I’m considering taking ~3 months off in the next few months to focus on my health, well being, and just simply be on less Zoom calls. Considering a side project as well that’s not related to tech.
For others that have done this, how hard is it to re-enter the workforce. Is this gap easy to explain in interviews? Did you have trouble finding employment after taking time off?
Overall, I have a pretty strong resume and financially I’ll be fine for a few months.
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1) involuntary, were between jobs - 4 months
2) voluntary - quit a toxic job at FB, consulted a few hours a week, got head hunted by Indeed, gave them a chance - got the best job (so far) with a 50% bump in comp
3) voluntary - took a "sabbatical" at Indeed (3 months, unpaid) - got back renewed, 10xed my impact, leading 3 major projects and a team now
Considering to take another unpaid leave right now (burnout).
Overall, each break helped me to see my options with MUCH more clarity and added 30-50% to my total comp. I have many friends in all the different industries (marketing, eng, AI) who had same experience - 0.5-2x comp after a break, finding much better WLB, etc. Also, importantly, it has to be quite a big break. 3 months is the minimum. I did see strong correlation between the length of break and comp increase after it (caveat: sample size is non-representative of general population).
If you can afford a break, it'll almost certainly be a great win for your long term career. Also, I recommend to avoid any work, even side projects, unless it's really fun/hobby for you.