I always have problem writing cover letters.  I’ve seen many examples in the Internet but they seem too rigid or too general. Could you give me some tips or samples on how a professional cover letter should look?

I work for a large corporation and have been with the company for eight years. In those eight years, I have been promoted or moved to another division for more pay four times. I am fairly certain another such opportunity will be coming up at the beginning of 2012. Here is the issue: When I am told that I have gotten the job, I am either told the salary is X or am sent a letter with the salary information, so there is really no opportunity for negotiation. I understand why the company presents the information in this way, but each job has a salary range (which is not known) and I would like to negotiate up, if possible. Do you have any advice on opening up negotiations when the salary is presented in such a “this is final” way?

I’m 24 years old and have been working at my first job for a year and a half. The firm is just me and my boss. After 6 months I was promoted to “vice president of communications” and I have earned a lot of responsibility since I started. I admire my boss greatly as she has had the company for 16 years and built it from the ground up with hard work and dedication. She has been a great mentor to me and provided me with a great experience. However, I feel now that I have hit a wall. I am no longer happy in the situation and feel as though I am not working towards my real goals and aspirations. I also want to move out of my parents house into another city.

I am at a loss for how to approach this situation because on one hand, I do not want to screw over the woman who gave me a break by merely giving her two weeks notice when I find something, and on the other hand, I am worried that if I let it be known now that I am looking for a new position before I actually have something, she will just tell me to leave and I will be without a job or reference. I also have a deep fear of being the stereotypical “gen y’er” who bounces around and isn’t willing to put their time in somewhere. I know I have done a good job, but is it enough with only being a year and a half? Any advice you have would be much appreciated – I feel lost, guilty, and desperate to break out but I just don’t know how without screwing her (and possibly myself) over.

Should I connect with people I don’t really know? Is there a target number of connections to have? How do I know when I have enough to help me get a job?

I moonlight at a small animal clinic in my free time, as a vet assistant. I love it but our technology is pretty dated as far as Internet presence is concerned. The vet who owns the clinic wants me to come up with a social media plan for the clinic. But I know that no one there has the time or skills to implement the plan.

What I’d like to prepose is I do their social media remotely.  My problem is how do I define what I am doing and show value to social media? I’m basically preposing fire to cavemen. I’m on the payroll at $10/HR which is fine for clinic stuff. However I know the vet will want to keep that arrangement which I don’t feel is fair for the social media service.

My hubby says to just up my hours spent but I feel that’s a recipe for disaster because they will catch on at some point and it just feels wrong. This would be easier if they understood social media. It’s maddening.

I’ve been seeing a co-worker now for about 2 weeks, and like any relationship where you spend all your time together, things have escalated quickly. We’re not in the same department, but the company is only about 45 people, so I do see him several times a day. I try to be nonchalant about it, but outside of work, we’re becoming emotionally and physically attached in a way that I was unprepared for. A drunken kiss-turned-relationship in about 3 days flat.

Is this totally stupid? I’m new to this office and city, and until him and his group of friends I hadn’t found my “people.” Now I think I have, which complicates him and the situation even further. We literally haven’t been apart except in our cubicles for nearly 10 days straight.

What do you usually tell people in this situation? He’s not my superior, he’s not even much older than me, and we haven’t told people at work. How would you navigate this?

I have questions about performance reviews:
What can I expect to happen at a performance review?
How should I prepare?
I have been preparing for my performance review by tracking the goals they set for me and making sure I am meeting and exceeding them. However, I was curious if there was anything I needed to do right before my performance review?
Should I create a list of great projects I have worked on and results I have created?
Should I bring a list to the meeting to help me stay on track?
Should I send an email to my supervisors prior to the meeting with notes and details from the past year?
Should I expect a raise or do I need to ask for one?
I am expecting to get a raise at my review but I wasn’t sure if I needed to ask for one or if they would offer me one?
What if I don’t like the raise they offer me? How should I prepare?
Hi Penelope,
How are you? I’m an author and executive recruiter (currently at [big impressive company]), and have a book coming out next month. I’ve been told it’s bad form to request a review from a big-name blogger without first building a relationship, but that seems a bit backwards to me (or perhaps just disingenuous). I’d love to get a book review from you and am wondering if you’d be willing. Please let me know if you have any questions or what I can do to be of help.
Are there steps that you recommend taking when beginning a freelance career in the middle of the recession that perhaps wouldn’t be done if the economy wasn’t such an unknown? I’d like to know if there are any specific precautionary steps that one should take, such as having 6 months of expenses covered, etc. etc.
Thank you for your help. It’s very scary to think about going freelance. I’m procrastinating, but I know I need to start pitching for work.

I have blown work relationships with more people than I care to think about because of my bad temper. Now I’m struggling in my career. Part of it is the shrinking jobs and pay but I know it’s more so because of the bridges I’ve burned. I’m good at my job and I can be pleasant and fun –when my buttons aren’t being pushed. I’m actually very capable, responsible and smart. It’s just that I have issues.

I’m in therapy and I know it has to do with being criticized and having emotionally abusive parents. I get easily wounded and insecure, and I lash out.

Right now I should be using some of the many contacts I’ve developed along the way, and the influential people I know. (You can’t tell from looking at me that I have this problem and I have lots of friends.) But I fear using some helpful contacts because I know those people know the people I’ve had incidents with and I worry they know about it. Ugh.

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