Etiquette for using PTO and Vacation Perks?

Hi all,

About to start a new job at a top family office on the west coast, after having lived in the northeast and New York for about 8 years total. The family office will be my second job after school.

Curious what the policy is on PTO. The firm has some pretty sick vacation perks I would like to try out. However I am unsure what the standard protocol is around taking PTO.

Any idea what is considered good etiquette your first year? Can you take vacations at all your first year or is that something you should only start doing in the second year? Are family offices more relaxed about vacation policy or would you say there's generally a professional norm for this? 

TIA

9 Comments
 

How much vacation time do you get per year? Ask after 6 months to a year of working for some days off, at least a month in advance 

 

Bring up trips casually by asking your boss whether they’re taking any trips any time soon. They’ll probably respond and then out of curiosity, most of them would ask you if you are planning any either, in which you could say wherever you’re traveling to 

 

It changes dramatically firm to firm. Keep your head down your first year and you will get a sense, through observation, of what is considered normal. No one should be too concerned with you taking one trip and taking some holiday time off your first year, but I might not max it out until you realize what everyone else does. 

Commercial Real Estate Developer
 

Everyone in my group uses their vacation days. It’s good for your mental health, and that extra week of not working isn’t going to make a difference on your performance review either way so may as well take more time off 

 

did you not take any PTO in your first job? Your PTO are yours, I wouldn't hold it against you for taking those days off if you're entitled to them. On live deals maybe not, but as long as everyone is kept in the loop and knows in advance then it shouldn't be a problem (if it's a well-run shop).

Quant (ˈkwänt) n: An expert, someone who knows more and more about less and less until they know everything about nothing.
 

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