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I went to a job interview the beginning of last week and was told to wait patiently for a reply that would come probably during this week to know if I was accepted for round two. I haven't heard anything since. I was interviewed by the group manager, not HR.

Starting next week I'll be travelling abroad for two weeks due to work, something that I forgot to mention during my interview.

Would it be considered poor of me to write an email now and inform them about my travel plans (and at the same time ask when/if they have decided)?

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In 1 week I will be travelling abroad for 2 weeks due to work, something that I did not mention at my interview.

This is something you definitely do want to mention during an interview. The fact that you didn't isn't great. I wouldn't disqualify a candidate over it but it's definitely a black mark on your application. You'll want to make every effort to be professional and easily reachable from now on to mitigate concerns they may have over your attention to detail, planning and communication.

Would it be considered poor of me to write an email now and inform them about my travel plans (and at the same time ask when/if they have decided)?

Ordinarily you wouldn't reach out until a week after the deadline they gave you, which means end of next week. In your case that's simply not an option so I'd reach out early next week to let them know that you'll be out of the country. (Edit: Since you clarified that your travel is already starting next week, it's better to reach out immediately so they have time to contact you.) Be apologetic that you forgot to mention it and express interest in continuing the process. Detail the ways in which they can still contact you, if any, which will depend on the nature of the travel. Keep the focus on the fact that you'll be difficult to reach. You don't want to ask for an update unless you can do so tactfully as you want to avoid looking like you're hounding them.

If they're like the majority of companies when it comes to hiring this won't be a huge obstacle. But if they're in a rush to fill the position they may move on with other candidates so you should be prepared to be dropped from consideration. Government positions in particular often consider this a deal-breaker as they're required to adhere to strict (i.e. nonsensical) interview policies.

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As soon as you can:

DO inform them that you'll be travelling abroad, and as appropriate, specifically convey the dates, and contact information to be used during your absence should they need to set up your interview immediately thereafter.

DON'T ask about the second interview yet, or you may come off as being pushy. If they've got a date pending already, it may be mentioned after you announce your travel plans, and maybe they'll set up another date right away. Maybe they'll offer a date before you leave, but otherwise let it go for now.

It's probably appropriate to contact them just before you head back, if you haven't heard otherwise.

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Would it be considered poor of me to write an email now and inform them about my travel plans (and at the same time ask when/if they have decided)?

You have been told to wait patiently. While it wouldn't be terrible to inform them belatedly of your travel plans, asking about their decision would be going against what you were specifically asked to do.

Instead, wait patiently until the end of the week.

At that time, send them a note informing them how to contact you during your travels. Don't ask about their decision. If they want to inform you of a decision at that time, they will do so.

And next time, in a similar interview situation, be sure to mention your upcoming travel plans.

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  • My apologies, Joe! I'm not awake yet. Retracting.
    – Xavier J
    Commented Aug 25, 2016 at 14:49

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