Facebook Life Events and Career Breaks
Our goal at Meet, Plan, Go! is to have a career break on every resume.
Yes – you heard that right – every resume. We know it’s ambitious, but you need ambitious goals in life. In addition, life is about adapting to change; and real change doesn’t come in small packages.
Just ask Facebook – they recently made a big change and introduced the term “timeline” into our daily vocabulary. Regardless of if you love the new Facebook timeline or hate it, it’s here to stay. Now you are able to go back and create a timeline of your life, adding “life events”. They even have some pre-populated life events such as Engagement, Marriage, Breakup, Moved, Bought a Home, Broken Bone, Weight Loss, Tattoo, Piercing, Changed Beliefs, New Job, and Retirement. But sadly – there was no pre-populated life event of Career Break.
However – that doesn’t stop you from adding it!
Maybe we will know that we accomplished our ambitious goal when Facebook has Career Break as a ‘Life Event’, but until then, we’ll keep working on it – but we need your help. Maybe if enough of us add career break as a life event on our new Facebook timeline, Mark Zuckerberg will notice! After all – I’m pretty sure that Mark will be taking a big career break after this Facebook IPO – I’m sure he’d want to record his career break like that…right?
Have you taken a career break, or are you on a career break now?
Then please mark it on your timeline! Simple go to your Timeline and click on the “Life Event” button on your status box. Choose “Work and Education” and then choose “Other Life Event”. Add a picture and a description and save it.
Once you add it to Facebook, head over to our Meet, Plan, Go! facebook page and let us know about it. Leave a message on our wall saying that you added your career break as a life event and we’ll give you fistfuls of ‘likes’!
We are asking you to help us reach our “career break on every resume” goal by starting with getting it on Facebook. But don’t stop there – put it on LinkedIn and, of course, your resume! Finally, register your break (past, present, or future) with us.
Meet, Plan, Go! is working on ambitious changes in how we view our lives – our timelines – and you can be a part of that ambitious change!
Leah on Mon, 6th Jun 2011 8:12 am
I really enjoyed reading your post. I am thirty-two soon and have itchy feet that are ready to try out foreign soils.
It is a fear of leaving the security of the day to day grind of paying the bills and living a safe and non-challenging way of life that has put me on hold for some time.
I hope (as it has I) your post will inspire others to go and follow their bliss – Leah 🙂
Patricia GW on Mon, 6th Jun 2011 8:54 am
Travel and experiencing a new culture really has put it into perspective, and filled that void with purpose (and joy).
In three weeks I’ll be moving to Paris myself for one month. I have the same feeling – the incredible surreal realization that I’m going to be living there…. it’s thrilling!!
Abby on Mon, 6th Jun 2011 2:11 pm
Oh, Jenny! Escargot isn’t palatable — it’s delicious! I love your writing style; it’s so fun and energetic. Can you believe how far we’ve come? Everyone, Jenny and I were in the exact same industry and have known each other online and via work emails for years and years. But we’ve only met once, many, many years ago. And one of those jobs she was sleeping next to her BlackBerry for was one I’d just left. And now she’s 33 and living abroad, just like I was last year. Kindred spirits. Jenny, you’re a true inspiration — I can’t wait to see how your adventure unfolds!
Debbie Beardsley on Mon, 6th Jun 2011 3:22 pm
Your life in Paris sounds ideal. It is nice to read about people who follow their dreams instead of wishing they had! Enjoy the rest of your journey.
Terriaw on Tue, 7th Jun 2011 1:40 pm
Wow, fabulous and well said! I love your new outlook on like. After experiencing career burnout and feeling a little lost and purposeless lately, you have encouraged me. I look forward to seeing Paris someday!
Jenny on Tue, 7th Jun 2011 6:50 pm
merci for all the sweet comments! @abby we are soooo kindred spirits! well except when it comes to our differing feelings on escargot…;) and congrats patricia on the move! thrilling indeed!
shawna on Thu, 9th Jun 2011 1:32 am
you’ve reawakened my travel bug. must. return. to. france. (someday.) eat a croissant for me!
Weekly Travel Blog Links — LandingStanding on Mon, 13th Jun 2011 6:16 am
[…] how badly I want to go to Paris… If only we could afford living there for an extended period of time during our travels! Any […]
G. Michael Schneider on Sun, 19th Jun 2011 3:36 pm
I am a firm believer in living and working overseas, just as you described. However, many of us actually like our jobs and our homes and are simply looking to renew and refresh our lives, not change it. However, you can have the same type of cultural experience without having to reach into your own wallet and without having to quit your day job–by taking what I call a “working vacation.” My wife and I have done this 15 separate times, from Australia to Zimbabwe, Turket to Tibet, Mauritius to Mongolia. I describe how to do it in my blog otherguysdime.wordpress.com and via Twitter at @otherguysdime. Learn how to have fun without having to have burn any of your bridges behind you.