How should you ask for time off during the interview process?

 

Believe it or not, but you may very well find yourself in this situation someday. Maybe you already have. You are making a job change but you have plans for time off already set in stone. So how do you bring that up during the interview process?

The first question precedes this. Should you even share that at all? I've had many candidates bring this up throughout the years. What do you think?

Why have you been out of work for so long?

Read this blog from Simply Hired:

“Why have you been out of work for so long?" Another Tough Interview Question

By Martin Yate CP

My take is this. Don't be out of work for so long! Employers don't want to hire deadbeats. Sounds harsh, right? It's the wrong mindset, but it's the reality of what a lot of HR folks think about people who've been out of work for so long. So don't be.

You're probably asking. But how? I can't find a job. I'm getting an unfair shake. (I can hear Jeffrey Gitomer's whiny voice here) On and on you can go complaining and rationalizing your position, but that won't find you work. So what's the answer?

Easy. Don't be out of work. If you get layed off, fired, whatever don't stop. Start consulting. Go after business. Make connections. Shoot, you may find a job from knocking the socks off some clients as a consultant.

The best answer I've heard is "I have several (or a few) projects going that I would need to wrap up.

Please feel free to check out our current job openings on my links widget to the right. 

Prepare for Unusual Interview Questions

Okay. So you can't prepare for everything in the interview. You're dealing with people and people are random, meaning you may not be able to predict everything that they're going to throw at you. But you can prepare yourself for that randomness.

The goal is to think outside of the box in your preparation. Prepare your mind how to respond to random or seemingly out of place questions. Make a list of the areas an interviewer might test with their questions. They'll ask questions about: My personal background, professional background, my problem solving, handling stress and/or deadlines, specific experiences, growth, past performance, my behavior in regards to change or confrontation, etc.

Once you've identified these areas. First, think about the motives behind the questions. Why are they asking it? To get specific answers on my skill set, to see my thought process, to gauge my interest or emotion, etc. Second, think of specific ways you would answer those. Again, you can't prepare for every question but you can map out a pattern to answer the questions. For example, if someone is asking you a question about behavior in regards to change. The motive of the question is they want to know if you're going to be difficult to work with. So pattern your response to be agreeable and polite no matter what or who is the subject of your response.

Of course, these tips are for those who are trying to genuinely answer the questions, and doing it in a way that gets the intended message across. If you're trying to be deceitful, that almost always comes through, unless you're a great con-man. Which I wouldn't suggest being - that always ends poorly. The truth always comes out sooner or later. So be truthful but prepare for randomness in the interview.

Here's a few examples of random interview questions

Interview Questions - Google it.

Prepare for interview questions before your interview. The easiest way to do that is to google "interview questions," or "best interview questions," "common interview questions," etc.

It's just a good idea to have a few answers prepared for the interview. It'll pay off for you.

Understanding the Interview Process

Once you've engaged with someone about a position and you both agree that it's a good fit, ask what the rest of the interview process will be like.

You will prepare and interview differently depending on who the interviewer is. It's important, for example, to know whether you'll be interviewing with an HR person or the CEO.

It's also good to know what kind of skills or personality tests you'll have and whether they'll be online or on site. Again, that changes how you prepare.

Just remember. You can't just send people a resume and assume they can derive your experience from it. Prepare so you can show them your experience.

Sex, drugs, rock 'n roll, and F-bombs in a job interview!

I just read this article that has a few uncommon interview questions. I think a couple of the questions are good questions from an HR perspective. The questions about your favorite restaurant, reality tv show and your biggest regret are good ones and I'll tell you why in a minute. Some of the others are not, but you should prepare for them because a lot of interviewers/hiring managers will ask them. Check it out here:
 
http://www.businessnewsdaily.com/best-job-interview-questions-1820/

So here's why I like those aforementioned questions. The most important part of an interview for me is creating an environment where the candidate feels relaxed. There's a couple details involved in creating that environment but when that happens it makes people act as if they're not in an interview. It's amazing what people will say when they get to this point. They talk differently and start to let things fly that they normally wouldn't in an interview. Sex, drugs, rock 'n roll, and F-bombs. Yep, I've heard a few things that'd make your jaw drop.

If you are the job candidate, be careful! Watch out for guys like me!

I do this for a reason. I want to know what they'll be like after the newness and excitement wears off and see them how they truly are.