We need reliable people on our team at Waitrose. Besides vacation and holiday time, how many days were you absent from work last year?

"I had zero unexcused absences last year. I was sick for two days, and a note from my doctor accompanied those. Once I was late due to a terrible snow storm, and I notified my supervisor of the situation, so it was not an issue. I always try to be at least 10 minutes early for my shift."

"I am very committed to my employer and am only absent in events of sickness or the odd family emergency. I did not miss one work day last year or the year before. I do my best always to be available and present when expected."

Focus on giving the exact number of days you missed work and why. If the interviewer 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.