paulr

I have been made redundant (April 1st) after 17 years working for the same company. I'd like to take my time looking for a new job, deciding what to do. Are gaps in your CV really that bad, even if you say "i just wanted a break". That was 17 years of 6x12 hour shifts on, one off, pretty much. Moneywise there are no problems.

I've also been offered a temporary one month contract, but its at a place i hate, and job i loathe. In todays climate i'm made to feel like an outcast for not taking it.

jasey

I was in the same position 10 years ago.

took 8 months break to see some places I'd always wanted to.

If anywhere looking to employ you think this is a problem - you probably don't want to work there !

Chip

Had 6 months off in 2011after redundancy, got bored so started up on my own and haven't looked back ' best thing I ever did.

paulr

Chip, Jasey, what did you live on. Savings or benefits, or both.

Leslie

How can you possibly be criticised for spending time looking for a job I wonder!

Les

Lydia72

I don't see it as an issue. If they mentioned it in an interview you could use it to your advantage "I didn't want to take the first job on offer because I had to work, I would rather wait until a position came up in a company that I admire and would like to work for"

paulr

And thats exactly the case.
Reading some other stuff on the internet, apparently the job centre "hound" you into applying for everything, and taking anything. I've read many stories of people just signing off because they are fed up with it.

jasey

I was lucky enough to get a decent redundancy payment

ReallyReallyGoodMeat

Think it all depends on what you do with your time off. If you just spend it sitting in your pants watching TV, that will be problematic come interview time when you are asked what you did with that time off. Travelling, expanding your horizons, learning a skill, etc. are all good.

chocolate_o_brian

iTrader: (22)

This.

When I lost my last job 5 years ago this month, I tried asking about at the training centres etc. when signing on if there were any skills I could volunteer for to look good on my CV. As I didn't have an addiction to drugs or dyslexia (C and above in Maths, English and Sciences), there was nothing they could offer me.

At my interview for my apprenticeship I made a point of explaining what I had done in the time between losing my job and applying at the steelworks so they knew I had nothing to hide.

Love my job now

hill79

As has been said, I don't think it'll be an issue so long as the employment gap isn't due to you being unemployable. If you can afford to do it, go for it - its not often you get the chance to take that much of a break from work!

As for the Job Centre trying to get people to take pretty much any job... too right! Thats exactly what they're there for - it may not be the ideal approach for the small number of skilled people biding their time waiting for the right job to come along, but its certainly the right approach for the vast majority of bone idle t*wts on job seekers allowance, IMO.

paulr

17 years of a 72 hour week. I think i'm entitled to a break.

hill79

Absolutely and as I said, if money isn't an issue then go for it - I'd jump at the chance.

Ray T

Just register as "self employed" say your doing some consultantacy etc, it will fill the "gap" and you never know it might become a way of life.

Lydia72

I used to work in a JC, not sure if it's still the case but Job Seekers at the time were allowed a grace period where they only looked for work in their usual profession for the first few months. If they hadn't found anything suitable after the grace period they then had to look for any work.
If that is still the case it should have been explained and agreed upon when you first claimed (years ago that I worked there though).

It is a condition of claiming that you do look for work, when I left my last job I could have claimed but chose not to because I didn't want the hassle but appreciate I was fortunate that I could afford to do that.
You could just tell them that you look on the internet every day, check the local paper regularly, are asking friends and family etc.

paulr

Decision made.........thankyou everyone.

I rang the place up (COB, its a place you know well in Scunny) and told them i'm not interested. I do want to work, but not at any price. Feel loads better.