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Ask HN: How do I explain a resume gap after taking a sabbatical?

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Re: Ask HN: How do I explain a resume gap after taking a sabbatical?

#21

Post by snowAbstraction »

I did something similar twice. Once when I was younger where I traveled and lived in China and only did a little English teaching. And again 5 years ago, I took math classes in a new city where I moved to for my wife's job until her position was more certain and then I got regular employment.

I've changed jobs and interviewed some afterwards: some employers make a big deal (negative) about these gaps. While others seem mildly impressed that I did something somewhat different. They tend to pay less attention now that a few years have passed. I think it is also because such gaps are more common these days and because losing employees to other companies is probably bigger problem than sabbaticals.

Re: Ask HN: How do I explain a resume gap after taking a sabbatical?

#22

Post by adrianN »

codingdave wrote: post #20
modi15 wrote: post #9

Its a red flag. If you are capable of taking of for an year, whats stopping you from taking off again. No one wants to hire someone who will leave after sometime. And there are probably other hires who dont have this red flag.

I want to work for a company that is good enough to make us want to be there, not to trap people there so they cannot leave. There are also companies out there that understand the reality of the tech world, and expect people will leave after a few years. Any company who wants to lock you in so you cannot leave... that is the red flag -- Run away fast.

Every company wants to lock you in because hiring and training somebody is extremely expensive. Some companies just do it in a less obvious way.

Re: Ask HN: How do I explain a resume gap after taking a sabbatical?

#23

Post by adrianN »

aaronbrethorst wrote: post #15
modi15 wrote: post #9

Its a red flag. If you are capable of taking of for an year, whats stopping you from taking off again. No one wants to hire someone who will leave after sometime. And there are probably other hires who dont have this red flag.

If you have more than one employer listed on your resume, what's stopping you from quitting the company that might hire you? No one wants to hire someone who will leave after some time for a new job.

That's the thinking in some countries. Japan for example.

Re: Ask HN: How do I explain a resume gap after taking a sabbatical?

#24

Post by kreetx »

Blackstone4 wrote: post #6
Blackstone4 wrote: post #3

It's easy for people to criticize. Ignore them. Recruiters want easy wins so they can get paid. There will always be people who are negative about X, Y or Z. Find your own way. If you start believing them that is trouble because it'll come across in any interview. Be proud of the time you took out to travel around Asia. "I had a fantastic time, learning about new cultures, broadening my mind, meeting new people from…

People who don't understand why you took time out to travel around Asia, are people you probably don't want to work with. Think of it as a culture litmus test. If you're back and not currently working, you could pick up freelance work or work on your own project or open source. This will give you something to talk about when talking to recruiters. i.e. What are you doing now? "I take freelance work and am also workin…

This is very true!

When you start interviewing you'll see plenty of recruiters who think it's awesome what you did and will want to know all about it And you'll meet those who look down on it for some weird reason ("what do you mean you want to be free/control your own life?").

But the inspired ones will help you all they can to see if you and the company are a match. The best recruiters (IMO) are your temporary & one-shot career counselors: if they're empathetic and highly intelligent, then they are information highways between you and the prospect employer. You all have only to win in a situation like that!

Re: Ask HN: How do I explain a resume gap after taking a sabbatical?

#25

Post by Ultimatt »

modi15 wrote: post #9

Its a red flag. If you are capable of taking of for an year, whats stopping you from taking off again. No one wants to hire someone who will leave after sometime. And there are probably other hires who dont have this red flag.

Another interpretation is they've already gone and done a year for themselves and are now ready to work. Whereas everyone else could vanish at any time in a midlife crisis etc. The idea this is a red flag when hiring someone is madness to me.

Re: Ask HN: How do I explain a resume gap after taking a sabbatical?

#27

Post by toomanybeersies »

V-2 wrote: post #19
aaronbrethorst wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you have more than one employer listed on your resume, what's stopping you from quitting the company that might hire you? No one wants to hire someone who will leave after some time for a new job.

It's not a good analogy the way you put it, because having more than one employer in and of itself is so very common that it's hard to be biased against it. However a dinstinctly high frequency of changing jobs, say in the 90th percentile among candidates (and how many people take sabbaticals?), now that could be a red flag already. And for exactly that reason - it implies the candidate is relatively likely to jump t…

You're right that constant job jumping, or several sabbaticals would be a red flag, but I don't think that a single year off would be.

I was actually considering chasing another job last week, which would have better pay and more responsibilities, but decided not to, because I've only been in my current job for 6 months. It really isn't a good look if you're constantly jumping ship.

Re: Ask HN: How do I explain a resume gap after taking a sabbatical?

#28

Post by toomanybeersies »

modi15 wrote: post #9

Its a red flag. If you are capable of taking of for an year, whats stopping you from taking off again. No one wants to hire someone who will leave after sometime. And there are probably other hires who dont have this red flag.

That's BS though. The fact that your employment history shows more than one employer shows that you're capable of taking off, maybe not for travel, but at least to another country.

You're almost guaranteed that someone you're hiring will leave after some time.

Re: Ask HN: How do I explain a resume gap after taking a sabbatical?

#29

Post by RpFLCL »

Talk about your passions and what you did to stay busy. Tell recruiters and interviewers about your passion to stay busy while traveling and how you didn't bulk at the chance to take a risk.

Be prepared to discuss any issues that arrose at your last job that encouraged you to take the time away.

Hopefully you have a positive reference or two from your freelance work or prior jobs.

A year of travel is an understandable and common activity in our field. A company who understands this is also a company that might understand when you need personal time down the road.

Re: Ask HN: How do I explain a resume gap after taking a sabbatical?

#30

Post by codingdave »

adrianN wrote: post #22
codingdave wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I want to work for a company that is good enough to make us want to be there, not to trap people there so they cannot leave. There are also companies out there that understand the reality of the tech world, and expect people will leave after a few years. Any company who wants to lock you in so you cannot leave... that is the red flag -- Run away fast.

Every company wants to lock you in because hiring and training somebody is extremely expensive. Some companies just do it in a less obvious way.

Every company wants to reduce the cost of employee churn. Good companies to work for do so by building an environment where you want to be. Bad companies lock you in. They both want you to stay, but their methods for doing so tell you a ton about who they are.
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