[treis]

I took about three years off to travel after ~12 months of working. It was very difficult to get back into the work force. Partially that was the economic environment. But probably the biggest issue was that I didn't really have the experience to be comfortably above entry level and for entry level roles companies preferred new grads.

That was a non-programming career though. For programmers that can pass a leet code style it's different. You probably could take a dump on a recruiter's desk and still get a job.

But, IMHO, it's wise to get 2-3 years of experience before taking significant time off. At that point you're solidly out of junior/entry level roles and into experienced hires.