Find a Job You Really Want In
The objective of any job interview is to eventually find a candidate who can start working in the open position. An applicant who seems to check every box that a hiring manager is looking for also needs to be available to start within the company’s deadlines.
This leads to most interviewees eventually hearing the question “when can you start?”
We will go over how to answer this question, provide example answers, and give tips to help come up with the best answer.
Key Takeaways:
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When answering this question its important to consider your current employment status, ask questions about when works best for the company, and be honest about your situation.
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It’s important not to sound too eager when answering this questions and you should provide a general timeline for when you can start.
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Avoid giving too many details about your life and what things are coming up.
How To Answer “When You Can Start?”
It’s understandable to be a little wary of the question “when can you start?” in an interview. A lot of an interview is about trying to put your best foot forward and make the right impression.
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Consider your current unemployment status. Being unemployed puts you in a difficult position mentally and financially. The endeavor of finding a new position can feel like a race to the finish line.
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In this situation, a candidate might feel pressured to give a hasty answer in an effort to demonstrate an eagerness to start.
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While it’s attractive to a potential employer that you’re passionate about the position and want to start soon, avoid giving the impression that you’re standing on your last leg and absolutely need the job.
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Simply state that you’re available to start immediately, without begging to start right away. Remain easygoing while communicating this clearly.
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Consider your current employment status. There are numerous reasons why a person who is currently employed goes looking for a new role.
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Whether you want a position with more responsibility, are moving to a new city, or are just unsatisfied with your job right now, there’s a process for handling departure from your post. This involves giving proper notice, performing any closing responsibilities, and assisting in the transition.
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A candidate who is currently employed but interviewing for another position should be honest about their availability to start. Most companies are familiar with the professional courtesies of voluntary employee termination and willing to work around these timelines for the right candidate.
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Needing a couple of weeks to finish your responsibilities at your previous job won’t count you out of the running for a new position. However, leaving a negative impression on your former employer after hastily quitting could squander an opportunity.
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Consider what the company needs. Candidates who aren’t constrained by notice or unemployment pressures might not be as sure about when they want to start working at their new job.
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When you don’t have a specific date in mind, or secretly want some extra time without having to go to work, it can be helpful to throw the question back to the interviewer. As the employer’s representative, they have a clear deadline in mind that the position needs to be filled by.
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Asking the interviewer when they want you to begin working implores them to share more information with you. Based on these additional details, you can decide if that date sounds doable or if you need a little more (or less) time before starting a new position.
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You need to move for the position. Relocation is a reality for a lot of job situations. Moving to a new city for a job opportunity involves a lot more change than the average professional transition. This requires special attention in a job interview when you’re asked “when can you start?”
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Some relocations are only a few towns over, but others may mean uprooting to an entirely different continent. This takes time.
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Be honest about your abilities to start by a certain date and explain the reasoning behind this decision. A little extra time to accommodate a smooth transition won’t get in the way of you’re the best person for the position.
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Example Answers to “When Can You Start?”
Getting a clear picture of how to adequately answer “when can you start?” can only be done through a thorough examination of an interviewee’s circumstances. However, taking a look at some good examples never hurts.
Read through the following impressive example answers for various situations, and use them as a blueprint for forming your own response.
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Example Answer 1: Response From an Unemployed Candidate
“I can make myself available to start as soon as next week if offered the position. I’m open to working with you to figure out the best time for me to start.”
Why it works: This answer is short and sweet. It demonstrates that the candidate is up for starting soon without painting them as desperate.
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Example Answer 2: Response From an Employed Candidate
“I would be absolutely thrilled if I received a job offer with your company. However, I’m still working with my current employer and would need to extend them the courtesy of a two-week notice. After finishing up my responsibilities there, I would be able to start working with your company around the 1st March. Does this line up with what you’re looking for?”
Why it works: An employer wants to hire someone who is going to act professionally in the role. This answer demonstrates a person who does just that.
It accounts for the candidate’s previous job and explains the reason for needing a couple of extra weeks before starting. It also gives the interviewer direct information to use for recruiting purposes.
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Example Answer 3: Response From a Candidate Who Doesn’t Know Exactly When They Want to Start
“When would you need me to start by? I have flexibility in my schedule and would be willing to work within the organization’s requirements.”
Why it works: An interviewee who isn’t sure when they want to start working at their new job is best served by returning the question to the hiring manager.
It gives them more information about the needs of the potential employer and allows them to make the best choice for how to respond. This answer works because it demonstrates the candidate’s willingness to work with the company to figure out the best start date if hired.
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Example Answer 4: Response From a Candidate Who Needs to Relocate
“I am currently living in Houston and would need to relocate to Dallas to begin working in this position. While I’m willing to move for this position, it’s going to take some time. I would need about two months to prepare before I actually begin working. That would put my start date around the beginning of May. Does that work for you?”
Why it works: This answer works well because it gives enough background information for the interviewer to understand the circumstances. They’re explaining why they need a decent amount of time to facilitate the relocation and give a defined timeline for when they’ll be available.
What to avoid saying:
Every interview question receives answers that fall on a spectrum from incredible to awful. Below are a few ways not to answer an interviewer when they ask about your potential start date:
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“I can start right now!”
Why this doesn’t work: Many candidates mistakenly think that giving a cutesy answer along the lines of being able to start right away or tomorrow leaves a positive impression on the interviewer.
In reality, this response comes off as overrated and lazy. It shows that the candidate didn’t take any real time to look over their availability and doesn’t give the interviewer any useful information.
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“I’ll start whenever I can, I really need this job.”
Why this doesn’t work: This answer is another no-go because it portrays the candidate as desperate for the position. Desperation is never a good look for a job candidate to have. It makes you look like a professional that absolutely nobody else wanted to hire, to the point that you’re getting antsy.
Instead of practically begging to be offered the position, give a response that makes you appear cool and confident.
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“I don’t know when I can start. I have to look at my schedule.”
Why this doesn’t work: It’s a big problem if a candidate tells an interviewer that they don’t know when they can start and have to check their schedule. Gathering this knowledge should have been done before ever walking into an interview.
The lack of planning shows that the candidate isn’t very prepared. This won’t help your chances of landing the job you’re interviewing for.
Why Interviewers Ask This
There are a few reasons why an interviewer asks about a candidate’s availability and potential start date, beyond being completely positive that they’re going to hire them.
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In addition to gathering an accurate applicant profile, start dates are brought up to further assess their preparedness on the subject. A candidate who stumbles over their answer shows that they haven’t thought much about it.
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An interviewer also asks for information about availability to see how they’ll handle the transition away from a former employer. While many job-seekers are unemployed, some are currently working but seeking a new opportunity.
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In this case, the way a candidate intends to act during their departure tells the hiring manager a lot about how they’ll behave if hired.
Tips for Answering This Interview Question
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Don’t lie. While this tip might sound obvious, it’s a crucial one. Many candidates get into an interview and succumb to lying about certain details because they feel insecure about the truth or think it’ll get them eliminated from the running of the position.
Be honest about when you’re available to start. Most employers are willing to work with a candidate, as long as they’re truthful about their circumstances.
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Provide a broad timeline. Remember that when an interviewer asks “when can you start?” it’s not a formal job offer. This means that it’s okay to not be exact with your start date.
Give a general timeline that you’d be able to get work within, but don’t get caught up in the details. That comes later when you’re officially offered the job.
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Avoid giving too many details. The interviewer doesn’t want to know every detail of your life. If you have some things coming up in the near future, instead of going into detail about all of it, try saying something along the lines of “I have to double check the specifics of my current engagements, but I am eager to start as soon as possible.”
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Don’t assume you have the job. Just because they are asking when you can start doesn’t always mean you are hired. This is usually a step or two before the hiring process.
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Be prepared for possible follow-up questions. An interviewer usually asks a candidate when they’d be available to start towards the end of an interview, but there are still a few questions that might follow.
Be prepared for other common questions that come towards the end of an interview, such as:
Author
Sky Ariella is a professional freelance writer, originally from New York. She has been featured on websites and online magazines covering topics in career, travel, and lifestyle. She received her BA in psychology from Hunter College.
