mmmmdonuts Posted January 13, 2003 Share Posted January 13, 2003 I remembered from that post a while ago that there are a lot of IT people that post on here. So here is my problem. My girlfriend wants to quit her job, and travel the world for a year. I would love to go too. She is an accountant so can just walk into another job when she gets back. I work in IT. So, with 5 years coding Tandem Cobol (doing the whole lifecycle thing, implementations, analysis, speccing, etc etc), and a few months SQL/Oracle/Unix, will I be able to get a job when I get back? Do you know anyone that is currently job hunting and having trouble? I have heard of a few. The company I work for at the moment is making about 1/6th of the workforce redundant, so the decision might be made for me anyway. If I don't go, I'm sure I will regret it later in life. If I do go and can't get a job when I get back, I will definately regret it. Its keeping me awake at nights, so I thought I'd ask. Any helpful advice greatly received, as are any amusing comments. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mamon Posted January 13, 2003 Share Posted January 13, 2003 ….am I missing something. You’re working in (yawn) IT and you’ve got the chance of travelling the world for a year and, you can’t decide what to do? …..you’re on this planet but once. This isn’t a dress rehearsal or an aperitif for something else. So, stop reading this and contact your GP to arrange your Malaria jabs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmmmdonuts Posted January 13, 2003 Author Share Posted January 13, 2003 I see your point. Don't think I haven't thought that. If I quit, I will have a fantastic year that I will remember for the rest of my life, but if I can't get a decent job when I get back, then the rest of my life won't be have Westfields and nice holidays in it. There is a lot of the rest of my life left (I hope). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bananaman Posted January 13, 2003 Share Posted January 13, 2003 As Mamon says, you only live once. go for it. When you are an Old Fart (sorry to all the Old Farts reading this ) you will look back on your life and will regret the things you didn't do not the things you did. I would think about keeping your house (if you can afford it! & renting it out, i know the housing market is slowing down, but if your house goes up but 5% in a year (went up 20% last year) & your house is worth £100,000 that is £5,000 down the drain plus all your leagal/estate agents costs for selling & then buying again 1year later, which could easily add up to another £2,000-£3,000. Just a thought. Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mamon Posted January 13, 2003 Share Posted January 13, 2003 .....stop thinking about the negatives and start planning the trip. Most people, including myself, who did the big trip never regretted it for one nano-second and the experience looks great on CV's. ....still here? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catflap Posted January 13, 2003 Share Posted January 13, 2003 Dude its something im am going to do when i finish my masters, i have a full time teaching IT job, but ill be off to Japan for a year. It scares me a bit, but this country i SH*TE Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blatman Posted January 13, 2003 Share Posted January 13, 2003 but if I can't get a decent job when I get back, then the rest of my life won't be have Westfields and nice holidays in it. Are you seriously proposing that, upon your return to Blighty (and that's not a foregone conclusion by any means. You may decide you like somewhere else more than here), that you'll never get another job............Sure, it'll take some effort, but please............ Plan the trip for 18 months so that when you get back after 12, you still have 6 months "spending money" to fall back on, whilst you re-acquaint yourself with the IT market. Oh, and if at all posible, keep the house........... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmmmdonuts Posted January 13, 2003 Author Share Posted January 13, 2003 we are in the process of selling our house already. We were going to move. Bananaman - your theory is very good if the house prices do continue to go up. If they take a down turn then we are better off selling now. Its all a gamble. If we sold our cars before we went then we should have enough money (along with some savings) to travel on, and keep the house. decisions decisions. I have enough trouble deciding what to have for breakfast. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Hurdsfield - Joint Manchester AO Posted January 13, 2003 Share Posted January 13, 2003 Speaking as an old fart that doesn't work in IT JUST GO FOR IT sort out the rest of your life later, if your any good at your job you will get fixed up. During my life i have managed to fullfill most of my dreams, never quite managed a year off, but once got a round the world ticket and me and the wife stopped off where we wanted. My youngest son (26) was thinking of travelling, the wife and I ebcouraged him all the way, he got four months unpaid leave from his job and is currently in Australia having the time of his life, Surfers Paradise today, Cairns tommorow to do a 5 day PADI course on the Great Barrier Reef. need i go on? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmmmdonuts Posted January 13, 2003 Author Share Posted January 13, 2003 I know I would get another job sometime, even if it isn't in IT. The IT market is crap at the moment. Not many jobs available, and people being made redundant (as shown by my company). very few companies use Tandem cobol as well, which is my main programming skill. I'm not that worried about getting a job, I'm sure there are lots of things I can do outside of IT. The problem would be getting a job that pays as well for what I find very easy work. Starting again in something outside IT would probably mean a 50% paycut, or more. A pretty big lifestyle change. I probably could always get a job in the middle of London though. I'll get me bags. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Stanton Posted January 13, 2003 Share Posted January 13, 2003 Pack your bags and sod off (nothing personal) Just go for it - else its something you'll regret and you'll probably find a better country and a far better way of life and not bother coming back here Its a no brainer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmmmdonuts Posted January 13, 2003 Author Share Posted January 13, 2003 OK, OK. I get the message! I'll apply for voluntary redundancy then. Anyone want my car? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westy Posted January 13, 2003 Share Posted January 13, 2003 yes please Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisbin Posted January 13, 2003 Share Posted January 13, 2003 I'll look after it for you......... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyC_772 Posted January 13, 2003 Share Posted January 13, 2003 If you decide to go, you may well be better off letting your house rather than selling it. At least then you can be sure of having somewhere to live when you get back, and you won't find yourself spending the last months of your trip worrying about buying a house - that's stressful enough at the best of times. Similarly, it might work out cheaper (or at least, less hassle) to put the car into storage rather than sell it; if you know that yours is well sorted, it might not be worth the risk of buying a lemon when you get back. (Of course, if yours IS a lemon then things are a bit different! A. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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