'Feeling burnt out': Bengaluru techie earning ₹ 35 LPA considers 6-month career break, sparks debate

Is career interruption worth risking a well-paying job in today’s tech market?

With this exact dilemma, a 28-year-old product manager (PM) from Bengaluru took to social media to weigh the pros and cons of leaving ₹35 lakh per annum (LPA) salary to combat severe burnout.

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Dilemma: Burnout vs. professional trajectory

Despite the lucrative salary and roughly six years of experience, the professional shared that he felt overwhelmed by day-to-day problems.

Seeking advice on Reddit, he wrote: “I’m thinking about taking a 3-6 month break because I’m feeling burnt out and want to focus on my health, spend time with my wife, travel and think about what I want from the next phase of my work life.”

Financially, he said he was in an exceptionally good position to take time off.

After getting married six months ago, he noted that his wife is currently working and that their monthly household expenses vary between them ₹1.25 million a ₹1.5 million.

Crucially, he is debt-free, his parents are financially independent retirees, and he boasts an emergency fund and total savings of around ₹50 lakhs.

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However, the fear of a CV gap in a turbulent job market remains a significant deterrent.

“The main thing holding me back is the potential impact on my career path,” he explained, asking colleagues if recruiters really care about short career breaks. “I would give up. ₹30-35 LPA income for a few months and would eventually have to re-enter the PM job market.”

Netizens give a divided verdict

The post quickly sparked a wild debate among professionals discussing the reality of time off in the IT sector. While some users supported the break, others warned of the exhausting current state of tech recruiting.

The credentialed recruiter demurred to assuage the prime minister’s concerns, noting that short breaks rarely disrupt business in product management. “A gap of 3-6 months for PM positions is fine, but I would suggest doing some projects and stuff beforehand and then adding it to your portfolio…I’ve personally hired people with gaps like that,” they advised.

Another user revealed that they left a similarly compensated role for what was supposed to be a short break. “This stretched over ~18 months with short consulting assignments to my taste,” they said. “He joined the workforce 2 months ago, at a much higher level. Kar lo, ho jaaega (Go for it, it will work).”

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On the contrary, several experts strongly advise against quitting without a backup plan, citing the current macroeconomic climate.

“Just take a vacation—leaving your job is an extreme decision,” warned one IT professional trying to reintegrate into the workforce after a break.

Another user shared a grim cautionary tale: “I decided to take a break from my Big 4 job for 3-6 months. This break, unfortunately for me, was the wrong move. After 2.5 years I’m sitting without a job and very depressed with rejections left and right.”