At what stage, and how, is it best to mention pre-booked holiday?

[CharminglyOdd]

Regretting booking it now but several months ago said I would join DM on a trip organised through her work as none of her friends were free and she sounded really down about it (to an event she's always wanted to visit). Due to the distance between us it will take six days, although the trip is only four, as I need to go to my parents' and back.

I'm recently unemployed (course finished last week) and am job hunting with a vengeance. I'm trying to break into a specific industry so looking at any kind of job in that area as I have little experience. Most jobs that I am qualified for (due to no experience) are agency-type placements for shift work.

The trip is in May. When is an appropriate time to mention this please - should I call before I apply and ask? How is the best way to phrase it please? Not had to do this before (always had student jobs where holidays were, more or less, flexible) and I don't want to ruin my chances of getting something. I also don't want to sound like a drip (have a feeling 'my Mum booked me this holiday' does carry an air of that...).

It'll be my birthday present, if that makes any difference as to the best phrasing. I thought using that would be more sympathetically received?

I can't cancel the trip as I've invested money (that I don't have) in it and my DM would be devastated, as well as losing her money (she paid half).

When I have interviewed candidates for jobs in the past, I have always asked if they have any holidays booked in the next few months (this would generally be in a 2nd/3rd round interview). It would never have stopped me giving them the job, but it did allow me to plan projects/resources, if I knew someone coming into the team had a holiday booked, rather than having a massive surprise on their first day.

Equally I have been asked the same question by potential new managers at interviews.

As an employer, most candidates mention it at their interview - and we do ask in an interview.

It's not a deal breaker; but may be a tipping point of there were two candidates level pegging.

In your case, I wouldn't specifically mention the circumstances, it's not relevant. Just that you have a holiday booked between x and y dates.

they're not allowed to use it against you.
It is usual to mention it in the 2nd round interviews (or at interview if only one round)

Thanks :) I'm feeling a bit at sea at the moment - not looked for a non-student job before and, as it's a small industry, want to make the right impression. I'll mention it at interview.

As an employer if I am seriously considering a candidate I would ask them at interview if they have any pre-booked holiday commitments.

am employers is not obliged to honur any pre booked holidays, but in my experience will try and accomodate it if it does not adverseley impact the business.

I interview people all the time.

TBH I think you are getting all worked up, and if you explained it ina first or second interview to me with loads of detail, it might actually put me off you as a candidate - we are there to discuss your capability in a chosen career, and I would think you are more concerned about your holiday arrangements than a job.

I think that if your profession is one with strong seasonal elements (eg school teacher wanting time out during term time) then you should mention it as the earliest opportunity, but otherwise I would leave it until either final interview or job offer stage. If continuity is important to an employer they'll ask it.

If it's just a week I wouldn't mention it until you get to the point when you are offered the job and start talking about when you can start. Unless there is a particular reason why you think it might be an issue?

If you were talking two or more weeks then I'd mention it at the end of the interview (if it went well!) when you do the 'thank you very much for asking me to come, I'm really interested in this opportunity' type wrap up, and then add something along the lines of 'just thought I should let you know I will be going on holiday for a week in May'. Or you could ask if it would be a problem as one of the questions, when they ask if you have any questions.

Thanks. As I said upthread, this will be my first 'proper' graduate job and I had no idea what was expected as my impression was that student jobs operated on a different holiday schedule. I've never worked for a large company with set policies for time off.

Do you even have an interview lined up yet? If not then seriously, please don't panic. Whatever you do, please don't call a prospective company up before you have even put your application in to advise them you have a holiday coming up - so what? They've not even seen your CV yet!

If you are lucky enough to get an interview, you may mention it - but ONLY if they ask you specifically. If it is an important factor to them, then they will ask you. Please don't finish up the interview by saying 'oh by the way I have a holiday booked etc' - because at the end of the first interview you will not necessarily know how well you have performed, and if you give them this little nugget of info, they could chalk it up as a negative. They shouldn't but they could.

The only time to disclose it, unless it hasn't already come up, is when they offer you the job and you start discussing start dates etc.