Would you be concerned?

fly-me-to-the-moon

Hi folks

I have been with my employer for the last 7.5 years and to cut a long story short I have lost all passion for the role and the company. I work 50-60 hours per week and have found job hunting to be virtually impossible while working long hours in a stressful job. So, I have resigned from my position and am currently working my notice period.

Money isn't a major issue as my dh earns enough to support both of us and I also have around 3 months salary saved up just in case we need it.

What I am concerned about is how this could look to a potential employer. My reasons for leaving are completely genuine - I just can't find the time or have the energy while working so hard to find another job and it isn't the kind of job that I could - or would want - to do half heartedly. So I felt the best thing for both the company and me was for me to leave so I have the time to look for my next move and they can get someone who is 100% focused.

Would you look at that negatively as a future employer?

gibson123

I often used to take a "break" between jobs. I used the time to travel and relax, I could afford it as I earned loads of money at the time and this was before I had a family. I never once had a problem getting my next job, the times were different then, lots of jobs around.

LittleVoice

I'd be very careful in checking the reference provided by the current (by then most recent) employer to try to be certain that you had not been pushed into jumping ship because of less than perfect performance.

fly-me-to-the-moon

LittleVoice wrote: »

I'd be very careful in checking the reference provided by the current (by then most recent) employer to try to be certain that you had not been pushed into jumping ship because of less than perfect performance.

That's very unlikely considering I am not a poor performer - even if I was I know the reference is minimal - dates of employment etc.

KiKi

No, I wouldn't look at it negatively as long as you didn't phrase it like that. If you said that there were no career opportunities for you there and you wanted to take time out to reassess your career and establishing what you wanted to focus on next, that would make me feel a lot more comfortable that you did it in a considered way, not just because you couldn't manage your time.

HTH

ditzyat50

If I was an employer, having read your open and honest posting, I would give you a job tomorrow. You are obviously a hard working person with scruples and I hope all goes well for you.

Checkmate_2

ditzyat50 wrote: »

If I was an employer, having read your open and honest posting, I would give you a job tomorrow. You are obviously a hard working person with scruples and I hope all goes well for you.

But you're not an employer.

As a recruiter I would throw OP's cv in the bin the moment I sense OP left his/her position due to poor time management skills and/or stress. I'd be careful how you choose to word it.

While it's nice of you to be sympathetic, it's always best to hire someone who appears to be best suited for the job, not someone whose ability is questionable. Unable to handle stress is no different to being a low performer in my opinion because who wants to hire a top performer who breaks down after a month?

burnoutbabe

If your job had significant travel in it, then it would make sense that you can't job hunt whilst away.

Or I have phrased it as "the role has lots of projects starting up and as I came to the end of one project it seemed the best time to leave, rather than mid away through a project" No need to mention stressful job. Ie I'd leave after an employers year end, so I'd done the main parts of an accountants job and not left them in the lurch.

Mistral001

You will probably get fewer interviews because of a break in your employment, that is to be expected.

But it is the interview that will be important. If the Op ends up "explaining" the career break that will come across as very negative at an interview. Instead she should be aiming at just stating that she had a career break and what she did during that career break.

Even if the OP states that she decided to take full six months off as a career break and do nothing at all for that time except paint the house and darn socks without applying for one job, that would come across more positive in my view than saying in not so many words, that she moped about the house and applying for 100's of jobs. That might seem strange but it would send out the message that here is an candidate who is has her batteries recharged, ready to work and take on the world again. Remember those people who apply for 100's of jobs get 100's of refusals. Do you think employers want someone who has ha 100's of refusals?

Sycorax

I've been on both sides of the fence, I've taken time out from work and I've been responsible for recruitment for many years.

If you have a gap in your work history you must say what you were doing in that gap..I had a six month gap and put on my CV that I spent the time travelling Europe. I did for part of it.....

When asked why the break , I said 'I have been working for X many uninterupted years. I had the resources and money to be able to take a break to realise some other personal goals e.g. travel. The organisation and my then job role where in a comfortably stable place to allow me to leave without much disruption'.

A good interviewer will allow you sufficent space to talk to hang yourself, so if you have a gap, or you've left you have to have a compelling and positive reason for doing so that trips off the tongue. Leaving a gap in the CV or telling a future employer you left because you were bored, where stressed, had too much work, where working far too many hours etc will kill your application stone dead.

SueC_2

"I was in the fortunate position of being able to fund myself through a sabbatical, which I used to <<blah... blah ... something positive and fulfilling...blah... blah... whilst evaluating the options open to me for my future career... blah... blah...>>"