We quit jobs to travel and find purpose – now we’re facing…
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We quit jobs to travel and find purpose – now we’re facing a ‘job-apocalypse’
"Two years ago. Joe Wilson, a 27-year-old engineer from Bristol, quit his mechanical engineering job. After spending 10 months travelling around Latin America https://www.the-independent.com/news/cuba-donald-trump-miguel-diazcanel-nicolas-maduro-havana-b2943401.html– which he’d saved for a year and a half to afford – he’s now hoping to make a long-term move to Mexico City t https://www.the-independent.com/news/colombia-mexico-quito-bogota-mexican-b2941321.htmlo live with his girlfriend, whom he met while travelling.
Unfortunately for Joe, he finds himself bearing the brunt of a job market that’s in deepening trouble: “I’m back home as finding work in Mexico has been difficult; back here I can earn money doing odd jobs and bar work https://www.the-independent.com/voices/mental-health-nhs-sick-note-benefits-welfare-illness-b2938089.html,” he tells me.
“It’s a tricky time, and especially when you’re trying to look for something specific, especially if you’re looking for something remote. I’ve got friends in similar positions that have been looking for months.”
Joe is not alone. Getting a new job in 2026 is not for the faint-hearted, with official figures revealing that unemployment is holding at a near five-year high https://www.the-independent.com/life-style/unemployment-job-market-ai-b2921985.html and that wage growth is continuing to slow. Jobs are also becoming harder to come by as companies decide to make operational cutbacks. Instead of training up juniors or taking on new hires, companies are prioritising automation through AI to plug skills gaps."
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Has anyone done this recently? As in 6-36 months of a sabbatical to travel, only to come home and struggle finding professional work? I glamorize about this all the time, but the thought of being set back years (compounding is more valuable at our age) frightens me. 2 years off could cost 10 years in compounding and career growth. I feel like it's wiser to find a job and take 2 week vacations ever 3-4 months instead of going all-in on quitting, especially since I have a stable career built up.
#activity #nature
"Two years ago. Joe Wilson, a 27-year-old engineer from Bristol, quit his mechanical engineering job. After spending 10 months travelling around Latin America https://www.the-independent.com/news/cuba-donald-trump-miguel-diazcanel-nicolas-maduro-havana-b2943401.html– which he’d saved for a year and a half to afford – he’s now hoping to make a long-term move to Mexico City t https://www.the-independent.com/news/colombia-mexico-quito-bogota-mexican-b2941321.htmlo live with his girlfriend, whom he met while travelling.
Unfortunately for Joe, he finds himself bearing the brunt of a job market that’s in deepening trouble: “I’m back home as finding work in Mexico has been difficult; back here I can earn money doing odd jobs and bar work https://www.the-independent.com/voices/mental-health-nhs-sick-note-benefits-welfare-illness-b2938089.html,” he tells me.
“It’s a tricky time, and especially when you’re trying to look for something specific, especially if you’re looking for something remote. I’ve got friends in similar positions that have been looking for months.”
Joe is not alone. Getting a new job in 2026 is not for the faint-hearted, with official figures revealing that unemployment is holding at a near five-year high https://www.the-independent.com/life-style/unemployment-job-market-ai-b2921985.html and that wage growth is continuing to slow. Jobs are also becoming harder to come by as companies decide to make operational cutbacks. Instead of training up juniors or taking on new hires, companies are prioritising automation through AI to plug skills gaps."
\-----------------------------
Has anyone done this recently? As in 6-36 months of a sabbatical to travel, only to come home and struggle finding professional work? I glamorize about this all the time, but the thought of being set back years (compounding is more valuable at our age) frightens me. 2 years off could cost 10 years in compounding and career growth. I feel like it's wiser to find a job and take 2 week vacations ever 3-4 months instead of going all-in on quitting, especially since I have a stable career built up.
#activity #nature
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