It's only ten weeks until Christmas. The flights are booked, the family is expecting you and the batch is sorted. Then the job you've been waiting for appears. Or maybe your plans are for Easter and you're wondering how a new employer would feel about you asking for time off only a few months into the role.
Do you apply, or do you wait until the timing feels right?
I recently worked with a candidate who faced exactly this. He applied for a role that suited him well, then withdrew his application. He already had plans and he felt that starting a new job and then asking for leave would be disloyal. He also worried it wouldn't sit well with the client.
I respected his loyalty, but I also knew he was the right person for the role. So we talked it through with the client. The client was very accommodating, and a big part of that was because our candidate had been upfront and honest from the start. Far from counting against him, his openness showed the kind of integrity the client was looking for. He's now part of their team.
That's the part many candidates don't expect. Employers understand that people make plans, especially when travel, family and time away have been organised months in advance. A booked holiday is rarely what stands in the way. Problems usually come from staying quiet and hoping it sorts itself out later.
If you're in a similar position, tell your recruiter at the start so we can raise it with the client at the right time. With the employer, the natural moment is when you start talking about availability and start dates and always before you accept an offer. Keep it simple: "I have a family trip booked over Christmas, and I wanted to raise it now so we can plan around it." Show some flexibility where you genuinely can, whether that means starting earlier, starting after you return or taking unpaid leave. Once it's agreed, make sure it's written into your offer.
For employers, a candidate who tells you about their plans before you ask is showing you honesty and good planning. A little flexibility now often earns a great deal of loyalty later.
So don't let the calendar talk you out of the right opportunity. Have the honest conversation. You may find the door is wider open than you thought.
