What do you think if I say between 10:00am and 2:00pm?

I would assume that you need to be off the phone by 2pm. If I wanted to meet with you at 2pm in this scenario, I would check with you to see if that was ok before scheduling (“Hey, I’m not free until 2… can we just chat for 10 minutes then?”).

When I had phone interviews during college, it was always understood that if I said I was free until 2, that meant I had to be at class at 2 and the interview had to be wrapped up by then.

If you’re available between those hours, I assume at the end of that timespan you are no longer available. So we shoulf start wrapping up by 1:50.

Yes indeed, people do misinterpret, especially in written messages. I completely agree with @Cupcake. I’d automatically assume you are available to talk for a total of four hours starting at 10 in the morning and ending on or slightly before 2 in the afternoon.

I would not say “I am available for your call from 10 until 2” but rather I can take a call anytime starting at 10, but can’t go past 2.”

The cable guy, the UPS delivery, the plumber, other services, all consider between 10 and 2 means they will show up anytime up until 2, and who knows how long the job will last.

To me it means I need to be done by 2:00 also, but just a couple of weeks ago I have that range to someone and they came back with saying, “let’s do 2:00”. I almost always say I “need to be done by…” Or, “I used say I can start any time from 10:00 and 1:00,” but people don’t usually use start times when giving a range. I’ve tried a bunch of different ways. It’s simple when you are giving specific times like, “I’m available 10:00, 11:30, or 1:00.”

I would tend to think that you wouldn’t be able to start a meeting at 2, but you might have a few extra minutes then.

Like you might actually be free until 2:20, but you don’t have enough time to start a full meeting then.

It’s actually pretty awkward and unclear unless you say, “I have to be done by xxx o’clock.”

I would assume you are only free between those times. 2PM would be the cutoff.

@Cupcake You think it’s unclear, but most jellies so far think I need to be done at 2:00. It reinforces to me that people interpret it differently. I don’t understand why you think I can go past 2:00 if I say I’m free between 10:00 and 2:00, but you are not alone.

I would assume that you were available between those hours.

@JLeslie It’s just based on years of experience with people who have not communicated clearly.

That’s why I would ask if I wasn’t available until 2 or if I thought the meeting might run over a bit.

I often pad my “unavailable time” in case meetings run over, or to over-account for travel or preparation. I don’t think that’s so uncommon.

I’m not at all saying that you are available after 2… I am just saying that it is possible that you have some time then and if I wanted to use it, I would ask first.

My husband works from home. His company doesn’t do the best job of sharing calendars.

Often, I’ll ask him if he wants to get lunch together or something during the day and he’ll say that it depends on when people set up meetings. He says he would prefer to schedule during certain times, but often meetings get scheduled during other times.

Like he might say, “Sure, I can meet at 10 or at 4”, but they have to arrange 10 different schedules and the meeting gets set for noon. Oh well, guess we aren’t going out to lunch together.

It happens to him all the time.

If I expected that I’d need to be free by 2 and that the conversation or meeting would be a half hour (for example), then I’d say “I am available between 10 a.m and 1:30 p.m.” That way, I’m definitely going to be freed up by my deadline.

@Cupcake I do agree that if someone told me available between 10:00 and 2:00 and all I had was 2:00 in my schedule I would ask if 2:00 is at any way possible if it’s just a short amount of time that I need. That shows I realize the original intention was to end by 2:00, but schedules can be difficult to coordinate. But, I have had people just come back and say, “great, let’s make it 2:00.” They obviously interpreted what I wrote as possible start times.

@jca Me too. I put in a cushion.

After working in a government planning office, managing the calendars of 10–12 people, I would never give such a wide berth.

“I am available for a phone interview at 10:00 AM, 11:30 AM, or 1:00 PM, please let me know which works best for you.”

That gives them options, but doesn’t allow them to choose the inconvenient time of 2:00 PM, which runs into your busy hour (or risks a 1:30 call running into overtime).

I would interpret that as “must be finished by 2:00 (and probably a little earlier to accommodate whatever starts at 2:00).”

It would seem logical to interpret that as your open to meet from 10 and not available after 2. However if your talking about an appointment such a a doctor or some such thing they are typically referring to the start time. Appointments are available from 10 til 2 would mean a 2 o’clock appointment is available. Kinda depends on the mindset of the person you’re talking to.

When I have hard constraints I mention them specifically, in order to preclude the possibility of confusion. I tell people that “I have a meeting until 10 AM, and another one at 2 PM, so I’m free between 10 and 2.” If they call at 1:55 expecting a long chat, they’ll be out of luck – because I’m probably already on my way to the meeting.

Nooner.

(Hey, you asked.)