I applied for a job with a closing date of last friday, on the form it said you will be contacted within the next 3 weeks. It also asked me if there were any days i could not be interviewed.

Any way they call me up yesterday and tell me interviews are on friday, thats simply not enough notice to give my current employer and i have work commitments. The prospective employer says they may not be able to change the date and that i should have ticked the not able to attend box – I could with more than 2 days notice.

Does anyone know if there are any guidelines regarding reasonable time between invite and interview? I'm kinda scuppered if not.

Take a sicky. If you are looking for a new job I suspect you are not committed to your current employer too much?

If their are any guidelines or regulations, quoting them to a prospective employer is not likely to get you shortlisted!

Agree if you want the new job take a sicky.

There are no guidelines at all (and neither should there be). I'm in recruitment and have had clients call me in the morning and ask to see the candidate that afternoon.

These are busy people, trying to fit in the balls-ache of recruiting into their hectic schedule. If you say you can't make the date, give them an alternative and if they haven't found the right candidate by then there's no reason for them not to invite you along. As long as you haven't upset them.

Make a deal of feeling ill today at work. (Ardentia?)

If you're keen on the job, you need to make that interview. If you whinge about guidelines, then they won't offer you the job. Perhaps they're testing if you are adaptable and really interested in them?

Sure you want to work for a company that acts like that anyway? Will they be equally flexible when you want some leave?

if you cant make it, someone else will (possibly somebody without a job at present)

if you want it, take it off sick