Grown up gap year?
Author
Discussion

Zelda Pinwheel

Original Poster:

500 posts

227 months

Friday 24th August 2012
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I'm hopefully about to be made redundant after 15 years with my current employer. If all goes well this should net me a tidy sum, and my OH may also be redundant after 3 years with his lot. We're considering a grown up "gap year" - maybe not a year off, but certainly 6 months minimum. It's an opportunity that we'll never have again and to be honest I really am not ready to start working for another company yet - I need to get my head clear first.

I'm a PA, he's in telecoms software. Are we mental? Would employers look well upon a year out of the job market, or would it indicate that our skills have become rusty and we've lost touch with the pace of change (particularly in his case)?

Any thoughts gratefully received.




KrazyIvan

4,341 posts

204 months

Friday 24th August 2012
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I would not have thought 6 months out of work as a PA would cause that great a concern (especially when you show why) but 6 months out of any software environment can be an issue as its a industry that can change pretty quick. I guess if he has any industry specific accreditation that may lapse over that time, then get them update as soon as you return.

Good Luck

Ivan (sat at a desk wishing he was mad redundant after 14.5 years service so he can travel round the far east and Australia for 6 months) biggrin

Rude-boy

22,227 posts

262 months

Friday 24th August 2012
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KrazyIvan said:
Ivan (sat at a desk wishing he was mad redundant after 14.5 years service so he can travel round the far east and Australia for 6 months) biggrin
hehe

rog007

5,828 posts

253 months

Friday 24th August 2012
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Volunteer using your competencies in an exotic location and kill four birds with one stone: doing good; maintaining existing skills; learn new skills; see a new part of the world.

http://www.vso.org.uk

Good luck!

singlecoil

35,826 posts

275 months

Friday 24th August 2012
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Is it an integral part of the plan to go abroad? Or do you just want a change/rest from going to work each day? If it's the latter, then one thought is that that would be a good opportunity in which to start a business.

My other thought is that if you are going abroad then you need to allow for the time it will take you to find a job on your return, whereas if you are staying at home you can start looking sooner, whilst still relaxing.

Munter

31,331 posts

270 months

Friday 24th August 2012
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rog007 said:
Volunteer using your competencies in an exotic location and kill four birds with one stone: doing good; maintaining existing skills; learn new skills; see a new part of the world.

http://www.vso.org.uk

Good luck!
That sounds like a good suggestion to me.

I don't see any employer looking at that as anything but a positive.

Zelda Pinwheel

Original Poster:

500 posts

227 months

Thursday 30th August 2012
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Sorry for delayed reply. Thanks all for your responses.

Food for thought, certainly! My sister works for Australian Volunteers International and is presently in the back of beyond in Australia, on a 3 month community development project. It's certainly proving a break from the humdrum and has given her a chance to "reset" her perspective on her own life.

Stumps690

482 posts

171 months

Thursday 6th September 2012
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We found oz over rated,

If we could do our trip again we would spend the majority of our time in south America, peru is my favourite country I've visited.