Is it okay to take a career break as a Data Engineer to upskill and then look for a new job? Will recruiters hire me after that?

I am a Data Engineer with 4.7 years of experience. I’ve worked on multiple projects using Informatica, Databricks, and currently I’m working on a Microsoft Fabric project.

I feel that I need to upskill properly (advanced SQL, system design, Spark internals, cloud, etc.) to move to better roles and companies. Because of project pressure and deadlines, I’m not able to prepare seriously while working.

So I’m considering resigning and taking a short career break to prepare well and then start applying again.

My concerns:

• Will recruiters consider my profile after a career break?

• How negatively is a 3–6 month break viewed in Data Engineering roles?

• Is it better to resign first and prepare, or wait until I get another offer?

I asked a few friends for advice, and most of them said: “Never resign unless you already have another offer.”

I understand the risk, but at the same time I don’t want to stay stuck and unprepared.

I’d really appreciate insights from recruiters, hiring managers, or engineers who have gone through a similar situation.

Thanks in advance!