Interviewing During Hunting Season

Ain't no job worth missing a hunt you wanna go on.

I worked some shithole for 15 years, dead-end job yet actually provided a lot of time off in the big picture. Found a way bigger paying job with no commute. Started May.

Drew a sheep tag for September.................

Asked for some time off, promising to get everything done. Total douche bag boss. I'll never forget the look on their face when I told them my last day after saying "no" to my time off.

I'd say get your intentions known up front. There is giant segment of the world that knows little about hunting and cannot grasp that you have a small and absolute window to go. They take their golf vacation whenever and don't grasp the concept.

Man I own that guy a punch in the face.
 
You are in the driver's seat. Just let them know you have time scheduled off. Are you not going to go if you get the job? Or start after the season. My wife is in a similar situation, but I won't let her eat a sheep tag.

I hired a guy this spring, he took time off and asked about it up front, then took more time off then dipped into his sick leave to take more time off, then hurt himself playing and took leave without pay. Just a string of things that has resulted in low performance, but I didn't expect much the first 4-6 months. I've generally had great experiences with the 20-35 crowd that work for us. Go getters and get stuff done. I don't fault people for working what they get paid for, but deadlines are deadlines. Got to make it happen, and most all do. If you check out and don't get shit done, you can find another place to work.

The contractors whining about engineers and architects is age old... If contractors were so smart they have a a degree and and a license and wouldn't need em. Ask a contractor to put a set of bid documents together that anyone could build/bid. It would be laughable to see what they come up with. Easy to play Monday morning quarterback when you have the playbook.
 
To clarify - this was for an internal corporate job change. Not for a different company. I was interviewing with my second line. To stay on the "promotable" list, you can't say no to an interview.
I had to do the same and I hated doing them.
 
I’d mention your life plans that you are bringing to the job along with your experience and expertise.
Any company that doesn’t respect all of them isn’t a place you want to work long term anyway.

That’s assuming this is an upward mobility transition and not a survival situation.

"Ongoing ruminant behavior field studies, specimen collection and digestive tract content analysis."

Sound Good?
 
I think the greatest generation would agree with me that boomers on average were/are the laziest generation of humans to walk the planet.
Boomers complain about everything like it is going out of style as well. Holy smokes.

To the OP, if you do end up saying that you are busy during that week and they don't move forward with interviewing you, it is probably a job you don't want anyway!
 
Tongue in cheek... the irony of the hippie generation calling their kids lazy 😁

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it's fun to use broad brushes and be a little tongue in cheek. therefore...

from my vantage point all boomers do is sit and refresh outlook all day and write three word e-mails usually confirming attendance to meetings that accomplish nothing while gen z'ers and millennials get all the shit done.
 
it's fun to use broad brushes and be a little tongue in cheek. therefore...

from my vantage point all boomers do is sit and refresh outlook all day and write three word e-mails usually confirming attendance to meetings that accomplish nothing while gen z'ers and millennials get all the shit done.
Reminiscing about being high as a kite chasing girls at concerts, and making up for the fact that they sold out to "the man" and got corporate jobs by buying 27 guitars, paying $1500 for original mint condition Blue and Buffalo Springfield records, and paying $5k for front row Stones seats.
 
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Agree with this part but I believe it is largely due to employers believing they have to lower their standards due to high demand/low supply. Keep standards high and fight through the low labor problems that it brings. You will be a stronger company in the long run.
I agree with most of what you've said on this topic, but ^ simply isn't true in many realities. When you don't get work done because you can't find the staff because you have high standards, well then you projects suffer, your clients suffer, and they will, rightfully so, find others that can meet their needs. Plus, what actually happens is that the great staff you already have are pushed even harder because they don't want to see a company they've invested so much in decline, lose clients, miss deadlines, so they work even harder. Until they quit or die (I've seen both). Compromising and hiring quasi questionable employees to simply get some of the work done, even if they're inefficient, allows you to better manage everything, and if you keep your eyes and ears open you can fire someone else later and let the crappy workers go. But I can't tell you how many times I've seen a "questionable" hire thrive in the long term. A lot of people just need better opportunities and better mentorship.

To the OP, everyone else hit the nail on the head, before signing an offer but after you have it in hand, with the rare exception of if it's a project specific job and they need a person when you'll be out, then it's better to tell them ahead of time.
 
I agree with most of what you've said on this topic, but ^ simply isn't true in many realities. When you don't get work done because you can't find the staff because you have high standards, well then you projects suffer, your clients suffer, and they will, rightfully so, find others that can meet their needs. Plus, what actually happens is that the great staff you already have are pushed even harder because they don't want to see a company they've invested so much in decline, lose clients, miss deadlines, so they work even harder. Until they quit or die (I've seen both). Compromising and hiring quasi questionable employees to simply get some of the work done, even if they're inefficient, allows you to better manage everything, and if you keep your eyes and ears open you can fire someone else later and let the crappy workers go. But I can't tell you how many times I've seen a "questionable" hire thrive in the long term. A lot of people just need better opportunities and better mentorship.

To the OP, everyone else hit the nail on the head, before signing an offer but after you have it in hand, with the rare exception of if it's a project specific job and they need a person when you'll be out, then it's better to tell them ahead of time.
Of course there are no absolutes in life. But as a rule of thumb, I try not to hire seat fillers. But I am certain we have a few. All for mentorship, one of the reasons I am not hung up on degrees. But correcting problems that should have been taken care of during parenting, I have little patience for.
 
Of course there are no absolutes in life. But as a rule of thumb, I try not to hire seat fillers. But I am certain we have a few. All for mentorship, one of the reasons I am not hung up on degrees. But correcting problems that should have been taken care of during parenting, I have little patience for.
I get that view, but I became a much better manager of people once I shifted to the belief that if a worker failed at their job, I was partially to blame. Equal amounts of carrot and stick and all that.

Screenshot 2023-08-10 at 7.01.58 PM.png
 
Work to live. Take the hunt and if they dont understand, find somewhere else that places value on this philosophy. Definitely dont bring it up during the interview, though. If position is offered, they will accommodate alot given how hard it is to find suitable candidates these days.
 
Here's a twist....

Last few years our local Junior college has been hinting about having an adjunct professor position open. Well the wheels are in motion , and along with some other opportunities afoot, I will likely have a chance to teach a 2 hour class and a 3 hour lab for 17 weeks in the Spring Semester. It's a one time deal, that could develop into something else in the future. I could do it with my current job, and it would bring me another 9k in gross income.

I'm also awaiting an offer from a potential new employer's HR dept. If it is a number I like, I may have to reconsider this teaching gig.
 
Well I got the call with an offer. I'm awaiting it in writing. The hiring manager/National manager actually worked the call and interviews around when I would be hunting (actually I was guiding) , as well as some of the interviews. They are well aware of my Fall commitments.

If I accept this it will be a big change in my work life. More travel and home based rather than working in a office/production facility 5.5 days a week.

My territory will be everything "West of Colorado" so theoretically, I could be working in a state I have a hunt in before and after a scouting weekend.
 
The contractors whining about engineers and architects is age old... If contractors were so smart they have a a degree and and a license and wouldn't need em. Ask a contractor to put a set of bid documents together that anyone could build/bid. It would be laughable to see what they come up with. Easy to play Monday morning quarterback when you have the plplaybook.

Ahhh, good to see they still teach condescension and arrogance 101 to engineers.

They adding pretentiousness to your continuing education reqs, or they still "designing" that course?
 
I get that view, but I became a much better manager of people once I shifted to the belief that if a worker failed at their job, I was partially to blame. Equal amounts of carrot and stick and all that.

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You mean, "whipping shall continue until morale improves" does not derive from quality managers?
IMO, managers who must self promote missed the boat for quality management 101.
 
So I'm still gainfully employed but I've started applying. Two potential employers have given me call backs.

One company I've had 3 Zoom meetings with a Fourth later today , and the other I'll be having my 3rd with next week.

What is the best way to phrase that I have hunts scheduled during what may be the final interview process? and potentially during the first 4 months of the job?

"Nevermind. Don't really need this job." ;-)
 
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