When to tell potential new employer about upcoming trip?

[Anonymous]

I posted earlier saying I thought it didn't matter as long as it was disclosed before background/reference check BUT I will say this is a different negotiating situation than an "office" job in that nannies are negotiating with an individual employer while the other thread appears to address negotiating with a corporation. Those are and should be different strategically.

In a corporate job, a preplannned vacation is unlikely to be a barrier to hire so it's really more a matter of negotiating the time off and it's premature to do that before you HAVE the job. In addition, hiring criteria are more focused on credentials and qualifications. Honesty is important in any job, of course, but since the vacation can most likely be covered by others, it's unlikely to make or break the hire (although any employer can always say no) and failure to disclose will not necessarily seem like dishonesty (although that depends on the job/interview/etc.). Any employer can always say no to a request like this, of course, but it seems less likely in this situation.

With an individual employer by contrast, honesty is likely to be one of THE most important hiring criteria, over qualifications and credentials, etc. In addition, an individual employer can and may have to rescind an offer if a preplanned two week vacation does not work for them - and it may not. In this case, if the family loves you and can make it work you're unlikely to lose a job and if they love you and can't make it work, you're likely to lose the job whenever you tell them. However, appearing dishonest at any point and time is going to cost you the job either way, and since a preplanned vacation may be a barrier to hire, waiting too long to disclose can look dishonest. I think that is why there is a discrepancy in the advice - they are really different situations.

That said, honesty and credibility is important in any job circumstance so I wouldn't advocate HIDING a vacation if it comes up in any context. Similarly, appearing to presumptuously think you have the job and negotiating time off before there are any indications of an offer are also off putting and I wouldn't advocate that either. The real answer is using your best judgment given the situation to determine when the request would be best received by your prospective employer and when it is most appropriate but also most considerate to disclose - especially if you are prepared to walk away if the answer is no.

[Anonymous]

OP, I've been in a similar position for a non-nanny job. What usually happens at the interview stage, is you're asked when you can start. I just told them I had this trip planned so I could start once I got back, that next month or whatever. There typically isn't even an opportunity to hide the fact that you'll need time off right away. If you didn't disclose the trip at that point, it would be misleading.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You simply tell them AFTER they make an offer. Period.

For those of you above who are missing the bottom line.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There is no double standard, 15:40. Everyone here has been pretty consistent in their advice. You'd probably be a lot happier if you didn't look for trouble with there is none.

You're right. Its simply not possible, despite all the evidence to the contrary, that some of you have a pretty nasty double standard against nannies and your expectations of them.

Exactly. The nanny has to be ten times better than they could ever be.

It's easier to complain than do it yourself.

[Anonymous]

My nanny told me up front (on the phone even before the interview) that she'd be going abroad for 2 months a month after starting the job. I liked her a lot and still gave her the job. She helped me find a replacement among her nanny friends.

[Anonymous]

How many posters in the jobs thread recommended telling a potential employer during the interview before there's a job offer? You seem not to have even read it, or you're in complete denial of the overall advice. Mind you, there was no mention of any particular job or field.

Exactly. No mention of field. This is exactly why that thread has nothing to do with this thread.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

How many posters in the jobs thread recommended telling a potential employer during the interview before there's a job offer? You seem not to have even read it, or you're in complete denial of the overall advice. Mind you, there was no mention of any particular job or field.

Exactly. No mention of field. This is exactly why that thread has nothing to do with this thread.

Exactly. The rules are always different for nannies, as far as MBs are concerned. You hold us to a different standard than you hold yourselves. We are but glorified servants.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

How many posters in the jobs thread recommended telling a potential employer during the interview before there's a job offer? You seem not to have even read it, or you're in complete denial of the overall advice. Mind you, there was no mention of any particular job or field.

Exactly. No mention of field. This is exactly why that thread has nothing to do with this thread.

Exactly. The rules are always different for nannies, as far as MBs are concerned. You hold us to a different standard than you hold yourselves. We are but glorified servants.

If you're so bitter about, why not find a different line of work? You know how nannies are viewed, be realistic.

[Anonymous]

OP, I know it confusing because there are so many varied opinions here but honestly, don't you think that in this case the opinions of the MBs are more important. The crazy nannies can tell you all they want that it's a double standard and since your employers wouldn't disclose a vacation before getting a job offer that you shouldn't either. But they aren't the ones actually doing the hiring so their opinion is kind of irrelevant.

Multiple MBs on here have told you they are more likely to hire you if you are honest up front and tell them about your vacation in the interview. They have also said that if you wait for an offer to tell them or even worse until after you start they are more likely to take back the offer.

Personally, if I thought you were the best candidate a 2 week vacation I knew about ahead of time would be no big deal. If I knew you waited to tell me until later though I would worry about your honesty in the future and I would seriously consider taking back the offer or if you had already started I would look for a new nanny to replace you.

And to respond to the crazy nanny who likes to complain about being treated unfairly, a nanny position where you work so closely with a family is VERY different than a corporate job where you are just another cog on a wheel so you have to stop comparing them. Personally, as a physician, I would (and HAVE) disclosed a planned vacation at an interview. When you are working closely with a small group of people as I do in a medical practice honesty is important and I would never want anyone to think that I was less than honest from the start. It's the same for a nanny position but NOT the same for a large corporation.

[Anonymous]

I think it is great you are going but it would be a deal breaker for me. We hire a nanny to do child care and we cannot afford to miss two weeks off of work, especially when they started (and especially if you want part paid). It would not be a reasonable option for us. Please disclose up front as I would not want to waste your time interviewing when we couldn't make that work.

Have a great trip.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think it is great you are going but it would be a deal breaker for me. We hire a nanny to do child care and we cannot afford to miss two weeks off of work, especially when they started (and especially if you want part paid). It would not be a reasonable option for us. Please disclose up front as I would not want to waste your time interviewing when we couldn't make that work.

Have a great trip.

What if she wanted it unpaid and could provide a few nanny friends you could interview (and liked) who'd be available to cover her trip?

[Anonymous]

It's easy to see that THE entitled mb (it's not mom boss, btw) cares more about herself than about her child. Unfortunate for the poor child.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think it is great you are going but it would be a deal breaker for me. We hire a nanny to do child care and we cannot afford to miss two weeks off of work, especially when they started (and especially if you want part paid). It would not be a reasonable option for us. Please disclose up front as I would not want to waste your time interviewing when we couldn't make that work.

Have a great trip.

What if she wanted it unpaid and could provide a few nanny friends you could interview (and liked) who'd be available to cover her trip?

Not PP but this wouldn't work for us either. If she could provide available backup I might consider the option but am honestly unlikely to because before I'd leave my kids with a new nanny, I'd a) conduct a background and reference check - not sure
I'd want to go through the time and expense of that for two weeks, b) work at home for the first week while DC got comfortable, and not sure I'd have the flexibility to do that at that point - especially not knowing if the full time nanny is going to work out and if I might have to do it again soon with a new full time hire, and c) having been burned on this front before, I'm not sure I'd trust that a nanny who says she's available for two weeks in February actually would be by May since something full time might come along for her. Wish I didn't have to be mistrusting on that, but like I said, I've been burned before.

[Anonymous]

Show me a nanny who hasn't been burnt.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

How many posters in the jobs thread recommended telling a potential employer during the interview before there's a job offer? You seem not to have even read it, or you're in complete denial of the overall advice. Mind you, there was no mention of any particular job or field.

Exactly. No mention of field. This is exactly why that thread has nothing to do with this thread.

Exactly. The rules are always different for nannies, as far as MBs are concerned. You hold us to a different standard than you hold yourselves. We are but glorified servants.

If you're so bitter about, why not find a different line of work? You know how nannies are viewed, be realistic.

Good caring parents are out there. No need to switch professions.