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I am a senior developer in the Java domain. I want to quit my current job and find a new one in the next 2 months or so.

The problem: I feel like I've been out of touch with some of the latest skills (like CI/CD, Cloud, etc.)

It will take me sometime to brush up my skills and I cannot do that while staying at my current job, because it is loaded with constant tasks each and every day, many times during weekends too.

Because of that, I am thinking of quitting the job and taking a month just to prepare for interviews. Financially this is not going to be a problem for me, but will it be a problem in interviews? Is this sort of a break common? Or how do I explain that I quit my job before finding another one?

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    what would happen if you no longer worked evenings and weekends in your current job? Would you be immediately fired?
    – Kate Gregory
    Nov 6, 2018 at 13:29
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    Why not take your annual leave and do it? A month seems a long time to brush up skills you already have.
    – Kilisi ♦
    Nov 6, 2018 at 13:43
  • And if not working overtime got you fired, so what since you ask about quitting anyway? Does anyone pay yo for overtime? Does anyone thank you for it? Does I get you respect? Probably three “no”s. Stop overtime, you might even start enjoying your job.
    – gnasher729
    Nov 6, 2018 at 14:05
  • why the downvotes?
    – rath
    Nov 6, 2018 at 15:36

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Don't quit your job until you have accepted a position somewhere else.

You don't know when the next job is going to come. You might think it will only take a couple months, but it could take much longer. You have a stronger negotiating position and you can take your time to find the right fit for you if you still have a job when you start looking. You won't need a job. And you can avoid uncomfortable interview questions about why you just quit without having something else lined up. Don't quit until you know where you are going next.

Using the time to self-study technology skills isn't likely to help you. Personal project experience is different from professional experience, and just having a couple months worth isn't going to make your more attractive. You also don't know what technologies your future employer is going to be looking for. There are so many out there. What would you spend those 2 months studying?

If you are a good developer with strong fundamentals, you will be attractive to potential employers even if you aren't completely up to date with the latest toolsets they may be using. That stuff can be taught. No employee joins a company fully up to speed on what a company is doing. As long as you can demonstrate that you know what you are doing and can learn quickly, you'll be fine.

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    I'm also a big fan of "bloom where[ver] you are planted." Obviously you are discontented in your present position, perhaps feeling that you are "out-of-touch with the 'latest skills'" and thus fearful of being marginalized in the job market. (Frankly, I've never found that to be an issue – a good programmer can think on his/her feet and learn anything.) But, try to find ways to improve the job where you are right now.
    – Mike Robinson
    Nov 6, 2018 at 14:09

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