

Ask HN: I need to get away from it all. - peace_of_mind

(I normally post under a different name)<p>I'm at the end of a Masters degree and am now starting to apply to jobs.<p>Over the last few years I've either been working or studying, and haven't taken a break of more than a couple of weeks. Alongside that, I've had to (successfully) fight off an unpleasant illness. I need to spend several months somewhere quiet where I can live well, clear my head and do some reading.<p>Ideally though I would like to have a job ready for when I come back. How can I apply to a place and put this across without setting off alarm bells?<p>Any other related advice would be very welcome.
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RiderOfGiraffes
You could simply say that you have some commitments that prevent you from
starting immediately, but that in the interregnum you would intend to use the
opportunity to read and hone up on the skills required for the position - do
they have a suggested reading list?

Lots of companies are fine with a pause before starting for real. It does
depend on how long, though. "Several Months" is a long time - very few
companies looking to hire would be willing to appoint someone, then wait
"several months".

(edited for speeling errror)

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peace_of_mind
Thanks for the reply. By "Several Months" I probably mean a minimum of 1.5
months, but preferably around 3 months.

Part of the plan is to learn a few new areas of CS and math that I've been too
busy to read, and code a few things I've been meaning to code. Some personal
development without commitments all week.

Edit: "to" -> "too". Christ.

~~~
RiderOfGiraffes
I don't think of that as "several", I think of that as "a few." Two months
would most likely be acceptable to a prospective employer. Four months less
so.

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cperciva
_I would like to have a job ready for when I come back._

Don't do it. I mean, sure, it sounds great -- allow yourself to unwind knowing
that you don't need to worry about whether you'll be able to find work when
you get back, right? But it doesn't work.

After a month of clearing your head, you'll probably realize that the jobs you
thought were interesting earlier really aren't right for you. And then you'll
spend the rest of your time worrying about the job you're headed back to.

Take your time off now. Apply for jobs when you get back. You're well-educated
and (given your presence here) probably very smart, too. You won't have
trouble finding work. But you need to be in a mental state where you're ready
to jump in and start working before you'll be able to find the right job.

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peace_of_mind
"After a month of clearing your head, you'll probably realize that the jobs
you thought were interesting earlier really aren't right for you."

This had definitely crossed my mind.

The best thing to do might be to make some contact with a few places before I
leave, saying I will be looking for work in December/January after a short
career break, and have a pretty LaTeX CV ready for when I get back.

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gaius
The military would be fine with this arrangement.

~~~
peace_of_mind
I'm a lover not a fighter.

~~~
gaius
Me too, but I'm a fighter as well, so watch out ;-)

Another option would be a large firm that takes in cohorts onto a training
programme a few times a year. I'm not normally a fan of "graduate programmes"
but that might suit you.

~~~
peace_of_mind
Possibly. I did the graduate treadmill after my first degree and I'd prefer to
work somewhere smaller and less Initrodeish. I've been studying a slightly
niche but useful area of computer science, so I don't really want to sell my
ass to someone like McKinsey just because they have a Spring intake.

I guess my question is more about how to present my case to another person,
without it sounding like I want to slack off.

