Ask HN: Taking career break after 3 years in industry

[acquiremoney]

Hey hn, I am thinking of taking career break of 6 months. I do not like my new job and have no energy to interview at new job. Are there any folks who can share their experience. Also does taking career break hurt your chances in future? I am on h1b right now, so I will be going back to india and interview after 6 months from india.

[stefanos82]

Go back, take your time to relax, and in the meantime continue with your personal development around projects or hobbies you enjoy the most.

Find any other job unrelated to tech industry if possible and when the right opportunity comes, you will know.

Enjoy your time mate, life is short!

[rockyperezz]

Hey acquiremoney! I've had experience quitting my job in the past (used to work managing restaurants) due to burnout, took a break for a year and a half to pursue a masters degree as well as work on related side projects, from there I pivoted to a more suitable job & industry for me.

Yes future employers may see that gap and ask why or what have you been doing. I don't think 6 months break would be any concern to them given many people have similar experiences in today's unstable job market. However, anything longer than 6 months (like in my case) and it's best to initiate side projects with clear goals and results that you can translate into valuable assets when interviewing for future companies. As long as the break is for purposes of health, family, or personal development oriented, most interviewers would not penalize you.

Hopefully you have also built up an "emergency fund". This is essentially saved up money that would allow you to live for 6 to 12 months without receiving any salary (hence the name "emergency", in the case of lay-off or situations like this). With an emergency fund you have the leverage. You won't worry about having to suck up to crazy employers or continue working in a job you hate because it "pays your bills" and you have no choice - you can easily quit and look for the next opportunity without much financial anxiety. Of course, you should do your due diligence in researching companies before accepting a job with them, too much job hopping in a short span of time also doesn't look good to interviewers.

Ultimately, jobs are for earning a living, but you are much more than your job or what you do. If you want to take a break, and you can survive that time comfortably without receiving a salary then it's all good!