Time off in new job may be negotiable

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Dear Joan:
I am in the process of finding a new job in accounting. As I begin the interviewing stage, I am wondering when I should mention that this summer my father is taking the whole family to Barcelona, Spain, for the summer Olympics. Let me step back for a minute. This trip has been in the thinking process since 1989. In 1990, plans were beginning to grow. Due to the magnitude of the trip and the extensive planning involved I do not have an alternative. That is I must go. Frankly, I am thrilled to death and wouldn't miss such an opportunity.

My dilemma is this: At what point in interviewing should I mention that I need two weeks off for this special trip? How responsive and understanding are new employers when planned vacations interrupt a new employee’s workload?

Answer:
Employers may not react as badly as you may think but it depends on how desperately they need to fill their position. A rule of thumb is to go through the interview process by focusing on the position as if you didn't have the trip. Only when they offer you a job should you bring it up.

Once the employer has decided it's you they want, they're not likely to let a two-week trip stand in their way. In fact, many people who are changing jobs have a vacation planned in advance and employers are quite used to working around it.

Some alternatives they may consider are to have you start after the trip; take the time without pay; or take it as vacation time (if you get two weeks). Another idea is to use it as barter if the salary is below your expectations. For instance, if the position only comes with one-week vacation you could say, "Although the starting salary is a little lower than I'd like, would you consider letting me take this as an extra week of vacation this first year?"

Other dilemmas pose similar concerns. For instance job-hunters who are pregnant should also tell the employer after an offer is made. If this isn't done, the employer is sure to be angry and will feel that the employee wasn't totally honest. And because a maternity leave will be disruptive to the workflow, the employer needs to know in advance.

The important thing is to sell yourself as the kind of person who realizes that time off for a new employee is an inconvenience for an employer. Tell the employer you will be willing to spend your own time training for the job and you will do whatever it takes to make up the time so that you can be as productive as possible.

Do you need answers to tough job hunting questions? Are you looking for some added punch to help you stand out from the crowd? Joan Lloyd’s has developed job hunting tools that can help you to maximize your job search: