Why You Should Take a Pre-Cation Before Starting a New Job

There's nothing better than getting that "you just got the job!" phone call. Riding on the new hire high, you gleefully put in your two week's notice…but then reality sets in. Your current job has left you beyond burned out, and your new boss wants you to start in exactly two weeks.

So start you do, and you attempt to begin your new role filled with energy and ideas, even though you're exhausted and tapped out.

A new concept called "pre-cation" is looking to fix that roll-over burnout. A few companies in Silicon Valley are offering two week's paid vacation for new employees to use right before their start date, Slate.com reports.

Think of all the beach chilling and Kindle swiping you can do in that amount of time! Not to mention, you won't be thinking of all the meetings you're missing or emails piling up. Because. You. Don't. Have. An. Inbox. Yet.

While some critics argue it's just another way for employees to be forced to work longer hours once they start as "repayment," we still think it's a pretty awesome idea. As long as your new work week isn't 9 to 5…a.m.

It's unlikely that this concept will become mainstream, but you may be able to hack a mini pre-cation with unused vacation days and by committing to giving yourself a break. If you're like most Americans, you probably have a stockpile of vacation days at your current job: The average American employee is given 14 days of vacation and only takes 10, according to an Expedia report released last year.

So, check your employer's policies to confirm that they pay out unused vacation days upon leaving the company. Then before accepting your new job offer, explain that you have a planned vacation and that you'd like to discuss your start date. That way, you may be able to take a week or two off before your new job, paid for by your old job. It's worth a shot!