I debated whether I wanted to write a resume and cover letter suggestion post because the topic is widely covered, but my recent experience proves that job seekers still need advice on how to successfully land an interview.

Identity is hiring an assistant social media strategist, and I’ve received several cover letters and resumes in the past week or so. I’m disheartened to say that only a select few stood out because job seekers are still making the same mistakes. Most are common mistakes that could easily be avoided by having two or three people review materials before sending them over to a prospective employer. It’s been awhile since I had to review resumes, so along with some of the common mistakes, I’m also seeing some new additions to resumes that do absolutely nothing to help the job seeker secure an interview.

Five minutes isn’t a whole lot of time, yet there are many things you can accomplish in just five minutes. You can send an email, brush your teeth, make a sandwich or listen to a song.

We all wish we had more time each day to accomplish everything that needs to get done. But, we’re not getting more time. So what we need to do is spend our time wisely and do things that are productive and valuable.

Job searching is tough and tedious work. There are so many things you need to think about when you’re looking for a new job – how to craft interesting and tailored cover letters, how to highlight your most relevant job experience without over or under doing it, how to stand out among the competition, and, above all, how to get the coveted email or phone response that leads to an interview.

Creators, entrepreneurs, artists, designers, scientists, thinkers and doers will all converge on September 28 for the third annual TEDxDetroit conference, taking place at the Orchestra Hall at the Max M Fisher Music Center from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. What’s the goal of bringing this diverse yet interestingly similar group of people together for an entire day? To spread positive ideas for the world from Detroit.

TED (which stands for Technology, Entertainment and Design) conferences aren’t like any other conferences I’ve attended. They’re eclectic and quirky, but in an engaging and inspiring way. While I’ve felt inspired after conferences like FutureMidwest and BrandCamp, TEDxDetroit produced a totally different type of creative inspiration in me. That’s why I’m looking forward to attending again this year.

I just returned from seven blissful days of honeymooning in Costa Rica. I had never been to Costa Rica before, and I quickly learned why people rave about this country. The scenery is breathtaking, the activities are limitless and the people are beyond kind. Costa Ricans have done an incredible job of using tourism as an economical driving force while still preserving the country’s beauty and natural resources.

Aside from loving that I had the opportunity to speak Spanish for an entire week, there are several other aspects about the country and its people that I love. As I started reflecting on all those things, I realized there are several ways people can apply the Costa Rican way of life to their own lives and businesses. So, here are some suggestions based on what I learned during my time in Costa Rica:

Change is inevitable. We all know that. Try as we might, it’s impossible to go through a significant period of time without experiencing change, whether it’s positive or negative.

As I’ve grown older, I’ve learned that change occurs more frequently and unexpectedly. This is both a good and bad thing. Good because it keeps life fresh and interesting. Bad because we’re not always ready for certain changes when they’re dumped on us without warning.

Have you ever taken the time to think about how the people and things you love have changed throughout the course of your life? If not, take a few minutes right now and think of a few examples. If you’re like me, what has stayed the same and what has changed may surprise you.

I’m 25 days away from taking the big “I do” plunge, so naturally, the topic of love is on my mind. Once I really started digging into how who and what I love has changed over the years, I realized there’s one fundamental lesson to be learned from all this reflecting (more on that in a bit). Former PR pro turned blogger extraordinaire Lauren Weber wrote a guest post about how love and what matters most in life can quickly change, but I wanted to revisit and dig deeper into the topic.

I’ve noticed a growing trend in the way people respond to this simple question: “How are you?” And I’m very curious to know if anyone else has picked up on this trend.

Think back to the past few conversations you’ve had. When you asked the person how he/she was doing, what was the response? I bet you got some variation of this: “I’m so busy that I don’t even know what to do with myself!”

Have you noticed how little kids have no reservations about being naked? They don’t think twice about stripping down to nothing and running around like free spirits…even if there are people around.

This is because they’ve yet to experience some of the raw feelings that many of us adults are hit with all too often – fear, embarrassment, vulnerability, inferiority, self-consciousness, etc. Little kids don’t have to worry about people judging them or feeling awkward when they’re exposed so openly. Baring it all is comfortable to them. But for many of us, there’s a huge sense of discomfort attached to being naked.