It might be important for you to let recruiters know when you'll be available to start a new position or what your scheduling hours are. Making this information known throughout the job application process can help you stand out as a professional candidate to the hiring manager and land interviews. Putting this information on your resume helps avoid wasting everyone's time by presenting the information up front.
Here's how to write availability on resume documents.
Should I include my availability on my resume?
You might be wondering whether it's necessary to put your availability on your resume. After all, if hiring managers want to know, they can just ask—right?
Not necessarily. For certain candidates it's helpful to add your availability to your resume. This is especially true if you're in a service-oriented career and your work hours vary. Or maybe you're hoping to start work immediately. This is good information to let people know up front.
In the next section, we'll cover a few specific situations in which you should add your availability to your resume.
When to write availability on your resume
You want to start work immediately
In some cases, you'll need to give your current employer a certain amount of notice—typically at least two weeks' notice—before moving to a new job. This will impact the time frame for when you can start a new position.
In other cases though, you might have a flexible schedule and be available to start work right away. For example, maybe you:
- Recently graduated and are looking for your first job
- Already resigned from your previous job
- Are re-entering the workplace after time off or only performing seasonal work
In this case, you can write “available immediately” on your resume to let recruiters know you can jump in as soon as they're ready. Just make sure you're willing to honor that commitment and start work at any time.
There are times you can't work
Maybe your availability reasons are because you have responsibilities you can't get out of that limit the times you can work. For instance, you might have another part-time job, or maybe you help care for an elderly relative.
If so, make clear on your resume any days and/or times when you cannot work. This is respectful to potential employers and ensures that you don't waste your time or theirs.
You're a student
If you are a student working towards your bachelor's degree, it's smart to look for an internship or part-time job that will help you gain on-the-job skills and experience. But your studies should be your top priority—and that's something that recruiters will likely admire.
Consider sharing your availability by using statements such as:
“Available from May 15th to August 30th”
“Available X hours per week during the school year (September through May).”
You need to give notice
If you're currently in another position, you may want to make it clear that you'll need to give notice before moving somewhere else. State this by saying “Available to start after April 15th” or “Available to start after giving a two-week notice at my current job.”
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Where to include availability on your resume
Availability in the upper half of your resume introduction
Add your availability statement near the top so it can't be missed. If you're available immediately, this will catch the eye of companies who might need to hire someone ASAP.
Put your availability in your resume header with your name and contact info if it's short enough, or directly below the header in italics. Consider using phrasing such as:
Available to work overnight shifts Mon-Fri
- Available start date: October 1st
- Available to start with a few days' notice
Keep things short and concise. Don't over-explain or give excuses. If you aren't available to work on weekends, there's no need to explain why. Simply state that you're not available and move on. You can share more details in person if the topic comes up during an interview.
It's also helpful to focus on using a positive tone rather than negative. For instance, instead of saying “Cannot work weekends,” say “Available to work Monday through Friday.”
Availability in your professional summary
Another good option is to include your availability in your objective statement, which is a short professional bio that summarizes your past work experience, previous employment, and future goals. This might sound like:
Accomplished software developer with 10 years of experience writing code, searching for a full-time position beginning in January.
Incorporating your availability right into your professional summary saves space on your resume since you won't have to separately state your availability.
Use Teal's Professional Summary Builder Tool to help you craft your blurb and mention your availability on your resume.
Finally, remember to reiterate your availability at the end of your cover letter. This is a professional way to close out the letter — it shows potential employers that you're planning ahead and respecting their time.
Start building your resume
Including availability on your resume is important because it gives recruiters the information they need to know at a glance. The best way to write availability on a resume is by including a concise availability statement at the top of the page to avoid taking up unnecessary space. Teal's free AI Resume Builder can help you craft a resume that includes everything recruiters need to know and helps you stand out to hiring managers in the best way possible.
Use Teal's AI Resume Builder to quickly compare the skills and keywords in the job posting to those in your resume. Make sure to add any relevant experience to your customized resume and to your application answers.
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