This is for those of you that do the hiring at your job

[dfchelbay]

I have been self employed for many, many years, but in the last year or so, many of my regular clients have cut drastically back. I understand this completely, as I have done so with my own budget. So, I am not earning as much as I have earned in the past. Something I know we can all feel, at times, with the current state of the economy between our wages and benefits. I am entertaining the idea of perhaps working for someone else to supplement my income. My hesitation is that I want to be able to keep our scheduled WDW vacations for December and next March. DH is the breadwinner, so please no flames about being thankful to have any job and my being obnoxious about wanting to keep my vacations. This would be a non-issue if our situation were different...trust me. We stay on DVC points. So, what points we don't use, and are not bankable, are just lost.

So, should I be up front about this in any interview I have, should I not say anything until we are in more serious talks about a job, should I say nothing until after I am in the job for a while. I want to be as fair as I can be, but at the same time I don't want doors slammed in my face because of one week in December and one week in March. I do not plan on seeking anything at a "corporate" type place, where you get one weeks vacation, after a year and you have an HR department to send all time-off request to. Been there, done that. I'll be focusing on smaller establishments, where we will work with one another. Where I can work extra hour, both before and after my vacation, so that the company will not get behind in any way. Or, I can work a little double time so someone else can take time off. Basically, a little more mom and pop type company, where we work together and help each other out.

So, what would you do? How would you handle it. Would you lay all your cards on the table...up front. Wait until you're given a job offer. Perhaps ask in the interview how they feel about this type thing, etc. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks all.

 

[sam_gordon]

I think you have to play it by ear. See how well the interview is going. I think simply saying you have some vacation plans already made, paid for, and are non refundable should come up fairly early in the process. Surely at some point during the interview, the question of vacation time (how much and when the roll over happens) will come up. I'd bring it up then. I don't think you need to give particulars unless questioned or job offer happens.

It's possible they'll give you the time off, but not for pay. It's possible it will cost you the job. However, you'll never know. Even if you did know that's why they didn't offer you the job, do you want to work for someone who makes such a choice in hiring?

 

[missenmickey]

We just returned from our planned Disney trip in August. Three weeks before we were to leave I was offered a full time job. Previously I was working part-time, and had been looking for full-time the last 6 months. I did not say anything about our trip in the interview. When they called to offer me the job I was up front at that time. I explained that I would be happy to take the job, however, our Disney plans were set in stone and could not be changed. They were very understanding. So, I started my new job for 2 weeks, then took a weeks vacation. I would not say anything in the interview. You do not want to give them an excuse to hire someone else. Once you are offered the job be up front. Most people understand Disney is an expensive destination and something that has to be planned months (sometimes years) in advance. Good luck to you in your search.

 

[cluvsdisney]

I would wait to mention it when you get a job offer and start to negotiate salary, etc. I don't really see it as a problem - we have hired many people that had scheduled trips that required time off. It was of course unpaid but it was granted.

 

[dsny1mom]

If I want an applicant bad enough I will work around their plans, if possible.

If someone would accept an offer and begin working without disclosing large chunks of time (large chunks being anything more than an additonal day off in any given week) they want off for vacations they would not be viewed in a very good light and might be replaced if the time they want off is crutial to the business.

If these two trips are islolated incidents say so. If they are annual vacation times then say so. IOW I expect honesty in availabilty before and offer is made. It saves all invloved time and money.

dsny1mom

 

[disneyofcourse]

With my employees only one of them didn't tell me up front about vacations scheduled. I had also asked during the interview and I guess she didn't want me to know so she could get hired. Then once she was hired, within a week(Day 4) she came up to me with about 12 various days for the next two months that she needed off including two days for the next week that she had know about "months ago". She didn't work out. If she had told me at the interview I would have been more willing to work out days and figure something out and maybe start them a few weeks later or something. If you know your days go ahead and tell them. My other two employees gave me a list of dates that they needed off when I asked them at the interview

 

[MomToOne]

I think this is something that is best brought up after the initial interview process, during either salary negotiations or perhaps during any second round interviews. It definitely needs to be discussed BEFORE you accept the position. And of course if they ask you point blank at any time during early interviews, be honest about it.

Since you probably won't have earned enough vacation time, be prepared to take unpaid leave for the trips. Tell your possible employer that is your plan up front.

 

[dfchelbay]

Op here. Vacation time without pay is a given. I would not expect paid vacation, say in December, for a job I began in October...I'd be such a jerk if I felt that I should be paid. But, I do understand there are people out there that would expect to be paid.

 

[MomToOne]

But, I do understand there are people out there that would expect to be paid.

I can't even begin to tell you...A sense of entitlement runs DEEP with many people. Sure, I'll let you go 2 weeks negative on your vacation in the first 2 months, because I'm SURE you'll not take another day off for the next year and a half, when you will finally have a positive balance - NOT!

 

[Pakey]

Almost everyone I have interviewed, if they had plans, have disclosed during the interview process. Although I have to stay, having 2 scheduled vacations would probably put me off of hiring. One, yes, but two makes it seem that the job would never be a priority.

 

[disneychrista]

As someone who does hiring I always ask those that I am considering if they have anything planed that would take them away from work. If not asked, I would wait until they offered the possition. Honestly if someone was to come in and right off the bat they said oh and I will need a week of in 6 weeks, they would likely not be given a second look. So if you want them to at least consider you, wait.

 

[Darcy03231]

The time to bring up any scheduled time off would be when/if you receive an offer. FWIW, corporate places are more apt to be willing to give the time off over small "mom & pop" type places, only because corporate usually have enough staff to cover a week long absence where a mom & pop type place usually has much less staff and its harder for them to have an employee out.

 

[ancestry]

I have been on both sides of the fence -- as employer and potential employee.

I believe this doesn't need to be disclosed until you are offered the job. Once the job is offered then you "negotiate" your already existing trips into the job offer. The employer has to "want" you before you really have any negotiating ability. If you disclose it too early on in the interviewing process then they may feel you aren't worth it and seek out another candidate. It is much harder for them to seek out someone else after they have officially offered you the job. Plus I don't think that any employer really thinks that you are supposed to have a completely open schedule just because you are job searching. But you do need to disclose these trips PRIOR to accepting the job.

The only exception to this is if you are interviewing for a job where you know in advance that their busy time is when you already have your vacation planned for. In this case then you should mention it during the final interview. An example of this is if you are interviewing for a job at a university but have a trip planned for dates that are their first week of classes.

 

[blanq]

Almost everyone I have interviewed, if they had plans, have disclosed during the interview process. Although I have to stay, having 2 scheduled vacations would probably put me off of hiring. One, yes, but two makes it seem that the job would never be a priority.

I agree: one vacation, I would go with, but two would probably put me off too.

OP, I do a lot of hiring in my job (am currently working to hire 5 in my department of 250 staff). Do not talk about your vacations until you are offered the job; then, negotiate. Most employers, if they really want you, will work with a preplanned vacation. Two though? If you ask me, you are pushing it. Especially in this job market. There are just too many qualified people looking for work that employers often have their choice of candidates. One inconvenience, like a request for two vacations before you even walk in the door, may be enough for an employer to send you packing as a candidate.

 

[Mickey'snewestfan]

Talk to me after I've offered the job, and before you signed the contract.

 

[TheRustyScupper]

I would wait to mention it when you get a job offer and start to negotiate salary, etc.

1) Yep.
2) Mention it at interview, and you are toast with me.
3) At offer time, you simply state the vacation and see if there is a work-around.
4) Be prepared for either a yes or no.
5) Some companies will negotiate, others will not.
6) Especailly for early vacation or vacation more than allowed in the first 1-2 years.

 

[Snoozan]

I recently began a new job(early May) and I was upfront with the 2 weeks of vacation I needed. After I was offered the job, I indicated I had 2 weeks which I already had plans for - first week in August and first week in December. I was not given any indication that this would be a problem and once I started there, I had my manager, not the hiring person, add me to the on-line vacation schedule. I was really surprised that I was paid for my week off in August - did not expect it at all so it was a pleasant surprise. This is a small, non-corporate office and the hiring person knew I was coming from a job I'd had for 30 years so was used to getting 5 weeks vacation. Being that there are no corporate guidelines for vacation/time off, I was offered the max amount of vacation time offered - not the minimum, like other new employees were getting. That was one reason I was happy to take the job - started with 22.5 days a year for vacation/sick time.

 

[tlbwriter]

I work at a "corporate type place," and as someone else pointed out, you may find they're actually more flexible than a small mom & pop outfit. I don't think you should bring it up at all until you are offered a job.

 

[ferrytale]

I work in HR, I don't do the hiring but am involved in the process. I
tend to say hold off on mentioning that sort of thing during the initial interview - I think it is presumptious to assume they are going to offer a position that they would have to know about the vacation. I would mention it once you have been given an offer or are in negotiations for salary, etc.

 

[kbgutknecht]

I've hired many people and would definitely say the time to bring it up is after they make you the offer, when you begin to discuss your start date. I remember some employees having similar situations. But we usually wanted them badly enough that we were willing to work with them. I was always understanding of what it's like to have things planned.