So I had a job interview last week which I thought went pretty well. The HR person in charge said that I would be told this week if I got the job. I have been invited and have been planning to go to my uncle’s wedding this weekend for at least half a year. Should I email them that I won’t be able to work this Friday (I flat forgot in the interview) or should I just wait till the call to tell them (assuming I get it?)
I’d hate to sound difficult-they sounded like they really need another person in the department, and I only got the interview after another person quit.
What’s the chances they actually want you to start working this coming Friday? Normally they give you a bit more time before they ask you to start, depending on how desperate their situation is.
If you haven’t been told yet if you have the job, I can’t see how they would want you to come in on this coming Friday (it’s also a weird day to start your job, depending on the type of job). I started my most recent one on a Monday.
Obviously they might have given you a different sense of when they want you to start during the interview, of course.
ie I wouldn’t say a word and wait and see if they need you that soon.
Yeah, standard notice is 2 weeks. Even if they did want you to start right away, I can’t imagine them getting bent out of shape for you needing one day to attend a wedding that was already in the works for you. (OK, I can imagine it, but it would be a huge red flag and I’d be questioning if I wanted to work for them . . .)
I started my first Real Job on a Monday. The following Monday, I went to my boss and asked for a Friday off (unpaid) about a month from then so that I could get married* on Friday afternoon and take the weekend for the honeymoon. I didn’t have any vacation time built up yet, obviously, but he was fine with it.
No, it wasn’t a shotgun wedding; we’d been planning to get married in about a year, but decided on the spur of the moment to just do it right away. That was almost 20 years ago and we’re still here; seems to have been a good decision.
It’s not at all uncommon to need to take a day – or even a week – off soon after starting a job, for something major that had previously been scheduled. You won’t get paid for the day, of course, but just say, when the job is offered, that you’ll need to take X date(s) off.
Thanks for the advice, everyone. I’m just worn out from the job hunt and I’d really like this job, so I guess I’m kind of getting neurotic about stuff.
I also wouldn’t worry about it. I’ve hired lots of people and quite often they tell me they need x amount of time. As long as it’s not unreasonable it’s no problem. (I also often have people tell me when I hire them that they’ve booked a 3 week holiday in six months, etc. - I find that very considerate to tell me now.)
And good luck - hope you get the job (and don’t spend the week worrying too much!)