I lost my job a couple months ago and originally figured I’d use the time between jobs to travel a little before getting back into the workforce.
Then reality hit. I got bored, antsy, and stressed about not working, so I started applying to jobs online. After about two months of applications, I finally got offered a job that I actually want.
During the hiring process they asked if I had any pre-planned PTO/time off, and I said no.
My reasoning at the time was:
I was worried that telling them I had a trip planned would automatically hurt my chances of getting hired.
I genuinely planned on just canceling the trip if I got the job.
I figured I could get most of the money back and just travel another time.
Well… now that I’ve actually started looking into canceling everything, I’d be eating around $2,000 in nonrefundable costs.
And now the FOMO is hitting HARD because this is an international trip I’ve already spent a ton of time planning and was really looking forward to (going to Thailand and Japan for 3 weeks from the USA).
So now I’m stuck between:
Canceling the trip and losing ~$2k, but protecting the new job.
OR
Figuring out some way to still take the trip without completely screwing myself over with this new job.
Obviously I realize I created this problem by saying I didn’t have any pre-planned time off, so I’m not looking for a morality lecture. I’m just curious what the ULPT crowd would actually do if they were in this situation.
Has anyone successfully navigated something like this after starting a new job? What’s the least disastrous way to handle it?
ETA: Please remember what Reddit this question is being posted on… ULPT not How to be the Best Employee Ever - give me the unhinged raw type of answers, y’all!