Dilemma

[shrek]

Lost a job and have got a few-week vacation scheduled, half of its cost is pre-paid and is therefore non-refundable. Hence the dilemma: to go or not to go.



The job market is tough. Got sufficient savings. The plan is to be back after Easter.



If cancelled will incur the 50% of total cost of the trip, and will gain, perhaps, a few interview opportunities in return. The time off for the family has been agreed well in advance, and will be very difficult, perhaps impossible, to arrange a similar vacation in a few years to come. Must be absolutely gutted if don't take time off and get no offers in this month. The number of interviews scheduled must be down on the either side of Easter due to people unavailability, no?



If going ahead then need to fork out another 50% of the total cost. Emailing headhunters every 2nd night or so will probably reduce the overall satisfaction to 80%. Will gain life-time memories of the trip. Likely to miss a few job opportunities due to unavailability. Will never know whether they would have worked out. Shame no-one interviews via skype. Won't be able to network while away, some momentum will be lost.



Which side would you take and why?



Thanks.

[YukaRedux]

When you lie there dying in your bed one day in the rapidly approaching future, will you look back at your life and think "Gee, I'm glad I did those interviews" or "Gee, I'm glad I took that trip"?

[shrek]

In that situation I wouldn't care about either, frankly, but I see your point



Not sure how to maintain the headhunters interested while I am away - any thoughts?

[harryb]

Agreed with YukaRedux - two weeks isn't very long in the grand scheme of things. Hiring cycles are extremely protracted these days, so the likelyhood you miss out on something is pretty small. If I was in that situation I would go but cough up for a local sim etc to make sure I could keep up with the pimps via email and phone.



Having some time away from the situation is probably no bad thing.

[braincell]

Vacations are usually good for contemplating and structuring the newly created situation you're in in the back of your mind. It might give you more insight and make you more creative once you continue with the job hunt. Go far far away in your thoughts, let the subconscious sort it out, relax with people you love and everything will turn out just fine. I find distancing from a problem for a short while to work extremely well, maybe if you're like that, once you return you will know better who to contact, what to say and why. Just maybe. The reason I think so is because losing a job is usually more stressful than people care to admit to themselves.

[alebron]

Yet another "ask random people I don't know about a very personal decision I need to make" thread. I too find the best advice about my life comes from strangers who self-select as free-advice-givers. What could possibly go wrong?

[jslade]

"Not sure how to maintain the headhunters interested while I am away - any thoughts?"



There is this device I keep hearing about known as the cellular telephone. I've heard tales of its powerful utility in maintaining business relationships. I don't hold with new fangled technology, myself. I prefer to send my orders to the broker via heliograph.



Take the vacation already. You'll be less of a tit afterwords, and maybe someone will hire you.

[pj]

@ leftic

Applause

[Natalia]

From my HH view, you should go on vacation and will start the search when you are back. It is easily justifiable to have time off when you can and 2 weeks is not a long time. However if you start searching now aggressively and then go on holidays, it is not ideal as the interview requests are very likely to come up when you are away and you would loose the momentum. I personally don't like when someone calls daily, I push the client to see the guy only to find out he is away for the next few weeks...