As a manager, how would you take this?

Like others I think you have a very romanticized view of a ‘fun’ fruit picking job on an Australian farm. I’m Australian and it’s well known that working holiday makers are treated very badly by some farmers. Depending on where you go the farm may be very isolated and even the nearest town tiny and far from charming.

Can I just say - as a trade union official - I see time and again how employees are often 'disposable' to companies.

So there is no need to feel excessive loyalty to them after just a few weeks.

Go. Don't apologise too much for living your life - just say you are sorry that the timing is inconvenient but you need to go. You will hardly be the first person to leave a company after only a short while.

I thought he was being offered a 6 month season playing his sport? If that's the case he won't be working on a farm with you during that time.

So you would give up your current role to go fruit picking??? What is your current job role. Surely you could do similar in Aus?

Personally, you'd be mad to swap a professional role or whatever clinical role you have to go fruit picking in the baking sun! Don't underestimate how tiring and back breaking that work is. I certainly wouldn't say it was a 'fun' job! 🙄

There is absolutely nothing ‘fun’ about fruit-picking - it’s back-breaking in the searing heat and rain downpours, exhausting, long hours, muscles you never knew you had will be hurting, and pay varies according to the fruit and difficulty picking etc. Try and do some other work instead or at least do some thorough research beforehand.

I’d also be going for longer than 6 months on a working holiday visa if the plan is to fruit pick during the 6 months as that is nowhere near long enough to travel, and giving up a great job here when you’re only going for 6 months and spending a lot of that fruit-picking. Perhaps consider going for longer and work your way through their visa scheme and then you will have more time to work and explore the content plus New Zealand and Asia are close.

Honestly speaking as a manager these things don't matter.

We all know people come and go. No one is indispensable and it's a management job to fill those gaps. If the manager as threatened or offended then they don't have decent management skills!

I would say though that it sounds like you may be in health and I know the dynamics there are sometimes different as people, including managers, have more ensconced attitudes to the importance of the job.

In my experience anything more therapeutic, psychology or social work etc, you should be fine!

" they would do it"

Just so nervous on how to bring it up!

You don't always have to please people. Its business.

They're big enough and grown up to cope. They've seen it before and they'll see it again.

Any normal decent manager after the initial eye roll will be saying " I'm bloody jealous ".

And remember, if they had to make you redundant, they wouldn't do it without a second thought.

You have a business relationship with them . You've not pledged your life.

No one ever sat on their death bed wishing they had spent more time in the office !
go! This is the opportunity of a life time and jobs come and go. You won’t regret the loss of a job in the future, but you may regret turning down a chance to travel across the world .

Don't feel guilty. The company wouldn't feel guilty if they had to make you redundant. Loyalty is generally always one way.

I dont think I’d go, could you do long distance for 6 months? Maybe take some unpaid leave to go see him for a month. But that’s just me as I like my job.

I'd pretty much think you were a timewaster and quite immature.

I did pretty much the same thing, 20 or so years ago, right down to the sporting season funnily enough.

What a fabulous time it was.

I think my working life has benefited from tbh. There were always jobs.

But takes all types - see your comments.

Another one here who’d stay in the nice job.

The other thing OP... How secure are you in your relationship?
Have you traveled together, lived together for a long period of time before...?
What if you break up

This. It's expensive and time consuming recruiting and then you get the person and its going to take some time to get then up to speed. You've just been a big waste of time for them. Id be trying to get my recruitment fee back.

As you say, you're going to do it anyway.

I'd pretty much think you were a timewaster and quite immature.

As a manager, I wouldn’t be annoyed to be asked. I’d totally understand why you wanted to grab the opportunity. If you were a really good employee that I had a lot of faith in, and there was a way to make it work without too much of a negative impact on the rest of the team, from a purely personal point of view I’d probably consider saying yes to an unpaid break.

However, it wouldn’t just be my decision. I’m pretty sure all our policies and conditions say that you’d need to have worked with us for a certain amount of time before you could request a sabbatical like that - so it would never get past HR.

As I say, though - I wouldn’t mind being asked, and I would also understand if you decided to hand in your notice.

How long have you been with your boyfriend and what does he think of you going along? Do you currently live together? Would you be able to work in Aus?

If you are a registered professional (Dr, Nurse, OT etc) don't underestimate how long it can take to get documents together, reviewed to actually get Australian registration to work.

I would give you new job as much notice as possible if you are leaving and unpaid leave or a sabbatical isn't an option. Where in Aus?

Would you leave or apply to take some unpaid leave (they may say no)
If you leave, the clinicians I know have long memories and often bypass people who have messed them around in the past. I thought it was just a few is worked closely with, but ive seen it quite a lot.

All you can be is honest with them! But deffo go and grab the chance! They might even come to a compromise, maybe not 6 months but 3/4. Just be totally honest with them and see what they say! Have a blast!

Go. Travel. You'll have years and years of jobs.

What’s your plan in Australia? I’m not sure I’d give up a dream job for following a partner around with nothing to do while out there.

Moat likely outcome but worth it to go to Australia for 6 months. There's always jobs .

As a manager I’d deny 6 months leave, accept your resignation and hope the 2nd choice hadn’t found anything else yet.

You have been there 6 weeks and you are expecting them to spend more time and money on another recruitment to find somebody to cover your absence. Please don't be surprised if they take a hard stand on this.