Besides vacation and holiday time, how many days were you absent from work last year?

Focus on 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.

Avoid saying you cannot remember how often you missed work or answer untruthfully. The interviewer 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.

"I was absent from work for three weeks last year. My parents were killed in a vehicle accident, and I needed to fly back east to take care of their affairs. My supervisor was very understanding and let me take personal leave. Other than that, I did not miss any other workdays."