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Earlier quoted context omitted.
This may be good advice. But what if one of them is "big advertising tech company" and you have meta-reasons for wanting to work for them (future signalling for example) but they ain't too accommodating on the interview side of thigns.
Your reasoning about this company may be a wishful thinking.
> I've reached the later stages of interviewing with multiple companies... Force rank the opportunities. ONLY invest your time in the top 2-3 that you're serious about.
That said, if they’re all final rounds this advice might not apply.
You’re not a slave. You have every right to interview wherever you want and whenever you want.
What really gets me is the time it takes to do the interview. I get needing 2-3 to confirm prowess and answer all of the logistics of the working relationship, but it seems like there is waste somewhere. I'm probably just impatient, but I'd welcome feedback on if that's just a Me thing or if most people find nearly half a day spent interviewing to get old pretty fast.
No, it's not just you. Spending half a day to interview because some higher up wanted "top tech talent" is beyond ridiculous. (Not average people that can still do the job, oh no, it HAS to be "TOP tech talent".) There is no reason why the interview should take more than 2-3 hours (and that's on the extreme side) where everyone involved just sits in the same room and takes notes.
They’re going to call your employer for a reference anyway. Why bother hiding it if you’re already at final round? Just take the days off as vacation days and if anyone asks where you are, tell them you’re interviewing for other companies. Your boss will find out very soon anyway. It might even lead to an offer for a raise. You’re not a slave. You have every right to interview wherever you want and whenever you want.
Not every company will blatantly call your former/current employer for a reference, there's procedures for that, and you can certainly control this a bit, as an applicant.
My suggestion would be to openly make this a topic of discussion with your potential new employer. Tell them that you'll have to manage the time as you're still employed and can't just run off during the day easily. They'll understand, even the big ones. I've been able to arrange all interviews at a time I found convenient, and that includes the big US tech giants.
They’re going to call your employer for a reference anyway. Why bother hiding it if you’re already at final round? Just take the days off as vacation days and if anyone asks where you are, tell them you’re interviewing for other companies. Your boss will find out very soon anyway. It might even lead to an offer for a raise. You’re not a slave. You have every right to interview wherever you want and whenever you want.
You may not get the job.
A good manager, absolutely have the chat. There are also managers that would take something like this personally and make it into an issue. e.g what if you are simultaneously looking for internal promotion and some manager decides this makes you look like a flight risk for the new role or any other number of scenarios.
Sick days, doctor's appointments, car repairs, waiting for the cable guy. Virtually any excuse will work.