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5 Top Tips for Australians Interviewing Over US Holidays In 2024

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Here are 5 important tips when interviewing in the US over the holidays.

Showing cultural appreciation will go a long way in building a great relationship with your future employer 🇺🇸

In Australia, we say Public Holidays. In the US it’s simply holidays, also known as US Federal Holidays or National Holidays. 

Each year companies in the US will typically provide their employees with approximately 10 Federal Holidays. There are 11 Federal Holidays so the actual days taken vary by company.

Some companies provide additional time off around certain holidays as a benefit for their employees. For example, closing the office during the week of July 4th, the week of Thanksgiving, or between Christmas and New Year. This additional time off is treated separately from paid time off (annual leave as we’d say in Australia).

When you’re interviewing in the US it’s important to pay attention to and show awareness of the Federal Holidays. These days generally include family and friend gatherings and enjoyable activities that companies want their teams to prioritize.

Summer holidays for kids in the US generally start around mid-June and go until mid-August. During this time many families are taking summer holidays, especially around the 4th of July. This can really slow down interview processes due to people’s availability, especially when there are multiple rounds of interviews.

Similarly, around Thanksgiving, hiring generally starts to wind down for the year as people enter the festive season and prioritize other activities. There will be companies needing to meet hiring goals, so don’t give up! Remember, during the holiday season you can differentiate yourself by being available for interviews while other candidates are taking time off!

⭐ 5 Tips for interviewing over the holidays ⭐

  1. Review the US Federal Holidays (see below) and add the upcoming holidays to your calendar with reminders. Read about the holidays as each one approaches.

  2. When interviewing near a holiday, you can make a remark, that shows your understanding of the US culture E.g. “I hope you had a nice Thanksgiving”. Small interactions like this can go a long way. Imagine an American asking how your Anzac Day was!

  3. When interviewing right before or after a holiday, take the company's lead in suggesting interview times. This allows you to show cultural awareness and increases the likelihood that the interview is scheduled.

  4. Interview processes generally slow down around holidays. Differentiate yourself as a candidate by making yourself available near or around U.S. holidays as American candidates may be busy taking extended time off with family and friends etc.

  5. Avoid suggesting actual holiday days for an interview time as this reflects a lack of knowledge.

📅 US Federal Holidays 2024

CLICK HERE TO ADD THESE HOLIDAYS TO YOUR CALENDAR (Google Calendar Link)

🗣️ Holiday Lingo: Australia vs the US

A quick reminder.

  • In Australia, we say public holiday. In the US we say holiday, federal holiday or national holiday.

  • In Australia, we say a holiday or annual leave. In the US we say Paid Time Off (PTO) or vacation.

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