Need job advice

I have a job cutting meat. Not bad, not good, it pays the bills. I've been the 3.5 months.

I got a call from the opperating engineers union. This is a job I want. I am good at it. They've set up 2 previous interviews.  They also canceled 2 interviews on me. Haven't heard from them in a month.

The deal now is an "evaluation" consisting of 3 conservative 8 hour days. Dafuq?  I'm fine with it, except it starts this coming Monday, and I need to let them know tomorrow morning at the latest. 

I don't lie, because I'm not good at it, but I need to snow job my boss.  I'm not going to tell him, "Hey,  I need time off to go to a job interview." Hell no. I'm going to use my dads death and the fact that my brothers and all of his stuff is 1,200 miles away, his house is sold,  and the Bros need help with the remaining crap, because this is the last second before the new owners move in.

I'm not making things weird at work if the union thing doesn't pan out.

I have a good line if bullE36 M3 to feed him, but I hate it. I don't like risking my integrity. But I have to this one time. 

So, what do you do? Do you risk the job that pays the bills? Or run the risk to make twice as much?

It is a risk/reward equation. 

I think the "snowjob" is what you need to do for yourself. As you have said, the job you have is just an OK job... you can find another OK job. 

Also remember your employer is not a person to disappoint. It is an entity that makes money by capitalizing on the efforts of others. It doesnt care about you. 

I'd like to say never risk your integrity, but in the same situation what would I do? Honestly?

I'd like to say never risk your integrity.

In reply to Appleseed :

Do you have to tell them anything?  "Hey something very personal came up.  I'll be out Monday through Wednesday. Everything ok for now, hopefully you understand."

Do you really need to tell them why you are taking off? "It's a personal matter"

Also, did you know a masseuse is technically a healthcare provider? 

Edit* treed by stampie...

What Stampie said. 

Or invent another relative.

Don't do what I have done in that situation and just not show up to work while you tried out at the new one. Doesn't end well. 

Listen to Stampie and apex. 

Stampie +4

From what I can tell, butcher shops are always hiring, at least at grocery stores. I know my brother was at Mariano’s meat counter and said they could never get enough people to work. 

Say what you gotta say, which is “hey, I have some personal E36 M3 I have to deal with the next 3 days-I can work weekends to Make it up if you need me to”, and take the interview. If you don’t, you definitely won’t improve your life. Besides, who ever heard of a 3 day interview? They won’t suspect anything other than “personal E36 M3”

That's one bit of integrity I won't compromise. I show up. I've never just abandoned a job. 

I like Stampie's thought. Why does the boss need to know? I can always fall back on the BS story if I absolutely have to. 

You work with food, I see a gastro bug in your immediate future. No sane food employer wants a person potentially infecting their product with a gastro outbreak. Sure it's A little dishonest, but it's also highly plausible and because you're such a stand up guy with great integrity, the boss isn't for a moment going to doubt your illness.

Some bosses I know don't take "personal matters" well as an excuse... Their attitude is "your problems aren't my problem". Only you know your boss well enough to know if that'll fly.

Once we were interviewing a new Pastor for our church and he took a weekend off (vacation) and came and preached two services for us - morning and evening.  

We did a quick Q&A after the evening service and some dude gets up and asks; where does your (current) church think you are today?   So he makes the guy (Pastor) admit to us he probably lied to his congregation.  

In the future we tried to watch these questions.  Keep it simple on your end.  

Simplified truth (personal matter) = intact integrity. I like the idea of offering to make up the hours. Go for it and don’t fret.   

Quit cutting meat and miss all the jokes?

“yeah lady, I got your sausage right here”. 

Say it with a Chicago accent and then it’s funny.  

Chicago accent?  I don't have an accent, YOU have an accent,  not me. 

Blame your car.

1. Our job has a silly rule you need a doctors note if you call in sick 3 days in a row.   Some 1975 rule.  

2. My buddy turns 58 next March and is retiring next summer.  Crane operator- local whatever number Union in Chicago. 

Datsun310Guy said:

Quit cutting meat and miss all the jokes?

“yeah lady, I got your sausage right here”. 

Say it with a Chicago accent and then it’s funny.  

I had the crazy idea to start a butcher shop & even had a slogan: “You just can’t beat Pete’s meat!”

Pete Gossett said:

Datsun310Guy said:

Quit cutting meat and miss all the jokes?

“yeah lady, I got your sausage right here”. 

Say it with a Chicago accent and then it’s funny.  

I had the crazy idea to start a butcher shop & even had a slogan: “You just can’t beat Pete’s meat!”

If that was made into a commercial it has to end and fade out on a heavy wah wah riff

A minority view:

Have you considered telling prospective new employers you have a responsibility at your current job and need a bit of time to arrange off days?  I wouldnt hire you based on you ditching work for an extended interview. 

You:

"I cant just call out for 3 days on 24 hours notice, they need me"

Them:

"This guy is loyal and wont screw us"

They open at 7:00am I will defiantly call them and ask what are the alternatives if I cannot make it on Monday. If this happens again in, say a month, then I'll let this one slide. I really want a chance at this gig, but what I have to do to get that chance kills me.

Appleseed said:

They open at 7:00am I will defiantly call them and ask what are the alternatives if I cannot make it on Monday. If this happens again in, say a month, then I'll let this one slide. I really want a chance at this gig, but what I have to do to get that chance kills me.

Want to get ahead in life? This is how you do it. They’d cut you loose with no warning if they had to, if profits are down. Your profits are down. Time to do what you need to do to make your life better. 

In reply to mtn :

Amen. I just hope, at the end of the day, I can look myself in the mirror and be ok with what looks back.

If I say I am out for a death related event, I have to turn in a funeral card or obituary showing that I am family or something as proof otherwise it’s an unexcused absence. 

I had to pass on a job interview because they wanted me to leave mid-implementation to come in for an 8 hour interview. They were not flexible about it.

I told them I had to remove my candidacy for the position. Any place that can't be flexible about an 8 hour interview when a rollout is happening is going to want you to contort your life to their whims. Which is fine for them and whatever sucker they got to fill the position.

I guess what I'm saying is that if they can't be flexible knowing you're working now and have obligations to meet, maybe you don't want to work there.