Reply to: having a break

[1yearlater]

Thanks all, confident enough now to take the break. Come 1st of Feb I will be a free man!

[rootsnall]

I really don't. On those rare occasions when I feel like getting back to it I just watch a couple of episodes of the office to remind me! The episode where Brent takes them down the pub is pretty accurate as well, it's not something I miss!

I managed to catch the tale end of the days when virtually everybody in the office had a few lunchtime and post work pints. It was actually quite a good laugh in a couple of places I worked with drunken stories, office affairs and the like to gossip about. I blame Maggie Thatcher !

[shoes]

hmm, detect slight resentment in that statement - I bet you wish you were working and down the pub at lunchtimes ...

I really don't. On those rare occasions when I feel like getting back to it I just watch a couple of episodes of the office to remind me! The episode where Brent takes them down the pub is pretty accurate as well, it's not something I miss!

[bobsmithldn]

3 months out and counting.. Why work when you don't have to? Have no intention of getting another gig for ages. Can think of nothing worse than spending all day sitting in an office with a load of miserable people.

hmm, detect slight resentment in that statement - I bet you wish you were working and down the pub at lunchtimes ...

[bobsmithldn]

I once didn't work on sunday afternoon and I spent it all playing with my ps2.

Contracting, every little help,

Milan

Where has Milanbenes gone? Sunny himself in Monte Carlo, doesn't sound like ... has something terribly bad happened to him. Must have been a real p*mp ...

[MrsGoof]

I worked briefly with a few Aussies, they wored 3 months, sailed 3 months, worked 3 months skied 3 months

now that was qualiy of life

[shoes]

3 months out and counting.. Why work when you don't have to? Have no intention of getting another gig for ages. Can think of nothing worse than spending all day sitting in an office with a load of miserable people.

[BillHicksRIP]

Finshed a 3-year contract and am taking 2-3 months off. I had very little time off when working so it's time to recharge my batteries and catch up on reading, do some exams, and generally loaf about.

[Buffoon]

Ive been contracting 3 years non stop, finished one contract then went straight into another etc. I'm thinking about not renewing at the end of this contract and then taking a couple of months off, (holidays and relaxing).

Ive got a nice buffer of money to last me a while and need to have a rest from the daily commute. What ammount of time do you think is acceptable to have off as a break before it looks bad on your CV?

I had this about 8 years ago. I finished a long stint working my wotnots off so I decided to take a break and do NOTHING for a couple of months during the summer. I sent out CV’s with the last entry:
Having a break.
Skills used: Absolutely None.
Details: Having worked continuously without any holiday for xxx months, I am taking time to relax and get refreshed so that I am fit and eager for my next challenge.
Worked like a charm. No probs getting work later.

In truth, I got up late, did some shopping and sat in the pub all afternoon for two months. Summer wasn’t that good anyway. Couldn’t be bothered to go away anywhere.

[ratewhore]

I'm currently on a break and you'll be surprised how your day fills up. It's a good time to do any training courses that interest you as well as get your accounts up to date. Keep an eye on the industry and also use the time to catch up with previous contacts, take them to lunch and see what's going on in their area. You never know, your next gig maybe direct with one of them!!

That's all on top of general loafing, going to the gym and things like that...

[andy]

Businessmen don't take 2 months holidays
which prove you are not a real business
Gordo will get you

[Spartacus]

I once didn't work on sunday afternoon and I spent it all playing with my ps2.

Contracting, every little help,

Milan

[Francko]

Ive got a nice buffer of money to last me a while and need to have a rest from the daily commute. What ammount of time do you think is acceptable to have off as a break before it looks bad on your CV?

I once didn't work on sunday afternoon and I spent it all playing with my ps2.

Contracting, every little help,

Milan

[tim123]

Depending upon you skill set you might have to time the break properly. For what I do the market is often dead during June-August and Dec-Jan. Taking a break off work from March to May or Sept to Nov would be a a foolish thing to do.

tim

[rootsnall]

26 years contracting, used to work 6 months and take 6 off in the good old days, funnily enough, no gaps on my CV...

Similar here, had the best part of a year off a couple of times, I chisel a month off either side of a bigger gap when I do a CV rewrite. I don't think gaps of 2 or 3 months are worth worrying about.

I don't think we get paid enough these days for the 6 months on 6 months off approach, the good old 1990s !