extended vacation or absence
extended vacation or absence
(OP)
Hello,
I'm considering a long vacation (~6 months) to hike the entire Appalachian Trail (AT) sometime next year (March 2009 – Aug 2009). I have just passed my 2 year mark at a first position out of grad school, and don't want to make a foolish move that will threaten my career.
Have any other engineering professionals taken an extended leave or extended absence from a career to travel extensively or explore non-career interests? If there are any AT thru-hikers who completed their hike after taking a job please let me know about your experience. Specifically, how do you deal with:
* getting rehired or having unpaid vacation
* insurance while hiking through employer's plan
* school loan deferral
* mortgage / sublets for housing
* storing stuff
* maintaining professional competence (continuing education or updates)
* explaining the gap in employment to future employees (if not rehired)
thanks,
sqrrl
I'm considering a long vacation (~6 months) to hike the entire Appalachian Trail (AT) sometime next year (March 2009 – Aug 2009). I have just passed my 2 year mark at a first position out of grad school, and don't want to make a foolish move that will threaten my career.
Have any other engineering professionals taken an extended leave or extended absence from a career to travel extensively or explore non-career interests? If there are any AT thru-hikers who completed their hike after taking a job please let me know about your experience. Specifically, how do you deal with:
* getting rehired or having unpaid vacation
* insurance while hiking through employer's plan
* school loan deferral
* mortgage / sublets for housing
* storing stuff
* maintaining professional competence (continuing education or updates)
* explaining the gap in employment to future employees (if not rehired)
thanks,
sqrrl





RE: extended vacation or absence
As to the gap, if you only list the year on your resume there wont be a gap
I had a year or so gap when I moved to the states, while it's a simplification I've always blamed the INS. My current employer accepted it.
KENAT,
Have you reminded yourself of FAQ731-376: Eng-Tips.com Forum Policies recently, or taken a look at http://eng-tips.com/market.cfm?
RE: extended vacation or absence
whatever you can negotiate
* insurance while hiking through employer's plan
* school loan deferral
rotsa ruck!
* mortgage / sublets for housing
What do you have, a mortgage or a lease? Bank won't care about mortgage as long as they get paid on time. Renting? Don't plan on returning to same place.
* storing stuff
storage places are everywhere. PODS will deliver.
* maintaining professional competence (continuing education or updates)
What will you miss in 5 months?
* explaining the gap in employment to future employees (if not rehired)
The truth, perhaps? Maybe embellish w/ story about being chased by a bear. If you actually do get mauled by a bear then you can just say you were hospitalized for an extended period.
RE: extended vacation or absence
Chris
SolidWorks/PDMWorks 08 3.1
AutoCAD 08
ctopher's home (updated Aug 5, 2008)
ctopher's blog
SolidWorks Legion
RE: extended vacation or absence
Remember the employers first rule, " If you were not needed, you would not have been hired."
What they do with a request like yours, depends on how much they value your contribution to their company.
B.E.
RE: extended vacation or absence
The flip side of this is that you should do it anyway (or something similar) while you are young, unattached, and still can. The gap won't matter in the long run if you're honest. If you try to sleaze your way through it, somebody will find out and burn you.
I blew off working after a couple years and went to Europe on a solo bicycle tour of the continent. I learned much more doing that than cooped up in some dysfunctional excuse for a company.
A college buddy quit his major accounting firm and toured Europe for six months. When his money finally ran out, he was in Switzerland. He walked into the local office of the firm, asked for a job, and got one almost immediately. He still lives in Switz and is high up in the organization.
Whatever you do, DO NOT do like some GaTech idiot I read about once. He hiked the AT thru like an engineer: as fast as he could, strict inflexible schedule, planned to the millisecond, and completely nerded out. What a waste of time and effort. The Carolina / Tennessee / Virginia mountains are sublime and should be savored. As should be the "kindred souls" that you'll meet on the trail.
TygerDawg
Blue Technik LLC
Virtuoso Robotics Engineering
www.bluetechnik.com
RE: extended vacation or absence
RE: extended vacation or absence
However, I would be sadder if they left one of the boxes on their bucket list unchecked. If your boss doesn't understand, it is probably time for a new boss.
A couple of years ago I had an employee that told me he wanted to leave as his dream was to be a NASCAR crew chief. He asked me what I thought. I told him he was CRAZY and there was no way on earth he would ever make it. I told him about how hard it would be. The odds were against him. The competition is too hard, the hours are too long, there are just a few slots for a million applicants. His chances were greater of ice skating with Lucifer.
Then I looked him straight in the eye and told him everything I said was the truth and if he didn't throw all caution to the wind and follow his dreams he was a fool. He left our company, moved the North Carolina, and walked into a team garage he had never seen with a broom in his hand. He now works on a NASCAR truck team--he is working his way up the ladder.
Although business changes, if you were a good employee, I'd hire you back if I could.
David
www.kirkhammotorsports.com
RE: extended vacation or absence
Thanks for the warning, TygerDawg. You just described how I typically do things, including vacation. Planning and recording events has become a benign compulsion, with its benefits of generating a record of what works and what doesn't.
RE: extended vacation or absence
RE: extended vacation or absence
RE: extended vacation or absence
My suggestion, save enough to live for a year. Drop your lease and go without worries. You have plenty of time to rake in the big bucks.
RE: extended vacation or absence
www.kirkhammotorsports.com
RE: extended vacation or absence
RE: extended vacation or absence
Right now, no...but there is a small chance we will in a couple of week if we get a new project.
David
www.kirkhammotorsports.com
RE: extended vacation or absence
I would also check out the thread titled "Leaving the first job and dramatic life decisions" in this same forum. It is a similar situation.
RE: extended vacation or absence
When you are early in your career it makes sense to try out new things. If you don't get your current position back, it will only benefeit you in the long run, having an extra company's perspective under your belt.
RE: extended vacation or absence