How do you deal with interview time off when looking for glide year job?

[Tofurkey]

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Hello,

I'm interviewing for some glide year jobs but my quesiton is how to you ask for/ inform them that since you're applying to med school this year you'll need some time off for interviews in the fall/winter/spring.

If they ask me how much time, what should I say? And does this fact of needing time off limit me to certain types of jobs where taking time off is easier?

What sorts of jobs did people have where taking the time off wasn't a problem? Did that mean you didn't get any vacation time?

I'm confused.

Thanks,

T

 

[gaf]

If you get a job that's salaried, you can use your vacation time for whatever you want. The tricky parts will be the actual scheduling of a couple of days here and there, and having the days in the bank to use for your interview. If you get paid by the hour, you make arrangements with your employer to have the days off, and you get paid for the hours you work (or spend vacation hours and get paid for the vaca time, depending on your arrangements with the employer).

Now, if you're looking at jobs where they are expecting glide year Pre-med types, disregard the next paragraph. Otherwise...

I'd recommend against talking about your need for time off at an interview. You don't want to portray that your main concern in a job is vacation and many interviewers will be put off by your intent to quit in ~ 1 year. Secondly, you don't have any dates in mind yet, so there's really no point. Employers expect that people will take time off. The time to discuss that sort of thing is when you have dates in mind

 

[SticknRudder]

I really think you need to be upfront with whomever you are working. I think the key is to find a job where your tasks are not dependent on a normal work week (M-F, 8-5). I'm working as a lab manager/research technician and told my PI that medical school interviews were going to take a good portion of time away. Really, it doesn't impact very much. The only consequence is that sometimes I have to come in late at night, or sometimes on the weekend to start or finish some experiment. It works pretty well for me. I don't know what other people's experience is, but my job really isn't dependent on a steady schedule. As long as the projects are getting done, they don't care when I'm around.

 

[NubianPrincess]

Having just graduated, I cannot spend the next year or two years unemployed. I am interviewing for jobs now, and if they even smell medical school applications on my breath, they don't seriously consider me for the position. Times are tough.