Would you do an interview from vacation?

[Anonymous]

this would be a huge red flag for me and I wouldn’t do it. When you are a top candidate they are willing to be flexible for you. If you aren’t desperate for a new job I’d say I will be out of the country at that time and can only participate in an interview when I return to the country. Always remember you are interviewing them as much as they are interviewing you.

[Anonymous]

OP - Thanks to all for the gut check! DCUM at its best.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Hiring manager says there is zero flexibility on the interview day/time. (Which they chose.) There is also a package of work I have to complete over the weekend and present during the first portion of the interview. Feels a little red flaggy to me, and definitely not the way I want to start off my vacation with my family.

These are both red flags. I would decline.

I have twice taken interviews from vacation- once was a phone screen so it was fast and not a big deal (and I didn't have to worry about makeup for a zoom

The other time I told the recruiter I was on vacation and asked to wait a week. They insisted it needed to be that week so I molded my family's vacation plans around the interview date (basically made sure we were back from an activity on time, etc); did makeup, logged on....and the interviewer didn't show. I pinged, etc. Got an email an hour later saying the person interviewing me was on a "well deserved vacation" (!) and basically going on about how hard he works and never takes vacations so she was glad he went on vacation. Was super gobsmacked they insisted it be the week he ended up being on vacation. I withdrew from the process. I knew person interviewing for the same company a few months later and I looked and was able to piece together it was the same job- they had hired someone who left within a few months; another red flag.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Hiring manager says there is zero flexibility on the interview day/time. (Which they chose.) There is also a package of work I have to complete over the weekend and present during the first portion of the interview. Feels a little red flaggy to me, and definitely not the way I want to start off my vacation with my family.

Definite no.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If phone/Zoom is OK and your connection is good, then yes, I would do it from vacation.

I have done interviews from vacation. NBD

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Hiring manager says there is zero flexibility on the interview day/time. (Which they chose.) There is also a package of work I have to complete over the weekend and present during the first portion of the interview. Feels a little red flaggy to me, and definitely not the way I want to start off my vacation with my family.

I was originally thinking I would do an interview on vacation and might even prefer it but the total lack of flexibility is a hard no from me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If phone/Zoom is OK and your connection is good, then yes, I would do it from vacation.

I have done interviews from vacation. NBD

OP here. I have done it before. In fact, I remember doing the initial interview for my current job from an Airbnb kitchen. This would be my family’s first night in a different country, after an overnight flight. Six hour time difference on very little sleep. I think I need to pass.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would do it if I had time and reliable wifi connection.

Yeah, I'd borrow a blazer and if there was solid Wifi, go for it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If phone/Zoom is OK and your connection is good, then yes, I would do it from vacation.

I have done interviews from vacation. NBD

OP here. I have done it before. In fact, I remember doing the initial interview for my current job from an Airbnb kitchen. This would be my family’s first night in a different country, after an overnight flight. Six hour time difference on very little sleep. I think I need to pass.

Good call OP
They have already showed you they don’t respect boundaries and aren’t flexible

Enjoy your vacation!

[Anonymous]

Stand firm and let them know you will be on vacation and will not have reliable wi-fi. If they want you, they will way. If they don’t they won’t. The response will be telling as to what type of employer they really are.

I’m a hiring manager and we do try to work with candidates especially since this is vacation season.

[Anonymous]

I'd just tell them I was sorry to miss the opportunity but would be travelling internationally at that proposed time. Their response would to me everything I needed to know about their interest level in me.

[Anonymous]

They want to make a hire, it's hard to get the right people together at the right time. Just do it. I did last summer and LOVE, LOVE, LOVE my job. Have definitely set boundaries since I've been there a while now, and have started to prove my worth

[Anonymous]

A zoom interview?

Yes, absolutely. I would take time off anyway to do an interview, so if it was scheduled for when I was on vacation, I'd work around. It's what, an hour? 90 minutes, tops? Ideally would schedule early in the AM so I had the rest of the day for my vacation.

A red flag for me would be if I got sick or had an emergency and they could not reschedule for that.

[Anonymous]

Nope, pass

[Anonymous]

I would say something to the effect of, out of respect for your interviewers' time, I can't commit to being available. I won't know in advance the strength of the wifi connection and I suspect that could be an issue. I'm disappointed to hear that there is no flexibility in the scheduling, but let me know if your situation changes and you are able to offer an interview when I return after X date.