New book by Dan Schawbel helps manage your career Me 2.0 -

New book by Dan Schawbel helps manage your career Me 2.0 - I work with Dan Schawbel as an editor of his Personal Branding Magazine, so I am delighted to share the news about his book Boston, MA (April 7, 2009) In the past few years, the competition for entry-level jobs has increased substantially, and the 1.4 million college graduates this year are about to face the toughest challenge to date. The National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) reports that companies are hiring only 1.3% more graduates in 2009, which is down from 16% in 2008. A college degree, which was once a key differentiator in the corporate recruitment process, has now become a single qualifier for almost any entry-level position. The way we manage our careers is changing and the Internet has become the new ticket to post-graduate success. In his new book, Me 2.0: Build a Powerful Brand to Achieve Career Success (Kaplan Publishing, April 2009), Dan Schawbel explains how anyone can become successful by using social media tools, such as blogs, Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter, in order to stand out and make a name for themselves. Me 2.0 is the first book about personal branding written for the millennial generation by a millennial, that bridges the gap between the current business environment and the progressive best practices of the future. In a tough employment environment, it is absolutely essential to move past old rules and embrace job hunting 2.0 Dan Schawbels new book will show you how, explains Sydney Finkelstein, Steven Roth Professor of Management, Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth. If you want to get a job out of college or succeed in the job youre currently in, you have to be the commander of your career, which means that youre accountable for your own destiny, explains Dan Schawbel, the leading personal branding expert for Gen-Yers. Me 2.0 teaches you how to use social media tools for personal empowerment, confidence building, and professional networking that can actually result in attracting jobs directly to you, without applying! Recruiters will find you. Not only do you have to aggressively promote yourself, but you also have to protect your brand, by claiming your domain name and actively grooming your Google results, says Dan. A recent Careerbuilder.com survey showed that one in every five hiring managers used social networks to conduct background checks on candidates. Highlights from Me 2.0 include: †¢ A 4-step proven personal branding process for career success. †¢ Over 40 expert quotes from leaders, including Don Tapscott, Guy Kawasaki, Penelope Trunk, Chris Brogan, Laura Ries, David Kirkpatrick, and Steve Rubel. †¢ More than 70 research reports, three personal case studies and examples to offer a broader perspective on the topic. †¢ Tested advice on how to create an online and offline presence for career protection and self-promotion. Todays business world is filled with economic uncertainty, no job security and relentless competition. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the US shed 3.6 million jobs since the recession began, which is the most since 1945. Economists state that another 2.5 million will be lost in 2009 (1.8 were lost by March 2009). Me 2.0 is the handbook for surviving and thriving in the digital age, and the recession. About the Author Dan Schawbel is the leading personal branding expert for Gen-Y. BusinessWeek considers Dan to be a leading voice in the area of personal branding and Fast Company calls Dan a personal branding force of nature. He has introduced a whole new generation to personal branding, as he opens up new opportunities and strives to elevate the practice. His Personal Branding Blog ® is consistently ranked in the top 100 marketing blogs in the world by AdAge, and has achieved syndication from Forbes, Reuters, Hoovers and the Chicago Sun-Times. Dan publishes Personal Branding Magazine ®, is the head judge for the Personal Brand Awards ® and directs Personal Branding TV ®. For more information, visit www.personalbrandingbook.com. If you need help getting your career in gear, I can assist! Contact me to learn how I can help you land the job you want!

How to Choose Modern Resume

How to Choose Modern Resume The Essentials of Modern Resume That You Can Learn From Starting Right Away Modern-day employers will likely be reading your resume online rather than on paper, for instance, and could want details which you wouldn't see on a traditional resume. When you have added your details and work experience, you may also save your resume as PDF if you desire. Modern times can be extremely challenging when applying for employment, competition is huge. How well you layout your resume is crucial to increasing your likelihood of getting hired. The Downside Risk of Modern Resume The process is growing increasingly complicated, unfortunately, but should you need your resume to earn a great impression, it has to arrive in the manner requested. A modern resume needs to be simple to read and attractively designed. If you decide on a one-page resume, make certain to tailor it like the example above. For some folks, acquiring a resume sample is simply like a templat e because it may be used as guide for both design and content. Selecting the most suitable fonts for your resume is essential so choose wisely. Visual resume is about visuals, utilizing visual facets of graphic design to permit visual imagery and total visual appearance to speak for itself. Modern Resume - Overview The majority of the moment, applicants waste a great deal of time worrying what things to write in their resume, rather than how it ought to be written. Your resume summary is among the main sections of your resume. You also receive a totally free job interview tracker for a bonus. The Modern Resume Chronicles It's fast and simple to use. You might also see Modern Business Resume Templates One of the absolute most important things to keep in mind while writing a resume is that it's not an autobiography. With all these templates, it can help to have a guide to the very best modern resume designs available as part of an Elements subscription. Search by file type to create certain that you can use the templates you find. The entire selection of resume templates is made up of a selection of creative resume designs. Sometimes all you will need is a timeless style template that's clean, clear and right to the point. It's ideal for a professional who works in social networking or internet marketing. Modern resumes are the advertising mediums which you use to present yourself as a job applicant and attempt to tell the employers that you're the right pick for the job. The standard formal format of a resume is still widely employed by the majority of professions. The Lost Secret of Modern Resume At times the modern method is to do things the traditional way. Actually, the modern resume should always concentrate on the qualifications you've got for a work in place of on the men and women you've worked with. Get exploring and perhaps you are spotting something which you feel is going to earn an effect on your job seeking process. You're now able to earn a terrific first impact with professional styling and personalized appearance.

The Basics of Simple Resume Writing

The Basics of Simple Resume Writing What the In-Crowd Won't Tell You About Simple Resume Writing A resume, in reality, is your own bonafide promoting document. The info in your resume should paint an image of the sort of employee you are and show employers what you're capable of accomplishing. So once you're contemplating how to compose a resume, don't forget that you ought to be selling your abilities and accomplishments, not only listing your work history and your old responsibilities. If your resume focuses on customer support, but you're asking for a management job, you won't be considered for the position. What Is So Fascinating About Simple Resume Writing? Resume paper isn't needed. So, the very first thing you'll want to do is to check whether there are any particular guidelines concerning the format of your resume. Handing in a resume for a work application for a PDF is advisable if you need your resume to appear just the direction you've made it. Have a peek at thes e examples to choose which format is most appropriate for you. If you are in need of a quick kick-start on developing a template first, have a look at a resume builder before selecting a professional. A great resume format is simple to scan. Writing a strong application is a challenging procedure and we would like to make it simpler. Consider your requirements and see the explanations below to pick the best resume format for you. Whether you're preparing to begin your first resume, or you're going to make some edits to a present document, the next 15 resume tips should supply you with the basic knowledge you must get moving! Putting the most essential information first makes an immediate effect. Understanding how to tailor your resume will obviously offer you an advantage. Simple Resume Writing for Dummies A basic resume may be the ideal format and tool for you once you want to transition into work from freelancing or self-employment. The goal of the section is to provid e the man reading your resume a fast snapshot of what you've got to offer so they place you in the brief list pile. Basic resumes typically have an extremely classic and classic tone. Especially if you prefer your resume to keep formatting and if are asking for a creative job which requires your resume to reflect a specific skill set such as graphic design. Job seekers deserve to discover decent content quickly. The absolute most critical accomplishments and jobs should be at the start of the resume, not buried further down the webpage. Writing a resume for employment in the art industry can be difficult. There are lots of standard forms of resumes used to make an application for job openings. There are a few things that don't belong on a resume for work. The procedure is never fun, and the majority of people have trouble understanding how to start, where to begin, and what information ought to be included. Your resume will never please all the people all the moment. How ever much or what type of work experience you've got, there's a resume format that is likely to make your qualifications shine. You may always copy and paste text from a PDF if you will fill in an on-line application and send your full resume in PDF file formatting later every time a hiring manager has invited you to achieve that. In case the work description or internet application offers you specific instructions, follow them. The easy-to-use on-line tool makes it quick and hassle-free to create your very own personalized perfect resume. Resumes are usually categorized by the fashion in which the info is presented. What you exclude is at least as crucial as what you include. Whether you're a recent graduate or a career changer, understanding how to compose a resume whenever you have zero work experience may appear daunting. Just take a while to think what activities will fit the work description. Chronological resumes are the ideal place to highlight your accomplishments.

How long should a resume be We have the answer.

How long should a resume be We have the answer.33Resume length is one of the great mysteries of the job application process. Should it always be one page? What if you have a lot experience and need more space to describe it? If youve been working for 25+ years, is three pages okay? It doesnt help that you can find arguments for just about any length online if you look hard enough.Fortunately, instead of just throwing opinions around, weve analyzed the resumes of real users hired at Spotify, Booking.com, Verizon Digitial Media Services, Amazon, Intercom, and more to bring you the answers youre looking for.Why are tzu siche so many opinions about resume length?The hiring landscape has changed considerably in recent years. Not even 20 years ago, keeping your resume length down to one page welches both a strategic and cost-effective move (i.e., cutting down on printing costs). Today, these worries are less pronounced. So why do people still argue for a one-page resume?In a word relevance .Every resume has an audience. But not everyone in the audience will have the saatkorn opinion. When it comes down to it, theres no one answer. There are recruiter who will follow the one-page resume rule to the letter, and others that think the rule is useless. To help overcome this difficulty, its best to research the hiring practices of the organisation youre applying to and see the common traits associated with page lengths are. When do I consider one page, two page, and 3+ page resumes?One Page Resume Your experience isnt relevant for a specific industryYou only have experience in one or two companiesYou have less than 10 years of experienceYou work in an oversaturated market (IE a recruiter is unlikely to take the time to read more than a page)You want to cut down on paper useOne-page resumes are preferred by your recruiterYou want to ensure the recruiter sees everythingThis is your first job or internshipYour focus is on your skills and not on previous experienceYoure making a career change that requires robust industry knowledge Two Page ResumeYou have robust technical knowledgeYou want to balance your experience and culture fitYouve made a significant impact in your previous roleYou have experience the company isnt aware they needYou have both extensive work and volunteer experienceYou have multiple relevant educationsYoure applying for a mid-level locationCertain sections are required on your resumeThree+ Page ResumeYoure applying to an Industry specific (academia etc.,) roleYoure an executive / high-seniorityYoure using a portfolio styleYoure certain that the recruiter wants the amount of detail you can provide in this many pagesHow do I decide on resume length?Your resume needs to answer four simple questions Who are you?What experience do you bring?Why are you motivated for this position?How will you make an impact in your role?These four questions keeps the recruiters perspective in mind. In answering who you are, the recruiter has someone to pai r your experience with. More than that, they learn about your personality and potential culture fit. Showing your motivation for your role ensures the recruiter can see youre not just looking for any job, you want this one. Perhaps fruchtwein importantly, your potential impact is what will entice the recruiter most as it directly relates to their performance and business goals. To do this, always remember to quantify past experience. Case Study Gals One Page ResumeWith over a decade of experience, Gal was searching for a new job in business development. From starting his own company to leading software solutions all the way to speaking three languages, you could say he was spoiled for choice. fruchtwein people would say that 10+ years of experience = two pages. But, Gal took a different approach. In one page, he successfully told the recruiter who he was, why he was motivated for this job, the experience hed bring, and how he would make an impact. Why was one page the right choice?C atching attentionGal had all the experience in the world, but his aim wasnt listing everything hed done his aim was to catch the recruiters attention. Recruiters can look at resumes for less than 6 seconds. Having a long, drawn-out resume might be the difference between the No and the Maybe pile for a recruiter quickly skimming resumes. Gals one-pager gives a quick, non-exhaustive record of his work history and talents. He knew once he secured an interview he could get the job. Catching the attention of the recruiter with a succinct resume was therefore very important. Tip You can include a short bio on the top of your resume in a bold color to quickly catch the recruiters attention and save space. Staying concise There was no need to include multiple pages as Gals descriptions were concise and to-the-point. He went into detail on his most recent job and kept other relevant experience down to two bullet points. His industry expertise was conveyed quickly using one-word visuals too. Business development is rooted in your ability to communicate and do so as effectively as possible. Gal knew recruiters would be looking for a short few words on how he has led previous businesses to success. Tip Describing your previous experience with one-two bullet points will allow you to focus on your key achievements and save space. Case Study Daniels Two Page Customer Support Resume Daniel had been involved in remote work for over two years. Two years of experience doesnt sound like a lot, but the huge impact hes had during that time leaves him with a lot to say. The nature of his work requires more detail on who he is and his ability to fit company culture despite distance. It was also necessary to explain the reasons why hes gravitated towards remote working too. His less than 10 years of experience would typically lead us to a one-page resume, but in this case, two pages were needed. Why was a two-page resume the right choice?Showing you who he is Recruiters are intereste d in culture fit to identify whether employees practices and passions align with the employers goals. Daniel opens his resume with a short summary of his career, and later goes on to provide useful links where the recruiter can learn more about him (e.g., his website). Using a two-page resume, he didnt have to worry whether including these details would detract from his previous experience.Tip You can use a fruchtwein Proud of Section with Enhancv to highlight aspects of your personality and your career experience all-in-one on your resume. Describing technical knowledge Working in technical support and engineering obviously requires a certain level of technical expertise. Recruiters need to clearly see the extent of Daniels knowledge on his resume. This means exploring the projects hes worked on and the technologies he has experience with. He dedicates just under two full pages explaining these and highlights his own projects under a Projects section. This shows the extent of Danie ls knowledge along with his initiative and ability.Tip You can utilise Enhancvs Technologies Section to briefly mention all of the softwares and tech languages you have used before. Case Study Mias Three Page Research Assistant ResumeMia has been working in immunology for many years. From her undergraduate work to her current postdoctoral work, her drive to make a difference in the world has produced publications, presentations, and awards. In her pursuit of postdoctoral research, demonstrating her expertise in the field is an absolute must. There are also certain expectations of an academic resume be to the point, have the correct style, and streamline your design. In order to produce a resume to satisfy these conditions, as well as discuss her previous work, a three page resume was needed.Why was a three-page resume the right choice?Readable formatKeeping a consistent format meant defined margins, bold headings, and simple design. Mia spaced her experience across the three pages to keep from overpacking text in one area while also facilitating detailed discussion where necessary. Theres little room to cut down on details in a resume for postdoctoral research every author, every long word, every reference is needed. Restricting her resume to one-two pages would have required leaving off key works. Tip Enhancvs Single Column template design gives your resume a clean-cut and sleek finish.Industry expertiseDiscussing your expertise in immunology isnt something that happens in a few bullet points. Most publication titles alone are over 10 words long you cant just shorten them down. This doesnt mean that Mia was frivolous in her space-usage, however. Her research has been grouped into eras (Undergrad / PhD) with the main points discussed. Mia keeps things short-and-sweet, but she has a lot to mention. Applying for a postdoc, its better to give them everything. Tip You can include an industry experience section on an Enhancv resume that gives a quick visual indi cator of all your key industry-specific abilities. How do I shorten my resume length?To learn how to shorten your resume to one-page, check out our one-page resume guide. Some key tips include Grouping your early career into one section Focusing your previous experience with one-two bullet points Using a short bio in lieu of a personal summary Using a Most Proud Of section to intertwine achievements with culture fitand more A good question to ask yourself when reducing your resume length is, will this significantly affect my chances of getting an interview if it were omitted? If the answer is no, you can remove it.Why does resume length matter to a recruiter?Resume length is the difference between an experienced candidate, and an irrelevant candidate. If the resume is too long, its a waste of time to go through. If a resume is too short, they wont get an overview of your suitability for the position. Its good practice to scope out the hiring preferences of the company you are applyi ng to. This will allow you to tailor your resume to the known preferences of your recruiter to give you the best chance of getting noticed and called for an interview.How long should a resume be?The reality is there is no one perfect answer. There are too many factors to be considered to allow for a simple determination. There are nonetheless some strategies to help you in making the decision.Before submitting your resume, take a look at this checklist. Ive looked at the typical traits of a one page, two page, and three + page resumeIve answered the who, why, what, and how questions of a resume Ive ensured all of my experience is specific, relevant, and measured Ive determined the significance of each item included on my resume and believe removing any section would negatively affect my chances of being hired Ive consulted other successful resumes to see how others have crafted their resumes for inspiration Ive used Enhancvs builder to present all of this information in a sleek way and have capitalised on their unique sections to stand outIf youve followed these steps, chances are you have the perfect resume length for you. As weve learned from Gals case study, sometimes rules-of-thumb do not fit your situation. Daniels story shows us that sticking to one page isnt always an advantage, and Mia shows us that in some cases, the recommended length is the best length. The decision is up to you.

How This Internship Launched My Strategic Advisory Career

How This Internship Launched My Strategic Advisory CareerHigh-Profile Clients, Journal Articles, And A Full-Time Job Offer How This Internship Launched My Strategic Advisory CareerThe first time Vedika heard of BrunswickGroup, she welches reading a job description for their summer internship program onWayUp. Minutes later, she was already sure she had found a match. How did sheknow?I actually enjoyed the application processitself, Vedikaan intern-turned-full-time analyst at the strategiccommunications and public relations firmexplains. The questions they asked mewerent just limited to What are you hoping to get out of this? They asked meto take a writing test, write a nachrichten analysis piece, and write a press release.And that was all before they even gave me an interview.While some people might be discouraged by thecompanys thorough vetting process, Vedika found the challenge fascinating.That was just the beginning of herbei story. As amember of the Brunswick Group team, shes wor ked with clients acrossindustries, published her written work in the firms respected communicationsjournal, and picked up mora skills than she ever imagined she would. After allthat, she decided to go full-time.To find out mora about the companys eliteinternship programand how it launched her career as a communicationsprofessionalwe sat down with Vedika.Training ForAnd Actually DoingHigh-Stakes WorkOne of Vedikas favorite features of theprogram was its combination of structure and responsibility.The internship program is so well structured, she tells us. You do two weeks of internship training, learning a lot, observing a lot. And then youre placed into teams where youre applying everything.And applying her training meant doing more than just writing press releases or planning events. They were handling big-picture strategy for clients across industries and with a variety of goals. But thats just how Brunswick Group works, Vedika says.For me its more fun to completely change acompan ys image than it is to help them release just one new product. I wantedto work for a company that was more strategic, she explains. But Brunswickdoes it all, so even as an intern, I didnt have to choose.But it wasnt just the program that allowedVedika to take on challenging tasks, it was her desire for a greater challenge.No matter what, youre not doing smallthings, she says. And if you take initiative, youre doing big things.Publishing In An Acclaimed Journal Of CommunicationsWhile She Was mucksmuschenstill An InternAnd Vedika was right about initiative,too. After expressing interest, she was able to contribute to the BrunswickReview, the companys well-regarded industry journal covering different anglesof business, communications, and policy.I like to write, and I really expressedinterest, so I was allowed to do smaller things for them at first, Vedikasays. I would proof copy, compile research, and help with article pitches.After a while Vedika realized that shehad everything she n eeded for an article in the Brunswick Review, so shepitched it to one of her superiorsand they said to give it a shot.The piece she ended up writing was a look atthe charms and eccentricities of the Indian consumer market through the lensof an interview with her own father. Not only was it an excellent addition toher professional portfolio, but also she was able to genuinely add value to aleading industry journal.Making A Smooth Transition From Intern To Full-TimeSo, with all that under her belt as an intern,you might be wondering what her transition to full-time employee has been like.The simple answer Its mostly the same, butthe stakes are even higher.I get to do a little more analytical work,and create things more, Vedika says. As an intern, I was doing the researchbehind the end document, now I do everything. Im responsible for all stages ofthe deliverable. I get to make real recommendations to important clients.And that kind of responsibility suits her just fine.Want to write y our own story (literally) at a company that challenges their interns? Search for open opportunities from Brunswick Group on WayUp

Getting Referred is the way to Your Dream Job

Getting Referred is the way to Your Dream Job You may bedrngnis like it, but the truth is that getting a job is about more than just having the right skills and experience and applying to job boards. The best way to land your dream job is to get referred or recommended by an influential employee within your target employers business. Come to think of it, to some degree, its always been this way (i.e. its not what you know but who you know). The advent of social media technologies means that employee referrals are beginning to take a stranglehold on modern job search and become the primary channel to getting a job, rather than job boards. This is a scary thought for the unconnected job seeker. I am not scaremongering though just look at these statistics which show just how powerful a catalystan employee referral is to the job search.Lets start with some stats from the almighty U.S. Department of La bor, which reveal that a massive 48 percent of jobs never actually make it to job boards and are advertised through the secret job market, known as word-of-mouth/employee referrals.Does this sound hard to be believe? Well another study by Jobvite suggests that employee referrals account for 44 percent of hires and a further study by CareerXRoads puts this figure at 28 percent and in both situations, referrals are the no. 1 route to a job, being more influential than the almighty job boards.So, as you can see, the most effective methodfor job seekers to identify and find job opportunities may not be through jobs boards, but by getting a referral from a friend.But, getting a referral does not only increase your chance of locating an opportunity, it also increases your chance of getting invited to interview and getting hired having landed an interview. Yes, research shows that employers favor candidates who have come recommended by a present employee (the more exalted the employee, t he better). In particular, aFederal Reserve Bank of New York Study showed that candidates who had been referred were twice as likely to land an interview and had a 40 percent greater chance of being selected for the job than non-referred candidates.For me, its case closed. While you should in no way ignore job boards, it seems that the best way to actually get a job is to get referred by a friend and, therefore, job seekers should be rebalancing their job search activity and focusing much these on finding referrals to point them to jobs that may not be advertised or to vouch for their application and boost their hire-ability. I hear you thats easier said than done. Well, there are ways that people on the outside can find and exploit employee referrals and fast track into their employer of choice. I have outlined three tips on how to do this belowFocus on employers where you have inside contacts and ask them if they know of any openings and/or if they will vouch for your application. Prior to making a job application, check LinkedIn and Facebook to see if you have any contacts at the firm, and ask if you can include their anthroponym as a referral on your application.Network at industry events where you know that representatives from your favorite employers will be and pitch yourself to them and angle to see if there are any opportunities they can refer or recommend you too.Good luck with finding your next opportunity

New year, new you How to chase fun in 5 easy steps

New year, new you How to chase fun in 5 easy stepsNew year, new you How to chase fun in 5 easy stepsAll work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. In other words, if you dont play you become boring. This is why it is critical to chase fun.I choose the word chase because fun is elend something we typically prioritize in our lives and go after. In general, our culture rewards hard work, results and achievements. Our lives get so busy and our to do lists grow so long that we never feel we can take the time to relax and play guilt-free. The constant demands for productivity at work and home push us to create routines for efficiency. And while these routines may create calm, they can also create mobedrngnisony and dullness. Our fun activities can become so choreographed and scheduled that the excitement and joy gets extinguished.At first glance, most people think their lives are relatively fun. They have dinners with friends, see shows and movies, have hobbies and attend events that make the m feel like theyve had a good time. While all of that is fine on paper, it doesnt necessarily translate to real fun. I mean the type of fun that makes you laugh til your belly hurts, makes you feel young, renewed and energized, pushes you out of your comfort zone and brings real joy to your soul. This is the kind of play that builds new synapses in your brain, makes you feel alive and increases your endorphins.Real fun moves you and changes you in positive ways. It not only makes you happy, it makes you interesting - not just to others, but to yourself.This issue has been coming up in coaching more than ever. I have started to coach people on the importance of play because so many adults have lost the art of it, and sometimes even the interest. Their deficiency here makes them rigid, unimaginative, and boring.The importance of play has been widely researched. According to Sergio Pellis, from the University of Lethbridge in Alberta, play is essential to brain development. For childr en, free play can be more important than time spent in the classroom. Through play, children learn empathy, how to communicate with others, make plans, problem solve androll with the punches.Play is also one of the key ingredients to happiness. Studies have shown that the absence of feeling bad isnt enough to make you happy. In other words, not being miserable doesnt mean youre happy. In fact, many people look at their lives and think its good enough, which is a mindset killer for play and a fun-filled life.Here is a guide to help you reinvigorate your life and get it back on the fun trackDistinguish real fun from fake fun Be honest with yourself Just because you are relaxing or participating in an activity doesnt mean its fun. Furthermore, what was once fun might not still be fun now. Dont just fill up your time, do something really rewarding.Do something new Get out of your routine and seek an adventure. Travel to a new destination and experience a different culture or pick up a n ew activity. Start a new sport, game or language and if possible make it competitive. Join a league so you are forced to practice and get better at your skill.Be spontaneous Sometimes its the safety and predictability of life that traps us. Some of the best times in life happen by accident. Get into flow by allowing a playful moment to evolve organically.Recruit Others As Mark Twain once said, To get the full value of joy, you must have someone to divide it with. Convince your spouse, friends or family to get on board and make play fun. Real joy comes from sharing your life with the people you love. Especially old friends who connect you back to memories, humor, and emotions from your past.Move out of your comfort zone Dont assume that fun is supposed to be easy. Sometimes fun is doing the things that are really hard and that take time and effort. Part of the fun is the challenge. Push yourself to take your game to the next level. Set goals and experience the satisfaction that come s from the process of working toward them.The importance of seeking fun cannot be undervalued. Look at your life and redefine your meaning of fun and play. Dont be overwhelmed if the answers dont come immediately. Practice chasing fun and remember happiness is not the absence of feeling bad it comes from striving to feel good. In the words of Dr. Seuss, If you never did, you should. These things are fun and fun is good.Liz Bentley is the founder of Liz Bentley Associates.