Time to Re-Tool your Cover Letter

Bad Cover Letters

• Too long  / with too much formality
• No substance & Empty buzzword
• ü  Re-write your resume

Good Cover Letter

• It should tell a story
• It should be short, concise and passionate
• It should be personal and intriguing
• It should tell why you are interested
• It should be your elevator pitch

Best ways to Market You!!!

Breaking in takes some time, so to help make it a more manageable process for you, here are four stages to marketing and promotion.

1. Sign up, observe, and educate yourself (sometimes called lurking). Many people stay at this stage for a long time, simply soaking up good information.

2. Participate. Start to make yourself known. This could be as simple as making status updates, posting photos or sample writing, or creating a profile.

3. Share something and grow relationships. Focus on what you give people or what you can share that's of value. As you participate and share with others in the community, and do things for each other, relationships grow and develop.

4. Ask for help. This is when you might actually put your connections to work as a means of soft or hard marketing. Maybe you want to tell people to pre-order your book on Amazon on a specific day. Or you're hoping that your network will spread the word about an upcoming event you're hosting. So you ask.

People who know you and trust you will be more likely to help you. That's why it's important to establish relationships far before you market and promote a product/service. The relationships have to be meaningful before they have value in a marketing/promotion effort.

Components to make you better

Be proactive, Set priorities, Sharpen your skills, Understand what needs to be accomplished, Be relatable, See how you can win, Develop a cohesive team. These topics are discussed further in my book “Why Not Me”. Here’s the link to get your copy today!!!                                                                                 
Weblink to book: http://bookstore.authorhouse.com/Products/SKU-000475782/WHY-NOT-ME.aspx                                                               

Zen - Mantras

Ø  Zen mind is the beginners’ mind - to look at something with fresh eyes.

Ø Hearing it over and over again allows us to go from where we think we should be to become who we are.

Ø The perfectly imperfect.

Ø The river flows; the mountain remains motionless – neither one can do the other. This tells us to do what’s ours to do and not be like others.

Ø Perfection is accepting what’s happening now.

Ø Practice kindness it will bring you happiness.

Ø Become aware – Be completely involved with it while it is happening, and then leave it behind when it’s done.  This is the way of detachment.

Ø Be thankful for anyone who’s a problem in your life…they show you where you stand.

Ø Be watchful of those who only bring praise…they may say what isn’t true and you may start to believe and begin to act differently.

Ø Watch the grass grow…no matter how many walk on it or storms strike it. That too is your nature…no one can stop you from doing what’s yours to do.

Ø To escape fear…keep moving.

Ø Live life with an open heart. Erase judgement. Live with compassion and   practice understanding. Everyone is doing the best they can…if they knew better; they would do better – so be gentle. 

Have your staff perform at a high level:

      Define the function of your HR Dept.

      Interlink your departments.

      Open up communication with staff.

      Make sure you have a succession plan.

Staff should understand your organizational culture

It's your time to get your team together, pick-up my book "Why Not Me" and get some ideas on team building. Here's the link below: http://bookstore.authorhouse.com/Products/SKU-000475782/WHY-NOT-ME.aspx

Negotiate a Win – Win Comp Package Negotiate a Win – Win Comp Package Negotiate the Win - Win Package

                                                                          

ü Let's face it; pay is often a primary motivator for work; but don't base your salary expectations solely on your current earnings. Depending upon the position, there could be other forms of compensation involved, most notably annual bonuses or sign-on bonuses.

ü Establish what your priorities are and how compensation factors into the equation.

ü Demonstrate your worth to the interviewer by detailing your accomplishments and what they have meant to the bottom line of your current or past employers.

ü Don't get bogged down in conversations about your current earnings if they are not relevant to the position. Gear the conversation to the worth of the position or the skills and experiences you have rather than your current earnings.

ü Ask the interviewer to describe the salary range rather than suggesting what you are hoping to earn.

ü Leverage other factors to your advantage such as a forthcoming salary increase or that you're assessing other potential employment situations.

ü Bottom line think big picture. If everything about the offer matches your criteria:  job description, reporting manager, working environment, and company policies and mission - get the best compensation package you can while letting the hiring manager know you are the best candidate for the job.                                                                                                       

Supreme Court Decision on The Affordable Care Act

So many people are speaking out on the High Court's decision yesterday. Here's is my take on the many detractors to the decision. We are living in a strange time; when some of us believe health care is a privilege and not a right. I have not read the entire “Affordable Care Act”; but the very idea that we are discussing whether an American Citizen should have health care; is outrageous.

Our country is too rich and too innovative to not insure health care for every American. If an American can’t afford it, the government should assist, that is a vital part of “The Pursuit of Happiness”.

I’m not sure how the coverage should be paid for, or who should be mandated to pay; but the idea that so many Americans don’t have health care insurance is madness.