To leave good job because I want the summer off

I did that a couple of times when the kids were at school. It was great, I got to do the school run and be home with them in the holidays.
However it worked out for me that both times I was on gardening leave and had a new job to start at the end of the summer. I am not sure I would have been able to do it if I had not got new jobs to start.
Can you negotiate the summer off and start the new contract in September?

A friend did this last year. she is still unemployed

Why would you make yourself unemployed in this jobmarket?

total madness

You know the job market is terrible at the moment, right? I guess for me the answer would be do it if you don't mind not being able to get another decent job after. I personally wouldn't enjoy my summer worrying about having to get back into the job market.

Yeah you’d be absolutely insane.

I can appreciate wanting off the hamster wheel but you’re never going to keenly want to get back on, and you might not get the chance. The job market has been struggling for a while. Try and buy more holiday days, and do four day weeks over the summer?

I'd try going for reduced hours as opposed to packing in the job entirely. That way you still get to spend time with the kids but also, you have a little bit of security with a small wage coming in.

I think you’d be foolish in the current job market tbh, sorry.

Negotiate a delayed start, or a part time contract.

Ask your employer about taking unpaid dependants leave. I think you can’t take 4 weeks per year per child. Maybe couple this with a few week's annual leave and you can get the break you want with the stability of the job to go back to?

If your employer values you I’m sure you will be able to negotiate something to suit all?

My husband always takes the summer off.... In the past he's just pretended to be sick, he's taken it's as unpaid parental leave or timed a career break... Now he works through agencies so just tells them he's not available....difference is that in his job there is plenty of work and he is always turning jobs down..... However the jobs market for most jobs is dire so I would say only do this if you are prepared that the summer turns into a much longer period of time.

Also... £5000 savings will not last long!

Gah, do it! Life is short, kids aren't kids for long. If you and your husband are on the same page, then do it! Live life!

Just do it, we get one chance at this life and you want to do it, can afford to do it so sod it I say bloody do it. I’d speak to your employer and tell them you had planned some time off after this contract and would they be willing to take you on again in X amount of weeks/months they can only say no

You still have 22 years of working life. Your next employer is not going to understand taking time off to enjoy the summer (sounds lazy, shirking and atrocious). What about your pension?

What will you do if your husband leaves you for an 18 year old and takes his money with him? Do you really want to be in an Alice Evans type situation?

The job market is really bad at the moment and there is talk that the war might push us into a recession. Having a job is really vital and a life line at the moment, especially when the next wave of price increases come.

Bad idea if you like the job as the job market is so tough right now.

To be honest with you, saving £5k in 18 months isn’t much, it’s only putting away £278 a month after all. You say your household expenses are otherwise covered but then, where did the rest of your income to date go? Takeaways etc don’t cost that much.

Don’t get me wrong - £5k is a nice amount of money to save but it doesn’t really justify leaving a “good” job. Your next job might not be as good. But it’s your life/your choice. I’d rather just reduce my hours or take AL.

5 grand will cover you for the summer. Have fun.

But what will happen if it takes you until mid October to get a new job, you will then be working a month in hand before you get paid, so mid November. Then a month later Christmas looms its head!

If your DH is supportive of it then I'd say do it.

I think go for it as long as you’re comfortable with the risk of being out of work for a long time - you sound like you actually want to give up work altogether, or at least you aren’t that bothered about finding another job. Is that right? Because that’s a different proposition. Most people who are answering here are thinking about your prospects of re-employment. This is the worst job market within my memory so I personally wouldn’t bank on finding another job. But if you aren’t too bothered about re-employment and your DH can (and is happy to) support you all indefinitely, then it doesn’t matter - go for it.

Could you take un paid leave instead?

I agree with this… it’s you and your husbands choice but having seen 2 extremely capable friends massively struggle to find jobs ( one senior admin and one IT director level) and each one taking 4 months approx I think you need to give your heads a wobble….could you negotiate a 3 or 4 week break before your new contract starts…..? If you’re happy then stay put my lovely x

This is what parental leave is for! You are entitled to a certain number of weeks until your dc is 18. They don’t have to agree to the weeks you specify but they legally do have to agree to it over the course of a year and very often the summer is the quiet period (depends obv on your job!). I did it every year for many many years. It’s unpaid but you are legally entitled to it. Worth investigating rather than leaving your job entirely?

What's your employer like? And when is your new fixed-term contract due to start? Could you negotiate a slightly later start to give you some time off over the summer months?

OP has stated where she works, admin in benefits.

Do you know what the OP does or is looking for?! I’m sure she knows the market for her particular role

Absolutely do it! You sound in a good financial position. I'd ask if you can delay the new contract start date but if you can't I'd leave. Who care if it rains all summer, you sound like you need a break and can afford the break so I'd do it now.

The grass isn't always greener, maybe after a month off during the summer holidays the kids might be winding you right up!
Could you ask for a month or two month sabbatical between contracts?
As others have said it might be difficult to find another role after

You're doing it anyway, regardless of what anyone on here says, aren't you? You just want to let everyone know you're doing it.