Reply to: Longest career break

[chicane]

personal services company

You've been reading too many HMRC booklets - quit the filthy habit before it's too late!

[Jubber]

I think I am going to have to fill in the void period as it seems to be putting of recruiters considering my CV.

Yup.

[KentPhilip]

Just cover the 18-month period with a "project" with your personal services company you are contracting through.
I did that to cover an embarrasing 4-month period of time off, and had agents on the phone to me asking me about this recent experience - it was so nice to tell them what a great company it was, and that you might in the near future be able to find out about some positions there... as long as agent gets me the gig

[smiff]

Tell them you've been working on a "Government project" and you aren't allowed to discuss where it was or what it involved unless they can confirm their level of security clearance is DV or above.

That shouls shut them up, and make you sound good all at the same time.

HTH.

I like the way you think...

[ladymuck]

I have to say that taking a 'career break' was the best thing I ever did. Was in a permie job that was going nowhere, left and landed another deadender! At the time, I was selling a property and ended up with a few quid in the bank by accident due to a typo so I quit deadender no2 and took a year out to do a HNC - 15 hours a week of study suited me much better. (It was supposed to be a HND but I couldn't be bothered to do the end of year project)

Started that job hunting thing towards the end of the course, landed a contract job and haven't looked back since.

[shoes]

What is the longest career break

I don't have a career, that's what permies call their jobs to make them sound worth doing.

A gap on a cv is an excuse to bin your application when they're looking for a reason to thin out a pile of them. It's just the opinion of a gelled up teenager it doesn't mean anything. To get past these people just change the dates for the gigs, they won't check.

[oracleslave]

Tell them you've been working on a "Government project" and you aren't allowed to discuss where it was or what it involved unless they can confirm their level of security clearance is DV or above.

That shouls shut them up, and make you sound good all at the same time.

HTH.

should

HTH

[TheFaQQer]

I had a break for 18 months. When I started circulating my CV to pimps again, they really focussed on that time off, and some of them basically inferred that I would have forgotten my entire skill set and they wouldn't put me forward for roles.

I honestly think I would have been better telling them I was in jail or something.

How dare you take some time out!!!

Tell them you've been working on a "Government project" and you aren't allowed to discuss where it was or what it involved unless they can confirm their level of security clearance is DV or above.

That shouls shut them up, and make you sound good all at the same time.

HTH.

[Hicks]

Some really good points mentioned which seem to confirm my suspicions particularly since talking to a couple of agents today.

I think I am going to have to fill in the void period as it seems to be putting of recruiters considering my CV.

Thanks to all those who replied.

[NickNick]

I too took 15 months off in 2004 / 5, and spent a good three months of that honing my cv and interview skills and applying for jobs. When I landed a contract in the end, I started to get offered more (and better) contracts almost immediately. I guess the fact that you are in work makes you more likely to find work.

Jus tmy 2p.

NN

[dmini]

I had just over 2 years out - I was working but not in IT. I did do a couple of 1 week contracts during that time.
I managed to relate some of my non-IT work across - I do M$ server support & some 3rd line desktop by default, as do many server people. The work I initially did was low grade - floorwalking locally, but as I could only do part time at that point due to family stuff - to be expected. Since then - 2005 I havent had an issue.
So... my advice, thinking back. be prepared to take a low grade post, for the short term, to prove your skills (and help remember the bits you will have forgotten) It won't mean you stay there at that level - my current post is on far more than those days, about twice, and although I am working for a different organisation, and site, the fact I got this post is directly related to that scummy local part time one I had, and how well I did in it - a rather large outsourcing organistaion were also working on that site, and I came to their notice, and have since worked on 4 different contracts for them - increasing the rate each time

[Pickle2]

Why not just rejig yorur marketing material (sorry, cv) so the "gap" appears before the last job you had?

OR even better, dont bother stating start and end dates. Just list clients in chronological order and state duration.

EG

Projects and clients (most recent first)

Big Telco, 18 months
Responsible For: making tea etc etc

Big Insurance co, 21 months
Responsible For: ordering take-out etc etc

Local Gov, 15 months
Responsible For: posting cds etc etc

[too_many_details]

I took 12 months off in 2004. I'm in Java development.

The biggest issue seemed to be agents reluctant to put you forward if there were other candidates with no gap.

I accepted a permie position earning a third less to get back into the game.

What field are you in?

TMD

[tim123]

I've got a friend who does what I do (embedded systems for telecomms).

Between you and me he's not particularly good.

But twice now he's taken a year off and both times managed to find a job within a few weeks of starting to look.

Though perhaps the reason is that he knows he's not particularly good and is happy to accept the "integration" jobs that I am continually being offered and turn down as (if I'm entirely honest) beneath my capabilities (I actually say "not interesting enough").

tim

[BlasterBates]

It does depend on your skill set. A friend of mine is a network specialist, and was doing support, took a few months off and now can't get anything.

I think although the market isn't too bad, it is more difficult than last year.