What is Open Availability? Listing on a Resume & Cover Letter

What is open availability? And why do some jobs require employees and job applicants to have open availability when applying?

"Open availability" refers to periods and days when you do not have any conflicts with your calendar. When entering your open availability, be sure to include the days and hours when you are available to work without a conflict. For instance, you may write "weekends and nights" or "M-F, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.," or anything similar.

What is open availability?

In terms of interviews, open availability indicates that your calendar is clear of present conflicts and makes scheduling an interview easy for the recruiting manager. Open availability refers to your prospective work schedule (or work hours) in terms of employment.

Generally, open availability does not refer to your current meeting conflicts and your availability to interview for the position. Scheduling is commonly discussed in the email exchange between yourself and the hiring managers.

How do you say you have open availability on a resume?

Here's how to list availability and open availability on a resume:

Examine your schedule for inconsistencies and potential conflicts

Consider your calendar and current availability. This might assist you in developing dates or times for your resume. Additionally, it guarantees that you present companies with accurate information. For instance, you may recall from your calendar that you have a family wedding to attend during the final week of February. As a result, you indicate your availability as "Available beginning March 2nd."

Decide how much information about your availability you want to provide

If your schedule is more flexible, you do not need to include precise days and hours of availability on your CV. Rather than that, you might offer broad information about the weeks, weekends, and months during which you are available to work. This is also advantageous if you wish to stay amenable to alternative schedule arrangements with an employer with whom you wish to work.

Make a point of including your availability at the top of your resume

You can include your availability just beneath your name and contact information at the top of your resume. This simplifies the process of referencing and guarantees that companies take note.

You could want to incorporate it into your aim statement

An goal statement is an optional brief statement that appears before your initial name and contact information on your resume. It emphasizes your relevant experience and talents for a job and distinguishes your resume from those of other candidates. When incorporating your availability into your objective statement, include it at the front or conclusion to maximize visibility.

The following is an example of an objective statement that includes the word "availability": "Devoted marketing expert with over five years of experience managing marketing campaigns seeking contract job beginning in January."

When to discuss availability on your resume

There are a few instances in which it is critical to include your availability on your resume. Here are some examples to aid your comprehension:

• If you are presently working and seeking a new position, it is critical that you include availability on your resume. This is because it guarantees that you provide adequate notice to your present job and also helps prospective employers understand when you could start.
• If there are days or periods when you are unable to work: When you have other part-time work or personal responsibilities that you are unable to change, it is critical to reflect your availability on your CV. This saves you time and ensures that you explore only prospects that align with your current commitments.
• If there are certain days or times of the week that you like to work: When searching for employment, it's critical to articulate your requirements in order to guarantee that you have pleasant work experiences. As such, add your availability on your resume to communicate to companies the sorts of schedules and work shifts that you like. For instance, you prefer Monday through Thursday shifts or morning shifts.
• If you are looking for seasonal work with a specific termination date: For people who work in occupations with job gaps or are enrolled in high school or college degree programs, mentioning availability on a resume facilitates effective communication between them and prospective employers.

Why do jobs want open availability?

Some jobs require open availability due to the nature of the position. For example, a police officer or firefighter. In these roles, long hours are required. And flexible working times are going to be part of the job.

In the example of the police officer, the new job may require them to work nights, weekends, holidays, or other. And not having open availability means that the applicant could prohibit themselves from receiving a job offer.

When there are potential scheduling conflicts

Employers would prefer that you have no other duties.

If your sole obligation each week is to report to work, you should theoretically be considerably more dependable in terms of turning up and performing your job.

However, if you do have additional obligations, this does not mean the end of the world or your job application.

Rather than that, attempt to identify times and days when you are entirely accessible and include those as well.

Always be candid about your availability on an application or during an interview.

This can be frightening, since you may fear that a prospective job would exclude you if, for example, you have a child who requires supervision on weekends and evenings.

However, are you truly interested in working with someone who would rather not hire you than work around any scheduling conflicts?

If you're candid about your restrictions and your capacity to work around them, you're likely to find a far better fit with an employer.

What do I put for availability on a job application?

The easiest way to conceptualize "open availability" is as the days and hours during which your "availability to work" is "open." Given that "open" is a synonym for "available" in this context, the statement is more than a little redundant.

Due to the ambiguity of the term "availability," this statement has evolved into a conventional manner of requesting the precise days and hours you are available to work if recruited.

The optimal method for advertising your open availability varies every application.

In some situations, you may be presented with a calendar that you must complete by clicking or drawing an X mark to indicate your availability.

In others, particularly on a cover letter, you may be required to include a brief phrase or two describing your availability for employment.

How do you state availability on a cover letter?

Here's an example of how to list your open availability on a cover letter.

For example, "I am available on weekends and evenings in addition to usual business hours."

This example illustrates the type of wording that may be included in a cover letter to inform an employer about the applicant's availability for work if recruited, so helping them stand out from other applicants.

If your application has a limited amount of space, you can list your open availability in one of the following dates and times:

• Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Saturdays and Fridays
• Business hours as usual
• Evenings before to 8:00 p.m.
• Weekends and vacations

If you're looking for a temporary position, it's also a good idea to indicate your open availability over the following several months.

Common FAQ's

Questions from job seekers.

Is it best to list open availability for the hiring manager?

Generally, yes. It will make it easier to schedule upcoming interviews.

When would I not have open availability?

When you can only work a shift job, say between 8:30 am and 3 pm. When you can't work overtime hours. When you aren't open to a manager position where time flexibility could be required. Or when you generally have schedule conflicts due to family needs or others.

Why would a potential employer want open availability?

When working hours need to be flexible. And jobs that open availability is required, such as a police officer, firefighter, or other position.

How should I list open availability?

It is often used in the following manner: "I am available on weekends." That just implies that I am available to work on weekends at any time. "I am available to work at any time on Sunday" indicates that you are available to work at any hour on Sunday. It has nothing to do with payment or anything like that.

What information do I provide on my application about availability?

Indicate on your application that you have no time constraints and are willing to work all hours necessary. For instance, do not write "6 a.m. to 11 p.m." seven times. Make it clear to your prospective employer right away that you are prepared to work any schedule if necessary.

What does the term "availability" mean in the context of a job application?

In terms of interviews, open availability indicates that your calendar is clear of present conflicts and makes scheduling an interview easy for the recruiting manager.