The last couple of days have been pretty hectic at HBFNETWORKS, as we were busy in interviewing a swarm of candidates for some important positions; the good thing is that we got what we were looking for - the best of the best in networking solutions and other allied fields. There may have been a lot of good guys whom we did not even call for an interview, why? You will find out as we go ahead. The loss is as much ours as theirs, they missed out on a golden opportunity and maybe we lost on some good wannabes. This is the reason why I am posting this article today. 

Today, in this knowledge-based world, where change is the rule, a set of personal strategies is essential for success or even survival. As you look in the mirror to see the 21st Century you will see that there will also be another image standing beside you. It is your competition, and mind you, from now on, your competitor will be a hungry person, hungry for food, hungry for a home, for a new car, for security, smart, quick thinking, skilled and willing to do anything necessary to win. Please do not get scared, look closely and you will find that the mirror also reflects a new world where opportunities pour and galore like never before. The future is going to be brighter than ever, opening new doors and a plethora of new technologies, which is going to need people like you and me to run it. So put on your thinking caps and read on.

All you need to do is to be prepared when the time comes, but remember that opportunity comes very, very rarely but temptations lean on your doorbell, as such keep your eyes open and understand to differentiate between opportunity and temptations. Before you appear in an Interview, prepare an effective and informative resume, but remember, the most important page in the envelope or the file containing your resume is the Covering Letter. Without this your resume is like a branded shirt minus the label and the packaging. Just go to a shopping mall and see if you can differentiate between a branded and a non branded shirt only by looking at the material they are made of, they all look alike; it is the label that sells, followed by the packaging. Just as that teeny-weeny label, your covering letter is like your signature, your selling card and your communicator about the intangible side of you.

How to write a good resume is important, but the covering letter is the most indispensable ingredient accompanying it. Now the next question people ask me is - how to write a good covering letter? And at times, even, what the heck is a covering letter, and why do we need it? The resume contains all our details, all we have done and achieved, our education, experience, contact details, current status and CTC, expected remunerations etc., its all there, so what is the importance of a covering letter? I can all but smile at them. Well lets get back to the basics of THE covering letter, and believe me coming right from the horses mouth this could well be one of the most crucial piece of information you have ever read in your quest for getting the golden key to unlock the secret of success and de code the vital qualities or characteristics of successful people.   

I have been in the industry for almost 18 years, 14 of which have been in the mid and the higher management level and am regarded as one the best professional in the various fields I worked in. Armed with versatile skills in Marketing and sales, resource and people management, journaling, building and leading a team (even transforming donkeys into horses as the saying goes), authoring and above all my expertise as a content specialist, I am a kind of a person who will take the bull by the horns and look the storm straight in the eye rather then shying away from it and more often than not I emerge a clear winner. I do not count life by the number of times you breathe but by the number of times your breath was taken away. These are the moments worth striving for, worth waiting for, worth remembering and worth creating and this is something I always try to do. I believe that every creation on the planet has an aura and energy of its own and this is what propels me to love and respect everything around me. All depends upon how you look at things and your attitude, your belief and your faith, because if you have a positive attitude, the right mindset and faith, there is nothing you can not achieve, you can even worship a piece of worthless rock and get wonderful beneficial results.

I love challenges, infact I thrive on them; I look at every problem as an opportunity and every setback as a means to improve myself. Hard (read smart) working and relentless, my endeavor is to be a perfectionist. Impossible, no body can be a perfectionist, they say, as nothing is perfect in this world, fine, but nobody can stop you in your crusade  to achieve it, as your serious attempts in transforming the impossible into something possible and getable, keeps you growing and learn more, and always improving and becoming a better human being. I call myself a citizen of the World and love humanity and think that every person has a right to make it big so we should encourage and help each other to perform at their best to grow as a TEAM because when we grow together we grow fast.

I think by now you should have got your answer regarding the importance a covering letter. No? Then go and read the above two paragraphs once again, I have just written a covering letter for myself. See how simple, yet so impacting it is? You too can do it, it is not rocket science. Watch out for my next article on essentials of a covering letter and writing a powerful resume. This would be followed by How to prepare and appear in an Interview. Bye for now

Yours in success,

Alok Sharma

www.hbfnetworks.com