S’porean wants to take career break, netizens share rewards & risks from experience

Man in his 40s asks what it is like going on career break 

As tempting as it might be, the thought of going on a career break can be pretty daunting, especially given the uncertain times we are in.

On Sunday (20 July), a user took to the SingaporeFI subreddit to ask Redditors for their experiences going on a prolonged career break.

While admitting that he was “jaded” from the corporate world, the OP was concerned as he did not want to use up “too much savings” during the sabbatical.

‘Jaded’ Redditor looking for fulfilment

In the post, the Original Poster (OP) revealed that he was doing IT security work. He is also the main breadwinner in his household, which comprises two children, aged eight and five.

“Jaded” from the corporate world, the OP planned on taking a year-long break to “recharge and reflect”, while looking for something more “fulfilling”.

His company apparently allows him to do so on the condition that when he returns, he could be in a different role or team.

The OP’s family was also supportive of the idea, but he was concerned about draining his savings.

To address this concern, the OP said he is open to taking on “side gigs” such as providing delivery services.

Despite having it largely planned out, the OP was keen on hearing from others with “similar experience”. He also sought advice on how to earn “side income”.

Netizens advise caution on next course of action

Even though there was no clear consensus among netizens, nearly all of them advised caution.

Many cited the current state of the economy as a cause of concern. One Redditor also warned that there are many “IT grads” looking for jobs at the moment.

Other netizens were concerned that taking the break would put him “straight to the top of ” the list of employees to be laid off.

A common piece of advice was for the OP to take a shorter break or go on a holiday as opposed to a sabbatical.

Other Redditors emphasised the importance of “clarity” and having a defined goal or purpose for the career break.

One Redditor suggested upskilling and using the time off to attend SkillsFuture courses. The same user even revealed that they had taken a sabbatical twice in the past decade and managed to find new jobs after each break.

Also read: Redditor asks which jobs in S’pore are at risk of disappearing due to AI, netizens paint a stark future for most office jobs

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Featured image by MS News. For illustration purposes only.