Filing vacation requests after receiving a job offer is a generally tough question. Every employee deserves time off, but when you’re brand new to work, free time may feel like it’s on the back burner.
Except that it doesn’t always work that way. You may have had an interview and got hired while planning a vacation; or maybe a vital event – like someone’s wedding – has long been planned during your third week of work. The truth is, there are ways to get it right so the question doesn’t come off carelessly.
When to ask for time off after you’ve just started a job
You may hear things from certain workplace experts that point out specific rules, such as: B. a measurable amount of time that shows that you’ve paid your fees and can do a little R&R with little fear of repercussions. Most importantly, you understand a company’s culture and also know what your manager is happy with.
“Vacation guidelines vary depending on the company and the boss,” says Marc Cenedella, founder of the CV writing service Leet Resumes. “What is in the manual is just sometimes the way vacation is actually approved,” he tells Lifehacker.
For example, some companies have a provision system that requires employees to work a certain number of hours in order to earn vacation days. This system is kind of archaic these days, however: many younger companies have abandoned the notion that work is time to decompress, earned. According to the Society of Human Resource Management, such formats are usually a deterrent to potential employees who could simply direct their job search to companies with more generous vacation packages.
G / O Media can receive a commission
However, if you find yourself in the unenviable position of having to ask a boss about an upcoming vacation before you’ve allocated plenty of time, there are plenty of ways you can go diplomatic.
How to apply for leave on a new job
If you have received a job offer but have not yet signed it Your letter of offer, that’s the best way to address the issue, says Cenedella.
He explained:
The employer clearly wants you to join in and an innocent “How do I apply for a week’s vacation, by the way?” followed by ‘and is it okay if I do this for the first three months?’ will probably give you the mildest answer.
Of course, it’s understandable that everyone has a life outside of work, so it’s very likely that unless your request is completely off the beaten track – don’t schedule two weeks of vacation right after the first week of work. If you’re planning a wedding or family vacation within the first month of your career, just say it. You should not be questioned if something important was planned long before you were hired.
“The worst thing is to wait with a question until it’s a foregone conclusion,” says Cenedella. To say, “‘My family bought a cruise for the end of this month and I have to go’ puts your boss in a bind and shows that you don’t know how to communicate or manage well.”
You don’t have to play a guessing game either, but if you can’t read your boss, you can seek advice elsewhere in the company. “It is helpful to ask your new colleagues for practical advice on how vacation works for your new employer, and it can provide guidelines on how the company culture actually works,” notes Cenedella.
Everyone deserves time away from their desk. Asking about the free time without putting your boss in a precarious place should be easy enough as long as you plan ahead.
