Given how long I know people have waited for their federal jobs to come through, I would not plan on this!!

Totally fine. If there's nothing formal yet, you can't be expected to put your life on hold for months while you wait. Make plans and when you get the offer, say that you have them. Done.

Totally fine

With the uncertain start date I think you are fine. If you've made your plans and they happen to conflict you can let them know when you are negotiating a start date. I was in this same situation when I switched federal jobs some years back and it worked out fine.

We've had multiple people do this at my agency and no one has ever batted an eyelash.

Anonymous wrote:Won't make a good first impression...

OP here- this is a secondary concern to me, but the start date of the job is so up in the air I don't think I can really be faulted for the overlap. My family really wants to go to the beach, people!

Won't make a good first impression...

Yes, it's fine. At least I did it when I was hired some years ago. I took LWOP.

This is probably a really dumb question but what is the internet for if not dumb questions?? If I am anticipating getting hired in the summer for a federal job should I go ahead and make my vacation plans (1 week rental at the beach) and tell them when I am hired? Will I be able to take off days without pay, since by then I will not have accumulated enough vacation days? Everyone I've asked says this is fine for most employers but I want to make sure anyway since I haven't found a specific answer online.