Post # 1
Member
51 posts
Worker bee
Hi bees!
So I’m sure this has been a topic before but I haven’t been able to find a recent post – I am getting married the end of August 2015, and we plan on having our honeymoon starting the week after for a 3 week road trip across the US/Canada.
Now i’ve been with my company for over a year now – and it is an easy job, but not very challenging or mentally stimulating for me. I also know that in this position I am at the end of my availability for another raise, and I’m not interested in different role here (it is a very small company).
Obviously, with a wedding coming up, I want to maximize my earning potential by finding a new job, as well as finding something more stimulating for my well being! I was thinking about starting to seriously “hunt” in the new year, but I am concerned about getting a new job, then requesting 3 weeks plus a few days off around the wedding – even though hopefully it will be at least 6 months away from when I would hopefully be starting a new position. I’m also concerned about having any new stress that may come with learning a new position – i’m already starting to feel wedding stress and its more than 8 months away!
I want to hear opinions if anyone has gone through this dilemma, and what you did? Or what you think I should do? Should I wait it out in this easy position (that gives me lots of free time aka prime wedding research time) and start looking in the summer to start something new when I am back from the honeymoon? Or do you think employers would be willing to let me take that time off – even if not all of it is paid. I’ve also been thinking about finding a part-time bartending/serving job in addition to my current job, since that has done well for me in saving money in the past, and it would keep me stimulated in a working environment – although I wouldn’t have much free time or proper sleep.
Thanks for reading through this and I look forward to all your opinions 🙂
Post # 2
Member
9541 posts
Buzzing Beekeeper
Personally, I wouldn’t want to deal with the stress of a new, more difficult job while wedding planning. But if you’ll be happier with a more stimulating job, then it may be better.
But I did want to share that when I interviewed for my current position, I told them that I had already booked a 2 week vacation that would be a couple months after I started. They let me take the time off, without pay, without any problem. But I know they appreciated that they knew about it up-front.
Post # 3
Member
206 posts
Helper bee
I guess it really depends on your field. If it generally takes a month or two to hear from employers after application (like gov) I think I would wait until right around July/Aug to actually start getting active on applying. It may be a challenge to get the time off, especially if you’re the new guy and don’t have any seniority. You don’t know what kind of vacation policy a potential employer will have when you’re applying and 3 weeks is quite a bit of time.
I had to get special approval from my supervisor’s supervisor in order to get more than 14 consecutive days off. I doubt it would have been approved if I didnt already have a proven track record, which is challenging to do if you’re only a few short months.
Enjoy the free time this job affords, and use it to research potential employers, sharpen your resume, maybe do an informational interview with eployees in the summer. If you need a challenge, learn a new skill that may be helpful for your new potential job ( a program, read books).
Post # 4
Member
2563 posts
Sugar bee
Even if you weren’t a new employee, many work places cannot accomodate an employee taking over three weeks of vacation in a row. I know you are eager to get a new job, but it may be best to start looking in the sping so you can potentially have a new job set up after you return from the honeymoon.
Post # 5
Member
257 posts
Helper bee
- Wedding: March 2015 - City Winery New York, NY
blondebabe818: When I was interviewing for the job I currently have, back in September, I told my soon-to-be manager that I was wedding planning and would need to take about three weeks off at the end of March/beginning of April 2015. In the end, she said it wouldn’t be a problem and I think she appreciated that I was upfront about the time off.
From my experience, if a company really wants to hire you, they will work with you – especially concerning plans you’ve already made.
Good luck on the job hunt!
L
Post # 6
Member
1678 posts
Bumble bee
blondebabe818: i accepted a job with a new company about 6 weeks before my wedding, and a condition of my acceptance of the job was them knowing my wedding was coming up shortly. my training began just 2.5 weeks before my time off for the wedding, and i was out of the office for 7 business days. they were fine with it because they knew up front and even let me go negative in my accrued PTO balance to allow for my honeymoon. it wasn’t stressful to me at all. it was actually super easy and i walked away knowing i was still in the middle of training so i wouldn’t be swamped upon my return 🙂
Post # 7
Member
444 posts
Helper bee
I’m not sure what type of job you’re looking for, but three weeks of vacation in a row is a tall order for any employee to request off at one time (in the U.S., anyway). Many positions require a probationary period where you get NO time off at all. I’d say at best, you’d get two weeks of vacation for the whole year. And then you’d better hope you wouldn’t need to take extra time off for thanksgiving or Christmas. So, I’d really reconsider your plans either to start a new job or the three week honeymoon.
Post # 8
Member
2019 posts
Buzzing bee
blondebabe818: That’s tough, it would be good to have two years consitent employment on your resume (you aren’t a job hopper). It would give you more time for wedding planning stuff and getting prepped for wedding. Plus you’ll have all that time accrued possibly more so you can take off random days up to the wedding.
I’ll be in your boat in 2016 and maybe I’ll think differently then… but right now I think job security/vacation time would with my sanity. Good luck!
Post # 9
Member
554 posts
Busy bee
I would wait until after your wedding/honeymoon. Some companies won’t even let new employees take vacation the first year (I’m in Canada and I’m talking non-union jobs). Unless you can find a job that makes so much more money, that it’s worth the three weeks unpaid to go on your honeymoon.
Chances are you won’t find a job right off the bat and you will be looking starting a position a few months before your wedding and that sounds awfully stressful.
Post # 10
Member
5362 posts
Bee Keeper
Commenting to follow. I might be in the same position next year!
Post # 11
Member
51 posts
Worker bee
@salejolie and @MstoMrsH you are both right; i will have a lot more time to plan in my current position and hey, maybe i’ll even be able to research how to make a few extra dollars here and there 😉
@LyndaButterfly thats a good point about the unpaid 3 weeks vs a paid 3 weeks – the extra money/stress may not even be worth it if I don’t get paid – I work in administration, so chances of finding a job that would be significantly higher than what i’m paid now are slim.
@pumilionis you’re right about the holidays for next year – I don’t want to be tied up not being able to do something because I don’t have any vacation days left.
@blakenshiptobe @JenGirl @LAB its great to hear some success stories! I guess it really does depend on the job and company when it comes to time off – it wouldn’t hurt to try a few interviews and see where I get right?
@pixiecat I like your idea of looking in the spring/early summer – I would want to make sure if I was ending at my current company that those 3 weeks would be paid vacation, but i’m currently only on 2 weeks of paid vacation per year…
Thanks for all the advice everyone 🙂