Writing a cover letter is not rocket science, however, it requires time and dedication. This is not just a letter; it is your resume cover letter. A well written cover letter can increase your chances of getting a job interview.   

Let’s start by reviewing the elements of your cover letter:

1.    Is your cover letter addressed to an individual instead of To Whom It May Concern? 

2.    Do you have a strong opening paragraph, where you can pinpoint your key strengths, based on what “that” specific employer is looking for in a candidate? 

3.    In the body of the letter, are you focusing on the employer requirements or are you going on-and-on, on the me, myself and I syndrome, totally unrelated to the needs of the prospective employer? It really doesn’t matter if you wrote 50 proposals, if the employer is not looking for a writer but rather indicated that he needs a public relations director. You can still build that information in your resume, but do not waste precious space in your cover letter. Focus more on your skills as they pertain to public relations.

4.    Are you indicating clearly and with examples, how you would benefit the employer, if you were hired?

5.    In your closing paragraph, assuming that you Google the employer, did you indicate how important will be to be a team member in such outstanding organization, and ask respectfully for the opportunity of a job interview?
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6.    Finally, did you give your cover letter to another person to proofread, to ensure that it’s free of spelling and grammar errors?

These are some of the elements that we all need to be concerned while preparing a cover letter. Let’s not forget that you want to write a great letter that is substantial and SHORT. If you are not successful in getting the employers’ attention within the first few sentences, your cover letter and resume will go to the other batch, yes, the batch of those who will not be called for interviews!

This is the First Opportunity to Show Prospective Employers if you are Worth of an Interview.


You have only one shot to get an employers’ attention when he is sorting lots of resumes for job interviews. Your first goal is to urge an employer to pull your resume out for a job interview. To accomplish that goal, your resume must be flawless and must incorporate key words describing your abilities and accomplishments as they pertain to that job announcement. 
Tip: Do not apply for jobs that you are not qualified for, because chances to get a call for an interview will be unlikely.

It is common knowledge that using one resume for all the job openings that one is applying for doesn’t work. Employers write specific job requirements in their ad’s that must be followed. Once you read that job ad, it is time to research the format and content that will impress the employer at a glance. You already know that your skills and past achievements are critical but you must know how to communicate them in the resume as it pertains to the job announcement you are applying for.

Finally, consider modifying your resume each time you are applying for a job and don’t forget that relying on one size fits all type will not trigger the interest of the recruiting person.

Now, go to the Internet and look at different resume layouts, select the best that fits you and apply for that job.

Good Luck!

There are many reasons why employees are not promoted to the next level. The primary reason is when one is really incompetent. However, there is also the situation when you are genuinely competent but have reached the phase where the next position in line is that of your boss and your boss is a career employee with many years to go before retirement.  

Another scenario is that of an employee who thinks that because he/she has been employed for many years, he has “seniority” therefore, a promotion must follow automatically. Candidates for promotion must be competent, talented, committed, have ownership, be fully responsible for their actions and loyal to the agency, corporation or organization they work for. No one should be entitled to promotion just because of seniority. 

However, those who are not identified with the above scenarios and do have the talent, commitment and potential to move forward, must start to develop the right skills for the jobs they are interested in pursuing.  If there are opportunities in the horizon, prepare for when the opportunity becomes available.

·  Think about it, how many positions do you think will become available with baby boomers retirements?

·  What are these boomers doing in you organization now that you can do?

·  Can you request mentoring from one of them, or do an internship?

·  Are degrees required for those positions, or could years of experience be an alternative?

·  How visible are you at work now? Are you involving yourself in those special projects no one wants to take on?

·  Are you an active participant at meetings or do you just sit, and pray for a quick end? 

 Maybe now is the time to take a good look at your resume. Make adjustments, and highlight your accomplishments and outcomes. It never hurts to register for coursework, or a certificate program that fits the elements of the projected positions you are looking for. Simply put, just be physically and mentally prepared for when that job that you would like to have is advertised. 

To get started, I will begin a series of posts related to employment such as key elements in your resume, cover letter, assessing your strengths and weaknesses and much more. Stay tuned!

I can’t sleep

I have too many meetings every day

I have too many deadlines to meet

The commute to work is killing me

My employees are not meeting their deadlines, so I have to add that to my workload

My plate is full at the office, I don’t get a break

I have too many interruptions when I need to focus in a project

I get too many emails at work, forget the ones at home, I can’t open them

I don’t have time at home to check out my social media

My friends think that I abandoned them, I don’t have time to socialize

I can’t go to my kid’s sports, activities and I forgot my mother’s birthday

I have not taken a vacation in years


Most of us work real hard in life to achieve success. At work, we don’t want to fail in order to climb up fast the career ladder. We have to love what we are doing to keep us motivated. However, often times and without knowing it, we become what some people call “workaholics”.  When this happens, there is a chance that the balance between work, life, family and home needs will take a hit. Regardless of what the root of the problem is, if the situation becomes uncontrolled, other significant problems will be added to the list, such as:

Poor health, physical and mental

Serious family problems such as separation, divorce

Isolation from friends

Negative reputation at work 

Negative impact on children 

 I just hope my message would somehow serve as a wake up call to remind you that you can make adjustments to strike that balance and eventually enjoy your time at work, your time at home and with your friends, and ultimately enjoy your life!

Think about it, it’s never too late to find that balance.