How to Tell a Prospective New Employer About Your Planned Vacation

How to Tell a Prospective New Employer About Your Planned Vacation How to Ask for Time off Before Youve Even Got the JobNeed to request time off before youve even landed the job? It can feel awkward, but heres how to score your dream job AND your dream vacation.Youve been planning your dream vacation for months. Everything is scheduled your flight, your hotel, your activities, your meals, even your Instagram posts youre ready to go.The only thing in your way? A potential new job.It might feel awkward asking for time off from a job before youre even officially hired, but unless youre willing to cancel your plans (which you shouldnt have to do), youll need to bring it up.Dont worry too much. If youre lucky, your hiring manager will ask you if you have any time off planned, which could also include a week-long staycation between jobs. If youre not asked, though, youll need to know how to tell a prospective new employer about your planned vacation thoughtfully.Use unterstellung tips to help you score your dream job and keep your dream vacation (or staycation)1. Convince them youre the perfect fitThe company youre interviewing with doesnt have to let you take time off. Thats why its important to convince the team youre the absolute perfect fit for the job.Build your personal brand, perfect your elevator pitch, and polish your resume. Remember to tailor your resume to the job listing and pack it with relevant skills, qualifications, and experiences.Then, when it comes to talking about taking time off, youll have convinced them they cant hire anyone else, so pushing the start date back or allowing you a few days off wont hurt.2. Nail the timingUnless the employer broaches the topic, dont bring up your vacation plans during the start of the interview process. This is something youll want to discuss later on, closer to the job offer when the hiring manager starts discussing logistics. Listen for, When can you start? Once the hiring manager asks this question, then you should bring up your pre-planned vacation. Its not uncommon for hiring managers to ask, so be prepared to answer at any time throughout the interview process.If your prospective employer didnt ask this question, another great time to mention your vacation is when they are reviewing the companys benefits package with you.3. Dont apologize or ask permissionWhen it comes to asking for time off before a new job, exude confidence. Instead of asking if its OK to take a vacation, simply state that you already have a trip planned. This isnt an unheard of dilemma employers should know how to handle these situations. Its simply a matter of how you state it.Dont let the employer try to talk you out of your vacation, either. If thats the case, you might want to consider if the companys culture is a good fit for you.4. Keep it short and sweetIf youre nervous about asking for time off before starting your new job, jot down a quick script. Your request doesnt have to be more than two sentences. H ere are a few examplesBecause were discussing start dates, I wanted to let you know I have a trip planned from September 23 to September 29. Im happy to start that following Monday.Since were on the topic of vacation days, I wanted to let you know I have a trip planned for the month after my tentative start date. Can you explain what the companys time-off policy looks like and how this will be handled?Once youve shared this information, wait to landsee how your point of contact responds. Theres no need to give too many details or justify your plans.Final words of adviceBreathe Youve already done everything you can to sell yourself as a solid candidate. When a hiring manager begins discussing start dates, you know youre close to a job offer, so proceed with confidence.The best way to ask for vacation time before starting a new job is to simply be straightforward and honest. And remember that this is an understandable situation, so dont be afraid to just ask.Need some help finessing y our resume so you can get everything you want when it comes to a job offer? Start with a free resume review.Recommended ReadingAsk Yourself These Questions Before You Accept the Job Offer3 Ways to Boost Your Online Personal Brand and Attract Job Offers4 Subtle Ways to Evaluate a Companys Culture During Your InterviewRelated Articles