Interview date in the middle of booked holiday

TallGirl

Hope you don't mind me asking for help usually hang out on another MES board but have recently decided to apply for a new job.

Closing date for new job is 29th July interview date is 3rd August. I fly out to see my family on the 29th at 5pm and is not back in the UK until the 13th August. Bit of a problem isn't it!

Bit of background; I am currently employed in a very well paid job for a fantastic company where I have worked 5 1/2 years. My job is in Business Development and I cover a huge area across 16 counties the new job is in the same field working with the same people and organisation I currently cover however its a much smaller area. I therefore know the people who are recruiting, the current post holder and the staff very well.

You can either email or post the application to a named person so I was thinking I could enclose a letter/email explaining I won't actually be in the country when the interviews are being held. How does that sound? Do I offer I could speak to them before the 29th or is that too presumptuous like I am definitely expecting to get an interview.

Please advice if you can I would much appreciate it.

david39

I think you should contact them and advise them of your problem.

it will be up to them to either say that they cannot change their criteria for interview dates or, if you look a promising candidate, interview you at another time that is mutually convenient.

if they don't know that there is a problem, they cannot do anything about it. At least give yourself and them a chance to make alternative arrangements. Any reasonable employer will realise that by planning interviews at this time of the year, the dates will probably clash with some of the candidates' holidays.

TallGirl

Thanks David I definitely want to inform them just wondered if it was ok to put the application in early and advice I would be available at an earlier date. I was lucky enough to get headhunted for my last job so not done an application for 12 years feel a bit out of touch.

I do agree this time of year they must expect people to have booked holidays problem is they do need to fill the post asap.

Thanks

an9i77

Hi I work in HR and have encountered this problem before when an applicant is away. It will very much depend on a) how fast they need to progress the recruitment and b) how you compare to other applicants such as do you have a particularly specialised skill set. I'd say if the recruiting manager really wants to see someone they will wait til your back, or see you before the other interviews, but this is more common at second stage where they have already met you or at least telephone interviewed you. If they don't know you from adam and all they have to go on is your application, unless you are a particularly close match to what they are looking for it may not be worth their while to alter the recruitment process.
Having said that I once applied for a job which was a three stage interview and said at the first (telephone) stage that I already had another offer, so they amended their timelines to see me before the scheduled day for second interviews (as I had only a few days to refuse the other offer) and made me an offer before they'd seen anyone else. But I had already got to the first interview stage on that occasion.
I don't think you will lose anything by applying but saying as above that you will be on holiday and should they wish to progress your application can they interview you before you leave. That's probably a more likely bet than them waiting til you return. The alternative is that you don't ask, you don't get and then miss out, so what have you got to lose? Don't worry about sounding too presumptious, make it clear that this is what you are suggesting IF they wish to progress your application further. They will either really want to interview you (in which case they will see you before if they can), really not want to interview you (in which case you would get rejected anyway) or you'll be 'borderline' (in which case they may well not amend their interview process for someone they're not sure about). Good luck

an9i77

ps I don't think you are putting your applicaiton in early - 29th is closing date, this means the last date you can apply not the only date!

TallGirl

Thanks Ani77, its a one strage process and they already know me as I have worked with them in my current job role for the last two years so hopefully they will interview me early instead of after my holiday would be nice to get it out of the way.

I am having lunch with the current post holider (who is not involved in the application process) so will ask her loads about the actual job. However at the end of the day if I don't get it I have a good well paid job already.

Thanks again

shop-to-drop

I'd definitely let them know you will be away and ask if they can see you before you go. They will probably anticipating this as it peak holiday season and you may not be the only one. Better to try fit it in before rather than after, you don't want them to have pretty much already made their minds up before you are interviewed. I'd get the application in ASAP with covering letter then follow up with a phone call if they don't get back to you first. Good Luck to you and enjoy the holiday too.

smileylondongal

Definitely call them and let them know - you just never know what they might do for you and your attitude is really great! You're right you do have a job you're happy in and whatever happens, you'll be okay.

Best of luck!

marywooyeah

I'd definetly ring them but am not sure whether being on holiday would count against you.
I'd emphasise how much you are interested in the job but the trip has been booked a long time ago and its unavoidable that you must go.

have a nice trip, and good luck!

Wyndham

If the closing date is the 29th, I don't see how they can even have assessed any applications by the end of that day, let alone set up any interviews. But I work for a University, and there are strict rules about these things.

I'd put something in the covering letter to explain. If they already know you, they may be interested already, and may make an exception. As others have said, if you don't ask, you don't get....

TallGirl

Thanks for all the comments really helpful, I agree about the short timescale closing date is not until 5pm on the 29th and interviews on the 3rd not long. Saying that it is a very specific job and I don't think that many people would have all the skills they have requested and if they did it may be from a completely different field. I am pretty confident that if I got the job I could be up and running and would not need much training so that should count for me.

Anyway posted the application with a covering letter to HQ and sent an email to the named person (who I know) explaining the situtation. I will let you know the outcome. By the way the work is for a charity and they have 3 years left of their 5 year funding so everything will be done by the book in terms of recruitment.