Start Date

I just got an offer (Accepted) for an analyst at a CRE investment co. Given that the market is tight I don't want to put this job in jeapordy. That said, I have an amazing personal oppurtunity to travel for free for the next 5 weeks. The company asked when I wanted to start, but I felt like 6 weeks was pushing it...like they might find someone else. I told the HM that I could do 9/3. Would it be bad to go back and ask if we could do 9/19? Super torn as to either start sooner, and get rolling, or push my start date back 6 weeks to have the best of both worlds. I have been advised by personal friends that thats not a good way to start.

24 Comments
 

Your friends are correct. I would not push back the start date like that right off the bat. 

Commercial Real Estate Developer
 

Congrats on getting an IS role in a tough market. Do not push your start date back.

Also, I wouldn't exactly characterize your opportunity as traveling "for free". I know folks that have done these guide programs. It is hard work and by no means a vacation.

Your rich friend taking you to the South of France to stay at their place in Monaco would maybe have me change my opinion... 

 

Go travel for the next three weeks for not free and start your job feeling refreshed and ready to go. But seriously go travel. I wish I had done that before I started working full time. 

 
Most Helpful

The harm is the chance you rub someone the wrong way and get off on the wrong foot from the jump in a role that prizes grinding and dedication above all else. You are correct that they aren’t going to rescind an offer for an ask, but it’s not worth your reputation starting off on the wrong foot because some boomer who spends extra hours in the office because he hates his wife takes issue with your request. 

Commercial Real Estate Developer
 

Life is short man, try to take the time. I took like 3 months after I got an offer. I wanted to provide a few weeks for my current company after giving notice, I had a wedding I was going to, then I had to move across the country, and I wanted a bit of personal time. The guy hiring me wasn't super thrilled but he still gave it to me. 

I got laid off a year and a half later (it wasn't decided by the guy who hired me, was higher up) so fuck 'em. Maybe if I killed myself to shorten up the time off I wouldn't have gotten laid off but I doubt it, there were other things going on (with my fit at the company and at the company itself). Two weeks is nothing in the scheme of things, and if your MD is going to hold it against you then he'd the kind of guy who will hold anything against you and you'll never win against people like that. If it's not the two weeks it'll be something else. 

 

So what? They're gonna rescind the offer because you asked for another two weeks to start? You're going to be first on the chopping block if you ask? I cannot imagine a world where it hurts you to ask. And if a company does take issue with you asking, I sure as hell wouldn't want to work there. Case in point, the guy who hired me was not happy I was taking time and he was the worst boss I've ever had, by a mile. I was happy to be laid off, got severance and away from his toxic ass. 

Life is short, ask away. 

 

Do it. But do it the right way. Be up front and communicate with your team. If they need you on the desk, they’ll let you know.

Unique life experiences like this are invaluable. You’ll be 10x more interesting to senior guys and have good dinner stories.

Two extra weeks on the desk won’t get you that far. And there will be plenty of other opportunities to earn your stripes.

 

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