How Do I Get Out of Going Somewhere Last Minute?
We’ve all had a last-minute change of plans—or more likely, a change of heart—for something we agreed to go to or do.
Sometimes, this happens to us at the absolute last minute and we need to come up with an excuse to not be somewhere. When it comes to sending a calling-out-of-work text or call, there are many options to deploy.
Getting Out of Work
Getting out of work for a day off can be tricky. It’s important to understand that by calling out of work, you’re putting your other coworkers on the spot to cover for you. Once in a while isn’t a problem, but try to keep your team members in your good graces.
“I Don’t Feel So Good…”
Something has come over you, your stomach is upset, and you have a raging migraine headache. Any plans you thought you had have been canceled, including that event you were supposed to attend.
If you employ this strategy, be prepared to answer follow up questions about your health, and be sure to keep your story straight.
Blame the Kids
If you’re lucky enough to have children, you can always use them as an excuse. Telling a boss your kid got sick or made a mess is a pretty foolproof way of getting out of work, at least for a while. It also works when you need to get out of an interview.
However, remember that staffing companies work with employers and employees, so the interview you cancel may be the only one you get.
“My Car Broke Down!”
Because America has a strong car culture with not-so-great public transit options, cars are an absolute necessity–this makes the classic car breakdown a great excuse.
Be prepared to follow up on your story with what went wrong and how much it cost. If they ask for receipts, you can always say your cousin performed the work—just hope they don’t ask him to work on their cars!
Personal Emergency
You can only pull this off once, but if you have a good rapport with your employer and simply tell them you had an extremely urgent personal matter, they may be okay with you taking a day off without raising too many questions.
If the above options don’t suit you, you can always ask for a sick day in a message, similar to what we mentioned above about getting out of plans with a friend. Similarly, the children excuse is a great one, especially if your boss is a fellow parent.
Keep Your Story Straight
Try not to involve other people in your stories—you never know who is talking with whom and it wouldn’t look good if your excuse came to light unintentionally. Make sure to keep up appearances for a few days, be prepared for questions, and have realistic answers.
Most importantly, stay consistent with your story regardless of if you’re talking to the person you canceled on or your coworkers.
The easiest way to do this is by keeping your story simple and short on details–this helps ensure no one is the wiser that you needed a personal day to destress and relax or do that really fun, last-minute thing that came your way.
Title: How Do I Get Out of Going Somewhere Last Minute?
Category: Career Resources
Co-Author: Becky is a contributor for theJub. She’s a writing and talent acquisition specialist who loves to apply her skills through creative writing and editing.
