[Anonymous]

Should I tell the interviewer?

I am going after my last Audit exam from the beginning of December until beginning of February, I am interviewing for jobs to start in February after I get back.

I’ve already told them that I can’t start until February, but should I tell them I am traveling for the 2 months prior?

Why or why not?

[Anonymous]

I wouldn't tell them if they don't ask.

If they do ask, you may just want to say that you have a prior engagement and leave it at that. They probably won't pry any further.

[Anonymous]

Edit: Oh, so you're asking if you should tell them what it's for? Then yeah, just say you have something personal and won't be able to start until February.

[fuzyfro89]

Depends on when you're thinking about telling them. Most people wouldn't really care. They'd probably encourage you to do some travel between graduation and starting work.

The issue is if they may not want you since you'll be coming a full month later than most other new hires after busy season has already started (for most audit and tax jobs anyway). It may not be possible to accommodate your request since it will be hard to set up training/onboarding/etc for just 1 person so late.

Would you be willing to move it back further to summer or fall of next year if it comes to that? Regardless, I wouldn't breach the topic until you are at the offer stage… unless of course they ask.

If they do ask, I'd first say you have something personal planned that you'd prefer if they can accommodate. If they push for a reason, just tell the truth.

Personally, I'd be annoyed if someone wanted to start at my firm in February. Training will be done for January hires and you'll not be very productive for Q1.

[Anonymous]

To some extent, extensive travel plans are less flexible than some other options of plans, so telling the plans may be helpful in their understanding of your need to keep them. If you'd planned to go to FL and soak up sun for 2 months (or sit at home and play video games for 2 months), that's much more flexible and they could more reasonably expect you to set aside those plans to meet their schedule. But still, like fuzyfro said, it does make it an awkward start time, so their ability to accommodate it may be limited. I've never had a job with such a far-in-the-future start date, so don't know a whole lot of the politics, just thought I'd throw in my 2 cents that overseas plans may be more understandable to them then an unspecified “personal plans”.

[Anonymous]

What do you think is the latest reasonable winter start date for an entry level Auditor?

[Author]

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