Reasonable amount of time between offer and start date

[Anonymous]

I want to give enough notice at my current job and take 1-2 weeks off before starting my new job. Is it reasonable to ask for a start date that’s a month and a half from offer date? What about two months? I’m going from a senior management role to another senior management role, if that matters. I haven’t switched jobs in a while and don’t know what’s reasonable to ask for.

[Anonymous]

I’m in the same position and told them I need six weeks. I figured a month of transition and two weeks off. The recruiter said this was fine. She said 8 weeks or more is frowned upon.

[Anonymous]

When I started my fed job I received the offer early Jan and stated the end of March. Thought I was graduating from grad school, publishing my results, and getting married in that time and they knew I was getting married / would be busy!

[Anonymous]

I got an offer two weeks ago and asked for six weeks. Was on vacation at the time. Came back and gave two weeks notice and will have 3 weeks to veg out. With current job I did back to back with no break in between and regretted it.

[Anonymous]

6 weeks as well. Had 2 weeks to wrap up things at old job, then 3 weeks to focus on me.

Pro tip - have an end date mid-month, then schedule all your doctor visits before the end of the month while you are still covered on your old job's insurance. This way, you can hit your new job running and don't have to worry about appointments for a few months. I was able to squeeze in a dentist visit, mammogram and annual visit before my coverage ended bc I could take all those mid-day appointment slots!

[Anonymous]

My DH just asked for mid June start date and got approved (8+ weeks). The new job is 100% in-office and our contracted childcare cannot accommodate that so we have to wait until the end of the school year. Our son is only enrolled in Pre-K not full day because we stagger our current WAH jobs. His new job did not require reasoning but that was our reasoning for the asking. My friend also got approved for an early/mid July start date because she is finishing her teaching contract and then leaving teaching for a non-teaching position (8+ weeks). She also wanted some time before starting her new position.

It is much easier to negotiate when you already have a job that is 100% true.

[Anonymous]

I did not take time off between last job and current job, and I regret it. I would want six to eight weeks. There are reasons you are leaving one job for another, and you need time to decompress from that and have a break before diving in to a new role. You'll never have an opportunity like this again. Ask for six or eight and you can negotiate down from there if they resist.