Please help me decide my next career move :)

Mr_Mango

Hello guys I’m wondering if you can tell me your thoughts on my current situation.

I’m a 28 year old male, with a BSc in computer science and I’ve been working ever since I graduated in 2012. Twelve months ago I joined a new company with really high hopes for furthering my career as a software tester after four successful and constructive years working as a graduate test consultant. Unfortunately things haven’t turned out my way and I have learned absolutely nothing in the last year and in many ways feel like I’ve actually regressed.

I will be 29 this year and want to see as much of the world as possible. I’m now in the comfortable position where I have saved enough money to quit my job and travel for up to 3 months (most likely 1-2 due to other upcoming commitments) but I want to know how difficult it will be for me to find work when I return and how recruiters and potential will look at my profile with 1-3 month break in employment. When asked about why I left what should I say?

Thanks!

bargainbetty

You can tell them you are taking a sabbatical to go travelling after five years without a break. Be prepared to do contract jobs for a bit when you get back, as you may not find a role ready to step into.

You can also use this period to relocate, but bear in mind you will need to have all your deposit and moving costs set aside too.

ScorpiondeRooftrouser

Tell the truth. It's less than 3 months; nobody will care.

The only question they might ask is why you didn't arrange unpaid time off from your current job to do it, it being so short.

Fireflyaway

I think its fine to say you travelled. If you want to see the world before marriage / kids ( even if you don't want either!) And you saved up to finance it and it was planned, it sounds perfectly reasonable. Personally I like to see people who have some worldly knowledge / life experience etc qualifications are good but a highly qualified but dull person isn't ( not saying you are dull !) Time away might help you focus and have renewed enthusiasm. Budget for not getting a job as soon as you return though.

Mr_Mango

I will be telling my current employers that I'm taking some time out to travel, but when I come back and start applying for work again would I just say the same thing? I quit my job to travel?

ScorpiondeRooftrouser

Mr_Mango wrote: »

I will be telling my current employers that I'm taking some time out to travel, but when I come back and start applying for work again would I just say the same thing? I quit my job to travel?

As I say, it's only 3 months. That's really no time at all. It's just a long holiday.

You only need to have an answer as to why you haven't gone back to your current job. I don't know where you are but many, many places would give you unpaid time off for a a 1-3 month holiday. So why have you quit?

Mr_Mango

Hi,

I haven't quit yet. But I've been considering it for the 3-4 months and in that time I have applied for a couple new roles here in Nottingham making it through to the final stages but unfortunately coming up short.

Primary reason for my wanting to leave is that my current role offers zero career progression and has become most stagnant. My duties are very set in stone and my input is very limited. Now you might say I have to speak louder, believe me I've tried. Within a month or so of joining I immediately recognised what I thought were flaws in our process and highlighted these to management with suggestions for improvement. I was knocked back with the reply of we'll look into it. Several months later "we'll look into it" and so on.

As for my current place giving me 1-3 months to go on sabbatical I haven't even checked if this is an option mainly because I wouldn't want to return. I very much want a clean break after leaving here.

ScorpiondeRooftrouser

I'm not really asking the real reason why you've quit, just pointing out that that's the question you need to have a good answer to. "I quit to go travelling" isn't going to work if you are looking for another job 1-3 months later. What they will say is "Why did you resign before going on holiday?".

dawyldthing

I did exactly the same last year for 11 weeks, ended up having 7 months off including the 11 weeks and ended up returning to my old job as tried some temping work and didn't like it so better the devil you know. I second it might be worth asking about a break from work then start looking when you get back as as the saying goes 'it's better to be in a job and looking than without' or somewhere along them words

Mr_Mango

dawyldthing wrote: »

I did exactly the same last year for 11 weeks, ended up having 7 months off including the 11 weeks and ended up returning to my old job as tried some temping work and didn't like it so better the devil you know. I second it might be worth asking about a break from work then start looking when you get back as as the saying goes 'it's better to be in a job and looking than without' or somewhere along them words

Sounds awesome mate, problem for me is I don't want to return to this job as I can't stand it!

Mr_Mango

ScorpiondeRooftrouser wrote: »

I'm not really asking the real reason why you've quit, just pointing out that that's the question you need to have a good answer to. "I quit to go travelling" isn't going to work if you are looking for another job 1-3 months later. What they will say is "Why did you resign before going on holiday?".

Sure I see where you're coming from, I guess that's where I need to justify why I resigned. I'm really not sure how I'd do that as it seems that this could be frowned upon even though I have enough money saved to keep me going while I search for a new role and would much rather devote 100% of my time to finding the right role rather than 25% of my time dashing about from interview to interview and rushing into a new role much like I did with my current one.