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Excuses, excuses

You know that feeling when you first wake-up in the morning? Not the slow, lazy feeling you have when you first open your eyes and smile at the new day – I’m talking about the feeling of dread that overcomes you when your eyes snap open, you look at the clock and realize – you’re late for work.

A recent CareerBuilder.com survey found that 16 percent of workers say they arrive late to work at least once a week. Twenty-five percent of you admit to making up fake excuses to explain your tardiness (tisk, tisk!).

Primary causes

Bad traffic (31 percent), falling back asleep (16 percent) and getting kids ready for school/day care (8 percent) are the main reasons you guys are late to work so often.

He said, she said

Forty-one percent of men say they’ve never been late to work in their current position and only 22 percent lie about why they’re late. Compare that to 37 percent of females who have been late to work and 28 percent who will tell a fib if they aren’t on time.

Top 10 excuses

Think you’re being super sly about why you were late? Doubt it – 27 percent of hiring managers say most of the time, they don’t believe you. Here are some of th most unusual excuses hiring managers have ever heard:

  1. Someone was following me and I drove all around town trying to lose them.
  2. My dog dialed 911, and the police wanted to question me about what "really" happened.
  3. My girlfriend got mad and destroyed all of my undergarments.
  4. I woke up and thought I was temporarily deaf.
  5. I just wasn’t "feelin’ it" this morning.
  6. I was up all night arguing with God.
  7. A raccoon stole my work shoe off my porch.
  8. I super-glued my eyes thinking it was contact solution.
  9. I was putting lotion on my face when my finger went up my nose causing a nose bleed.
  10. A prostitute climbed into my car at a stop light, and I was afraid my wife would see her and think I was messing around… so I got out of the car.
3 comments
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Stan Steenhuis
Stan Steenhuis

Clueless. Telecommuters are never late for work. Companies that are afraid of teleworkers deserve this kind of stuff.. just my $00.02

Dan Schawbel
Dan Schawbel

This is proof that companies need to do more to incent their employees and make them not have excuses for missing work.

Dan Schawbel
Personal Branding Spokesman
www.personalbrandingblog.com

Morgan
Morgan

I could see 16 percent. I have a coworker that arrives late every day. I don't know how she gets away with it. If your going to be late that day, might as well call in sick.

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