Hi,
I have graduated in2006 in ID in scotland, i got a lucky break in the 07 with a design studio in the furniture industry in italy, having worked there for almost 2 years, I jacked in to go travelling for 2 months.
But now back in UK, im struggling to find work. Im not surprised, but im thinking maybe its jsut easier go back to italy, however i think i would not learn any more if i went back, so im just betting on the UK side just now.
Just wondering what others would do in my situation?
You jacked in your job of almost 2 years to go travelling for the grand duration of 2 months, after which you return to Scotland/UK to with no job? Mate, to put it simply, that was really not a good idea.
Kiss, beg, pray for your job back in Italy - I hope you left that job on good terms. It’d be better to have another few months/year experience with that company than spending that time struggling to find another position - if you’re adament about changing jobs, make sure you have one to change from first to give you some sort of comfort zone.
…Ah to be “generation me.”
A new book tackles the 18-to-35-year-old generation’s problems–those they face and those they create.Twenge’s book is comprehensive and scholarly, filled with statistics and thoughtful observations about the group she’s dubbed Generation Me. These young people were raised with the idea of self-esteem being more important than achievement, which has caused them to place the self above all else. Such beliefs also have created a generation of young people who believe every dream is attainable but who aren’t prepared to deal with discovering it isn’t so. Twenge notes that today’s young parents are especially lenient with their children and reluctant to discipline them, suggesting that perhaps the next generation will be even worse off. Twenge believes Generation Me would benefit from a heavy dose of realism. Accessible and a must-read for the generation they address. Kristine Huntley
…Sorry, couldn’t resist 
Honestly, I doubt this place will hire you back–what’s their incentive?
Personally, I would never take leave to travel unless I could afford not to work. Like everyone else, I accrue my vacation time. I know American’s get dinged for this by Europeans, but the global economy is demanding it. As a manager interviewing you, I’d grill you on this, and would be very hesitant to hire you for fear you’d do the same thing to me.
But, if you like the travel lifestyle, you might want to consider freelancing instead–if you can find the work!
Good quote CG! All the directors I know, as well as myself, are dealing with this. I tell my team, you can attain almost any dream… just not at the same time! You have to build to your goals, it requires planning and hard work and foresight.
If a designer cold quit to travel leaving me high and dry in the studio, I’d fill that spot as quickly as possible. With so many people out of work right now, that shouldn’t have have been too hard to do. I might have also looked at the work load and not rehired so I could use that budget in a better way.
It can’t hurt to ask for your job back (you’ll be no worse off than you are now) but I would be surprised if you got it…
However, if a designer told me that he wanted to take 2 months off to travel without pay, I’d look to see if there was good place in our schedule for that to happen and see if I could make it happen for him in the next 12 months.
Be savvy with your career people.
That last point is true–I worked out a deal with one of my designers so she could travel home to India for a month. I had no problem with that.
yes I have to agree with Cg & Yo, doing some flexable short term time off might be better for the long run. Freelancing would give you that for sure.
generation me…i have a coworker 7 years my junior. we were discussing generational patterns last week. he was explaining gen me to me a bit more in depth because he understood it and identified with it as his demographic. a little more of an eye opener to me.
it sort of feels like pandering to people with short attention spans. i’m 35 and identify more with gen x.
I think a lot of the things being said about gen Me as similar to the nightmare visions of gen x. The big difference is that back then it was about “how to make gen x fit into your workplace” and now all the books, articles, and TV news spots are on how to “make you work environment fit Gen Me”… random trophy day maybe?
Looking back at Gen X, it seems we are doing pretty well. From Latch Key Kids to CEOs, I can see the book tittle now.
Sorry, this is all off track now…
Its not all bad - there’s a lot of optimisim out there (and probably less angst as well).
i enjoy my genx cynacism birthright.
I feel more Gen X and I’m only 30. I think that everyones against me and have no faith in organization.
Is that really worse than thinking any dream is attainable? I don’t know.
If you can afford it, go back to Italy and have a face to face with your boss down there. Act like you don’t really need the job, but want to come back anyways.
This is all very interesting stuff, thankyou all for your insights.
Im on the verge of seriously sucking it up and asking for my old job back in Italy, Pros, are great food, great women, great lifestyle, cons are not so good city to life in, rubbish pay, long hours, so either that im just going to apply for a workin visa in canada or Australia.