Everyone deserves a vacation.  Regardless of your profession, working without a break can lead to burnout, poor work performance, fatigue, and adverse effects on your overall well-being.  You need a break from the errands, commitments, and responsibilities of everyday life, too!

 You may have planned a vacation before you found yourself looking for a new position.  Now you have an interview set up and you’re worried that your previously planned vacation may be an obstacle to landing a new opportunity. 

 If you’re unsure how to approach this subject during the interview process, there are several ways you can inform them of your vacation plans. 

Mention Your Vacation In Your Cover Letter

When your planned vacation is in the immediate future, you can alert an HR department or hiring manager by mentioning it in your cover letter. 

Near the conclusion of your cover letter, provide your contact information (phone number and email address) and availability (ex. “I can be reached at this number any time after 4:00 PM Monday to Friday). 

Right after you supply this information, you can add an additional comment about your upcoming vacation: 

“Beginning the week of (vacation start date), I’ll be on vacation until (end of vacation date).  If we’re unable to connect before that time, I would love to discuss the position with you upon my return.” 

Still concerned that the word “vacation” could be received negatively?  If so, you can always rephrase your response to exclude that word, yet still inform the hiring manager of your availability status: 

"Please note that I'll be traveling during the week of [date range] and may be hard to reach.  Although I may be unable to take a call, I will be checking my email periodically during that time."

It’s a good idea to get the information out there as soon as you can do so in a professional manner.  HR professionals and hiring managers will appreciate you being upfront.  And, it will be clear that you understand how being on vacation can impact others in your office.

Mention Your Vacation During Start Date Discussions

You’ve made it past the application process and an initial phone screening interview.  Now it’s time to participate in an in-person or virtual interview.  You’re prepared to confidently summarize your work experience and skills, the many ways you can help the company achieve its goals, and lay out your career goals with the organization. 

Although you’re feeling great about learning more about the position and discussing what you can offer the company, you’re unsure how to mention your upcoming vacation.  You may be so concerned about mentioning your vacation, that you think you should keep that news to yourself. 

That’s a mistake.  The company needs to know your availability.  It would be unprofessional to accept a job offer, begin the onboarding process, and then inform your manager that you’ll be out of the office for the duration of your planned vacation. 

Instead of being secretive about your vacation (and possibly disrupting day-to-day operations and damaging your credibility with a surprise announcement), be honest and transparent during your interview. 

When the conversation turns to the subject of start dates, it naturally opens the door for you to let the hiring manager know your availability.  A reasonable response to this question is:

“I have a trip booked during the week of (date range), so I would be able to start any time after I return.” 

Being upfront with information is not only professional and courteous, it also helps you avoid any awkward situations after your start date. 

Unless the organization needs to fill the position as soon as possible without any further delays, most companies will accommodate their onboarding dates around your scheduled vacation - especially if they are confident in your abilities. 

However, if your planned vacation is a few months away, an interview may not provide the best opportunity to discuss this subject.  

Mention Your Vacation During Your Job Offer Discussions

Congratulations!  The company has extended a job offer to you.  Everything looks great and you’re ready to sign on the dotted line.  This is the ideal opportunity to inform the company about your upcoming vacation:

“Thank you so much for this opportunity!  I am excited to join the team at (company name) and am looking forward to starting on (agreed upon date).  All of the necessary documents have been signed and attached for your review.  While it may be too early to discuss, I wanted to let you know that I have a trip planned in a few months (provide trip dates).  I am happy to accommodate my time off in the manner that best suits the company’s needs.” 

Informing the company of your planned vacation in response to a job offer is greatly appreciated.  Not only does it offer plenty of advance notice, but it also provides the company with ample time to make any necessary coverage arrangements.  In many cases, the scheduled vacation time may be covered by your paid time off (PTO) benefit (especially if it's several months away).  

Discussing planned vacations with hiring managers does not have to be detrimental to your employment opportunities.  You simply need to know when to approach the subject and how to answer accordingly. 

If you’re currently looking for new employment opportunities, Elite Personnel can make your job search more efficient and effective! 

Apply to any of the currently available positions so we can connect you with hiring managers at first-rate companies!