walktheplank

In my case, COBRA was available for 18 months after resignation. It is certainly expensive comparatively.

>Quitting to do your own thing, as long as you show employers why you did it in a year or two, shouldn’t be a detriment for getting rehired. That said, hiring managers may question if you’d quit again in a year (depending on your past employment tenure)…

It shouldn't be a detriment for getting rehired, period. If you are qualified for a role and pass an interview bar, there is no reason a potential employer should care about a break you took from working. I treated being asked about this as a yellow flag, as it may indicate the employer thinks you should be living to work.

COBRA

In my situation, I used COBRA.

I quit my job at a FAANG back in the fall of 2020 without anything else lined up. I had been suffering from burnout and an existential crisis for over a year. I initially expected to take 3 months off before looking for a new job, but ended up taking over 12 months off. I received an offer for a new job after looking in a fairly niche space and being very picky after searching for 2-3 months.

I didn't set any goals for myself. I just woke up and did what made me happy every day, which was exactly what I needed. After 6 months off, I also put nearly all of my belongings in a storage unit and traveled around the US in my car.

Had a blast. Would do again.