# interviewing for a job, when's the best time to bring up that you have a future vacation planned? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 9, 2019, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interviewing-for-a-job-whens-the-best-time-to-bring-up-that-you-have-a-future-vacation-planned/838390 "2019-08-09T03:20:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2019, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interviewing-for-a-job-whens-the-best-time-to-bring-up-that-you-have-a-future-vacation-planned/838390/21 "2019-08-09T23:23:38Z")
> [@Win\_Place\_Show](#): > > Looking to switch jobs from one company to another, and I’ve got a vacation trip coming up in September that I’ve had booked and paid for for six months ($500 if that matters to the narrative). Already approved by the place I work for now. > > Any advice on when to bring this up through the interview process (starting tomorrow)? A couple of days after you start work? ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2019, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interviewing-for-a-job-whens-the-best-time-to-bring-up-that-you-have-a-future-vacation-planned/838390/22 "2019-08-10T01:00:57Z")
> [@msmith537](#): > > A couple of days after you start work? If you want to start out on a bad note with your manager that’s a good idea. It feels manipulative and the manager is more likely to be a bit combative and say no. At that point if the employee quit I’d feel as though I dodged a bullet. If someone is going to start a relationship by pulling a fast one then he or she probably isn’t a good fit. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2019, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interviewing-for-a-job-whens-the-best-time-to-bring-up-that-you-have-a-future-vacation-planned/838390/23 "2019-08-10T03:10:47Z")
> [@fedman](#): > > you sound way too entitled that your leisure activities are more important than company mission You’re joking, right? ---
**Author:** ![Win\_Place\_Show](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/win_place_show/32/13469_2.png) [@Win\_Place\_Show](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Win_Place_Show)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2019, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interviewing-for-a-job-whens-the-best-time-to-bring-up-that-you-have-a-future-vacation-planned/838390/24 "2019-08-10T03:40:16Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > You’re joking, right? {OP here} thank you for that… maybe “I’m the asshole” but I’ve always sorta treated this board as a “things you’d like to ask your mental health professional but you don’t want to spend $100 an hour to listen to their answer”, and I’ve gotten some super great feedback and answers to most of my dumbass questions over the years (including in this thread). This response totally caught me off guard as well. ---
**Author:** ![edwardcoast](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/cab0a1/32.png) [@edwardcoast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/edwardcoast)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2019, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interviewing-for-a-job-whens-the-best-time-to-bring-up-that-you-have-a-future-vacation-planned/838390/25 "2019-08-10T05:21:16Z")
> [@Win\_Place\_Show](#): > > Looking to switch jobs from one company to another, and I’ve got a vacation trip coming up in September that I’ve had booked and paid for for six months ($500 if that matters to the narrative). Already approved by the place I work for now. > > Any advice on when to bring this up through the interview process (starting tomorrow)? I wouldn’t bring it up until you negotiate a start date, which I’m willing to bet is going to be after you return from vacation. Look at the realistic timetable of this. Companies these days spend a couple of months interviewing people with phone screenings, and one or two rounds of interviews. Then even after they make an offer, you have to go through a background check, drug testing and reference check. That can take 3 weeks. ---
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2019, 11:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interviewing-for-a-job-whens-the-best-time-to-bring-up-that-you-have-a-future-vacation-planned/838390/26 "2019-08-10T11:33:53Z")
I was in a similar situation (though it was only a week). Luckily it turned out my start date was after my trip. I did look into cancelling, I could get half back (supported bicycle tour) Brian ---
**Author:** ![snowthx](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowthx/32/10660_2.png) [@snowthx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snowthx)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2019, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interviewing-for-a-job-whens-the-best-time-to-bring-up-that-you-have-a-future-vacation-planned/838390/27 "2019-08-10T13:19:35Z")
Timely question for me - I have an interview next week and a paid-for trip (several thousand dollars) planned for late September. If I get past the first-round interview, there may be a 2nd round, then the offer and negotiation stage (hopefully - and this is where to bring this up) and then background check and drug screening - it’s possible I would not start until after I get back. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2019, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interviewing-for-a-job-whens-the-best-time-to-bring-up-that-you-have-a-future-vacation-planned/838390/28 "2019-08-10T13:49:31Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > You’re joking, right? If there were a “/satire” at the end, I’d have chuckled. I think it was assumed/forgotten. ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2019, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interviewing-for-a-job-whens-the-best-time-to-bring-up-that-you-have-a-future-vacation-planned/838390/29 "2019-08-10T15:33:39Z")
When my son was hired by Microsoft, he had had a 3 month posting in Japan in his current job that he really wanted to do. He told the recruiter that when an offer was make and they postponed the offer by 3 months. No problem. Of course, in 1990 MS was hiring like mad. ---
**Author:** ![InsomniaMama](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ad7895/32.png) [@InsomniaMama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/InsomniaMama)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2019, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interviewing-for-a-job-whens-the-best-time-to-bring-up-that-you-have-a-future-vacation-planned/838390/30 "2019-08-10T19:43:30Z")
I just did this. They made an offer, and I countered with a request for 4 unpaid days, more money, and an earlier date to start telecommuting. We came to an understanding. Very pleased with my new job. ---
**Author:** ![TokyoBayer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tokyobayer/32/13989_2.png) [@TokyoBayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TokyoBayer)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2019, 7:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interviewing-for-a-job-whens-the-best-time-to-bring-up-that-you-have-a-future-vacation-planned/838390/31 "2019-08-11T07:08:25Z")
It would really depend on the job situation. I was hired for one job because they had a huge project coming up and needed someone ASAP, so they finally decided on having someone in that position. That one would have been impossible. Hopefully, a new job is worth more than $500, so it wouldn’t be the end of the world if you lose it. When I was hiring staff back when I lived in Japan, I wouldn’t have minded if someone brought it up during the hiring process. I did interview someone who made a ridiculous request during the interview, and even though he just asked if it were possible, it turned me off and I crossed him off the list. He was interviewing for a field tech position, and wanted to know if we would pay for international school for his kids, something like $30k each for two or three children. that would have doubled his salary. No way that was going to happen. The request in the OP wouldn’t seem completely unreasonable for my previous industry. ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2019, 8:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interviewing-for-a-job-whens-the-best-time-to-bring-up-that-you-have-a-future-vacation-planned/838390/32 "2019-08-11T08:08:48Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > You’re joking, right? > [@Win\_Place\_Show](#): > > {OP here} thank you for that… maybe “I’m the asshole” but I’ve always sorta treated this board as a “things you’d like to ask your mental health professional but you don’t want to spend $100 an hour to listen to their answer”, and I’ve gotten some super great feedback and answers to most of my dumbass questions over the years (including in this thread). This response totally caught me off guard as well. I am pretty sure it was a joke. But -------- there are companies -------- I work for an online retailer/seller I lovingly call Da Jungle because us peasants are never supposed to mention them. With what I have seen them do to some middle and lower management professionals, and damn good ones who make the company many dollars, it (you sound way too entitled that your leisure activities are more important than company mission) isn’t always far from the truth. There is a book out there written by a guy named Brad Stone that is well worth the read. As for the actual question you raised; I would go with once an offer is made depending on my exact feel of it all. And if the offer was really really beyond my expectations and I figured this would be a long-term gig, I could just maybe consider eating what I had invested and taking a better trip later. Probably not ----- but I would at least consider it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interviewing-for-a-job-whens-the-best-time-to-bring-up-that-you-have-a-future-vacation-planned/838390.md?page=1)