<human>: Provide a brief overview of the text.

So, I've recently been seeing a lot of these "After 400 years of unemployment tomorrow I finally get to start my new job, etc" type posts.  This is really beginning to scare me because I'm thinking about quitting my job next spring and taking some time off before I start a new career.

**Background:**

* Firstly, I'm thinking about leaving my job next spring to attempt a thru-hike of the [Appalachian Trail] This means, when I return from the hike six months later I'll be unemployed (after already depleting a good chunk of my savings on my hike).

I'll be starting a job search in a new industry.  I've decided I need a switch and I'll be looking a jobs for which I have no direct experience.  Ideally in finance/business development. 

* Secondly, I know all the numbers and I've read all the news articles, but frankly with my group of friends none us are unemployed or worried about losing our jobs.  Maybe I'm living in a bubble, but none of it seemed very real to me.  In addition, a few of my friends are very upwardly mobile and their companies seem to have no idea that they're in a recession.

Actually until recently, I was not worried about this because I figured I'd still be very "hire-able".  I have a BA from a top tier university with a great GPA and decent work experience (5 years).  I also have an MBA from a similarly good program (not top 10, but still very good).  

I'm not looking to see if my decision is good or bad, it's something I've wanted to do for a while and I'll be doing it.  I just want to know from first hand accounts, how bad the job market actually is.

I also know it differs from demographic to demographic, industry to industry, and region to region, but I'm just curious about the general experience.  BUT... I'm 27 and living in the northeast if you're wondering.
<bot>: I'm thinking about quitting my job next spring, taking about 6 months off, and then looking for a job in a new industry.  How bad are things out there?