4 ms·

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

3 points by peace_of_mind 16y ago

(I normally post under a different name) I'm at the end of a Masters degree and am now starting to apply to jobs. 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. 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? Any other related advice would be very welcome.

gaius 16y ago
The military would be fine with this arrangement.
- peace_of_mind 16y ago
  I'm a lover not a fighter.
  - gaius 16y ago
    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 16y ago
      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.
RiderOfGiraffes 16y ago
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)
- peace_of_mind 16y ago
  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 16y ago
    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.
  - gaius 16y ago
    3 months is nothing - many places have a 3 month notice period so your start date would be that far out anyway.
- rwl 16y ago
  I would go this way, too. I'd give them a specific start date. If they're not OK with letting you fulfill your "other commitments" before that date, or if they press you to divulge what those commitments are and why they're so important, you didn't want to work for them anyway.
cperciva 16y ago
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.
- peace_of_mind 16y ago
  "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.

3 points by peace_of_mind 16y ago

gaius 16y ago

The military would be fine with this arrangement.

peace_of_mind 16y ago
I'm a lover not a fighter.
- gaius 16y ago
  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 16y ago
    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.

RiderOfGiraffes 16y ago

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)

peace_of_mind 16y ago
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 16y ago
  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.
- gaius 16y ago
  3 months is nothing - many places have a 3 month notice period so your start date would be that far out anyway.
rwl 16y ago
I would go this way, too. I'd give them a specific start date. If they're not OK with letting you fulfill your "other commitments" before that date, or if they press you to divulge what those commitments are and why they're so important, you didn't want to work for them anyway.

cperciva 16y ago

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.

peace_of_mind 16y ago
"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.