull over by the side of the road if you are phoned while driving.

What is a summary?
Find out how long the interview will take, including travel times. Don't agree to interview times you can't keep. Ask if you can attend an interview before or after your workday. Try to fit your interview into your lunch hour. Use a vacation or sick day. Use a simple, vague excuse. Don't use an excuse that makes you look bad. Don't lie about a family member's problems. Don't make an excuse that can be easily fixed or doesn't give you enough time. Allow time to change clothes if necessary. Hire a babysitter if necessary. Don't schedule phone interviews during work.