Hi there,

Is it 6 month notice period or explicitly garden leave? I never heard about such a long time period, because you'll draw a salary without doing anything. It's more common to have a non-compete post employment termination (but still not very common).

Whether or not this is a deal breaker for the next role depends on what you're targeting (note: this is an incomplete list with generalized examples to illustrate my point):

• Other consulting: No problem at all. Consulting offers are often valid up until 1 year. You'll be able to discuss with HR, who will accommodate the 6 months waiting period.
• Corporate: This may or may not be a problem. Large corporates typically move slow and you may be able to negotiate a 6 months period between offer and start date. Especially if you're “one of a kind” with a highly competitive profile.
• Start up: This is where it gets tricky because start ups typically move at a different pace, which is much quicker than corporates. They will likely not be able to accommodate your 6 months garden leave.

Hope this helps a bit. Best of luck!