Top Kiwi workplace lies to attend a job interview

A medical appointment is the most common excuse people use to attend a job interview without telling their boss. Photo / Thinkstock

Getting out of work to attend a job interview can be an awkward situation to navigate.

Job listing company Seek has investigated how many New Zealanders told the truth or lied when they attend a job interview.

"Our recent Seek research has uncovered that 20 per cent of Kiwis said that they have lied or made up an excuse to get out of work to attend a job interview," said Janet Faulding, General Manager, Seek New Zealand.

According to the independent research conducted by Survey Sampling International (SS)I on behalf of Seek, the top excuse used was having a medical appointment to attend, followed by people pulling a sickie to get out of work.

The top excuses:

• 1. Medical appointment (25%)

• 2. Feeling sick, ill or injured (21%)

• 3. External meeting i.e. away from the office (12%)

• 4. Car broke down (7%)

• 5. Just took annual leave (5%)

• 6. Family emergency (3%)

• 7. Non-medical appointment (3%)

• 8. Sick or injured pet (2%)

• 9. Maintenance issue at home (2%)

• 10.

Sick or injured child or other relative (1%)