How to Answer: Besides vacation and holiday time, how many days were you absent from work last year?
Advice and answer examples written specifically for a Cigna Corp job interview.
15. Besides vacation and holiday time, how many days were you absent from work last year?
Why the Interviewer Asks This Question
Cigna wants to hire a responsible, dependable intern who shows up to work when scheduled. The hiring manager asks this question to evaluate your work attendance in the past year. If you called off work many times in the past year, they might hesitate to offer you the position unless your reasons were excusable.
Written by Krista Wenz on April 27th, 2022
Focus Your Answer On
Focus on giving the exact number of days you missed work and why. If the hiring manager deems your absence from work an excused and unavoidable reason to miss work, it will likely not be an issue. If you have many unexcused absences, they may disqualify you as a viable candidate.
Written by Krista Wenz on April 27th, 2022
What to Avoid
Avoid saying you cannot remember how often you missed work or answering untruthfully. The hiring manager will contact your former employer for a reference and ask them the same question. It is best to be honest and explain any absences from work in the past year, allowing the interviewer to decide if your reasons were unavoidable or not.
Written by Krista Wenz on April 27th, 2022
Answer Example
"I was not absent from work any days last year. One day, I needed to take off to attend my brother's graduation, but I got someone to cover my shift with my supervisor's approval."
Written by Krista Wenz on April 27th, 2022