Quitting and taking 6 months off

[jlee]

We're chronically understaffed. I keep posting in the job networking thread, but we haven't got anyone from here yet.

 

[Kushina]

Oh I want to move to Arizona but finding an IT job there was one of my concerns, where in AZ are you guys ?

 

[Tweak155]

I normally wouldn't say a 6mo gap is career ending... but doing 1.5yrs, then 7mo and THEN taking 6mo off? Makes it look like you're not reliable.

If you had been at your current position a number of years I'd have a different opinion.

 

[jlee]

Oh I want to move to Arizona but finding an IT job there was one of my concerns, where in AZ are you guys ?

Shoot me a PM. I'm in Phoenix.

 

[s0me0nesmind1]

OP - I just quit and took a month off. Except by quit, I mean I lined up another job and told them I wanted to take a month off inbetween.

DO NOT take a 6-month break without having a job lined up. It could be career suicide depending on what you are in.

 

[Baasha]

Don't leave a job before you have another one.

Print this out in the best quality paper, frame it, and hang it up on the wall so that you see it everyday.

 

[dave_the_nerd]

If you're going to take six months off of work, you better do something more awesome than cert-whoring.

Go work in a Colombian orphanage for three months or something.

When you interview, your story needs to be interesting as fuck.

 

[jlee]

If you're going to take six months off of work, you better do something more awesome than cert-whoring.

Go work in a Colombian orphanage for three months or something.

When you interview, your story needs to be interesting as fuck.

Yep. I'd love to do that, but I'd want to take my truck across Africa or something. Certainly not sit at home.

 

[Ns1]

Can't the OP just say he's taking a sabbatical?

I mean don't people do that shit all the time w/o penalty?

//edit

Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: A Warm Place
Posts: 42,000

 

[jlee]

Can't the OP just say he's taking a sabbatical?

I mean don't people do that shit all the time w/o penalty?

My employer used to do those...I think it was 6 or 12 weeks off every 5 years.

 

[brianmanahan]

My employer used to do those...I think it was 6 or 12 weeks off every 5 years.

if i could get a sabbatical

i would be the happiest man in the world

 

[radhak]

OP, with a total IT experience of only 25 months, a 6 month break now will screw you. When you try coming back after that, you might find yourself scrambling to get a job, any job, and end up worse than now.

 

[s0me0nesmind1]

if i could get a sabbatical

i would be the happiest man in the world

My new employer offers them. I'm honestly surprised they do, because I guarantee the moment I ask for one the manager/boss will want to bash me over the head with how much they will have to distribute to everyone else.

Something like get 60% pay during it as well. Not too shabby. We will see. Maybe after a big project ends I will be able to ask for one after being with the company for 5+ years.

I figured they were for going back and taking college classes or something.... But maybe it's just for taking some time off to relax?

 

[dave_the_nerd]

OP, with a total IT experience of only 25 months, a 6 month break now will screw you. When you try coming back after that, you might find yourself scrambling to get a job, any job, and end up worse than now.

Oh, I missed that part. Only two years experience? Eff it.

OP, if you're 24 or 25 years old, now is the time to do stupid shit. You have the rest of your career to make up for it.

 

[Cuular]

In the US if you show a 6 month gap you wont be employable.

I took a 2 year break, after working 70 hour weeks for 8 years.

In my off time I played video games, lazed around and did nothing, right up to about a month before I applied for a new job. Started studying the latest release of the OS I had been an admin for before, and went in for an interview.

Landed the first job I applied for.

Most reasonable places will sit you down and ask questions about the OS, and what you would you do if certain errors happened. Good places will put you in front of a keyboard, and let you show them, since a lot of admin work is related to you typing and running commands, that aren't exactly processed through the speech centers.

if you are good, and don't freeze up in interviews, taking time off, learning new stuff, and getting a new job isn't that hard. Depending on what job market you are looking in.

 

[highland145]

if i could get a sabbatical

i would be the happiest man in the world

A friend of mine works for Intel. Every 7 years he gets 7 weeks off + his regular vacation....or some such. It's quite nice.

I'd rather be at work.

 

[midwestfisherman]

Don't leave a job before you have another one.

+1

 

[mnewsham]

I'd rather be at work.

Why? Assuming you are salaried it would be a great excuse for a major international vacation every 7 years.

 

[Kushina]

Cuular, that is pretty much how I feel, if your good your good. Most places have only drained my abilities.

 

[highland145]

Why? Assuming you are salaried it would be a great excuse for a major international vacation every 7 years.

Self employed, me and a part time. Internet, AT, netflix, Amazon, man cave....home body.

 

[Scarpozzi]

The worst part about leaving a job is leaving the security of health care benefits and the 6 months of retirement savings you may have thrown in there. When you add all that to lost wages, it's a pretty big financial decision to take time off like that.

Typically, I see people planning to leave a job take all their sick leave and annual leave prior to getting out...and as stated, you go from one job to another. If you want time off in-between, use your leave balances to do that.

 

[Imp]

Self employed, me and a part time. Internet, AT, netflix, Amazon, man cave....home body.

You'd rather be at your specific work... Okay, makes more sense.

 

[mnewsham]

Self employed, me and a part time. Internet, AT, netflix, Amazon, man cave....home body.

Okay, well considering the scenario you presented (intel employee and 7 weeks every 7 years), I don't see why would want to continue working and not take the sabbatical, again given that you are salaried.

You being self employed and already doing what you want is kind of besides the point isnt it?

 

[Fire&Blood]

Rethink your decision. I lost my job out of the blue today, along with 5 others, company made a bad $65 mil acquisition recently and now they are downsizing.

I am angry because I wasn't given notice and very worried about not having a job ready to take. I was offered opportunities in the past but they all had deadlines to respond within. And you want to take 6 months off? The only people that can afford that luxury are the ones that don't have to work ever again.

 

[Ns1]

Our company is also laying off 10% of the workforce in the coming month

:awe: