Anyone ever taken a Sabbatical (voluntary one that is)

[SLacKer]

Anyone taken a Sabbatical for a year or so. I know it is a luxury in this day and age but what was your experience with it?

I ask as I will be in a position to do this in 2011 and was thinking of doing a round the world trip and even taking some time to learn some new skills. I might even get to drive the cars a lot more which would be really good.

[Adenauer]

Slacker

[Cotty]

Actively encoraged by my company. Means they don't have to pay you. For shorter periods they would still pay a percentage, if I took 20 working days off together they would still pay me 50% of my salery. Month off on half pay anyone?

Anyway take the time and go traveling. I did nearly 4 months in Israel and Egypt when I was younger, never regreted it.

[SLacKer]

Adenauer said:

Slacker

SLacKer

1. A person who avoids work
2. A name derived from SLK which I own and needed a name for forums etc.

I am No. 2.

I know people have gap years before Uni but I never did that so would like to take my gap year now. Need to get a fresh outlook on life and maybe start a new career.

[Crook]

I did, agreed it with boss, took 3 months off, lived in South of France, was very lovely. Came back, got made redundant. wker.

Best thing that ever happened to me!

[bonsai]

Crook said:

I did, agreed it with boss, took 3 months off, lived in South of France, was very lovely. Came back, got made redundant. wker.

well makes sense to me, if the company can cope with you being away for 3 months then clearly you are redundant!

[bazking69]

I guess it depends on your companies situation. Some would probably jump at the chance of releasing you for an agreed period, especially given the current climate.

A guy I used to work with did it, but he handed his notice in. One year later he came back, and he has gone from a well paid and frankly easy job with car, laptop and phone to the bottom of the food chain working his ass off on just over half what he was on. The thing is he doesn't resent or regret that one little bit.

[Crook]

bonsai said:

Crook said:

I did, agreed it with boss, took 3 months off, lived in South of France, was very lovely. Came back, got made redundant. wker.

well makes sense to me, if the company can cope with you being away for 3 months then clearly you are redundant!

You're not wrong! but there is a little more to the story, I was Design Manager, employed a very good young guy to do the job the other designer was doing on a temp basis (3 month contract) and the other designer was to do some of the roles I undertook. The Production Manager was then to take temporary control of most of the 'management' tasks. The boss realised that he could get as much done for less with an enthusiastic graduate as he could for more with a jaded PHer.

Funny thing is the boss gave it all the 'you're really valued, of course you'll have a job when you came back etc.' before I went. Then did this utterly pathetic song and dance redundancy bit between me and the Production Manager rather than be honest.

So, yes they are nice things to do, but as Bonsai notes, if they can manage without you with you away. They will continue to manage without you when you are back!

Edited by Crook on Thursday 8th April 14:29

[Cotty]

bonsai said:

Crook said:

I did, agreed it with boss, took 3 months off, lived in South of France, was very lovely. Came back, got made redundant. wker.

well makes sense to me, if the company can cope with you being away for 3 months then clearly you are redundant!

You say that, but they allow women up to a year off for maternity leave. We had two on the trot should we make one of them redundant?

[SLacKer]

I am in the position of being the boss so no issues with redundancy.

Has anyone done this and if so do you look back on it as being the best thing you ever did or a big mistake.

I know in the current 'economic climate' with unemployment etc. it is a luxury but I am coming to the conclusion it is a necessity so I can learn new skills and maybe move on from software development.

[bazking69]

It won't do your career any good but it'll help with personal development massively, depending what you do and where you go.

[Marcellus]

I think it's getting more common... I've had a lot of clients who are taking sabbaticals and [i]"doing the ski season they never did when they were in their teens"... works well for most.

[Crook]

It was fantastic.

[hornetrider]

Not a sabbatical exactly but handed in my notice and took off travelling with the mrs for 6 months. Did Thailand, NZ, Australia and Bali. Best thing I ever did.

Got into contracting when I came back and have been doing it ever since (5 years). Haven't looked back!

[SLacKer]

hornetrider said:

Not a sabbatical exactly but handed in my notice and took off travelling with the mrs for 6 months. Did Thailand, NZ, Australia and Bali. Best thing I ever did.

Got into contracting when I came back and have been doing it ever since (5 years). Haven't looked back!

I like the sound of that. My dad has a house in Thailand and I have a mate in NZ so a trip is on the cards for sure.

Did a load of IT contracting back in the late 90's until IR35 came along. Wonder if the conservatives will scrap that?

[hornetrider]

IR35?

[drivin_me_nuts]

Yep.

I took a year and a half out. Loved every single minute of it.

[SLacKer]

drivin_me_nuts said:

Yep.

I took a year and a half out. Loved every single minute of it.

18 Months