Influential Woman · Administrative

Raquelin Berkowitz

Administrative, --

Delray Beach, FL

Certifications · Degrees · Memberships

Degree Medical Assistant Certification Degree Phlebotomy Certification Cert Medical Assistant Cert Phlebotomist

Her Story

About Raquelin

My journey in the administrative field spans about 25 years, and my main area of expertise is customer relationships - something I truly pride myself in. I've been called a people whisperer because I have this ability to diffuse situations and act as a liaison, whether it's between technical teams and clients or between company owners and their customers. Some of these skills I've learned over time, but honestly, some just come naturally to me. I'm an artist by trade - it's what I was born to be. But at a very young age, to please my parents, I decided to go into the medical field. I became certified in the late 80s as a medical assistant and phlebotomist. I got into it, but I wasn't really thrilled about it, so I shifted gears and pursued my love for art. Unfortunately, as a starving artist, that didn't really pay the bills. So I became interested in working with people through customer service and receptionist work - I've done it all. One of my greatest professional achievements was working for a photographic repair business in South Florida. We were like the last living dinosaurs in the area, serving everyone from cruise ships, fashion photographers, and wildlife photographers to students using old-fashioned film cameras, police departments, and medical examiners. I managed a large group of technicians and office people there, and I would say that job goes down in history as one of my greatest accomplishments ever. That's where I really honed my people skills. The business unfortunately closed after COVID, and I was lucky enough to take two and a half years off to concentrate on remodeling an apartment that I had gutted and then sold. At 62, I'm now back in the workforce, actively job hunting on Indeed and LinkedIn, with several interviews lined up. My most notable achievement has been building and attaining client relationships - that's something really close to my heart, not just career-wise but personally.

Her Interview

Ten minutes with Raquelin

01What do you attribute your success to?

I would say kindness - and I'm talking from the heart here. We all need more of that in this world. It's about treating people the same across the board. It doesn't matter your demographics, how you were raised, or where you're from. Treating people with kindness is the number one thing that I can say has helped me, not just career-wise but personally. I mean, it's just beautiful when you think about it. I'm very personable, and I become pretty much a part of the customer's family. I really invest myself in helping people. Some people call me romantic and say I look at the world with rose-colored glasses, and you know what? Who cares? It works.

02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?

The advice I kept hearing over and over again was to keep it professional. I'm very personable, and I become pretty much a part of the customer's family - I really invest myself in helping people. But the advice was always to keep it professional, because I think it can take you a much longer way and protect you from disappointment. Whether it's the best advice, I'm not sure, but it's one I kept hearing repeatedly. Honestly, I really never received a lot of advice from anyone - I kind of went my own beat.

03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?

Pay it forward, because someone did it for you. We're not here by accident - we're all placed here by some force, whether it's a human force, or the stars, or whatever you want to call it. You got to a place, and yeah sure, you did most of the work to get to where you are, but you were influenced by many things, by people, by things. I'm a huge believer in paying it forward. You're a good person, you pay your taxes, and everything else will just follow. If I'm given the opportunity to mentor the younger generation, or even women my age who are in the same position as I am - we're starting over - we need that. We need women lifting women up, not knocking them down. There's such a change happening in the world as far as recognizing women and our efforts. We went from the bedroom to the kitchen to the workforce, and that's huge. I'm there 100% for everyone, and my hat goes off to all these women who have made it, who are still trying to make it, who are struggling.

04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?

I'm 62, and getting back into the workforce can be very challenging. I'm not even talking about AI or those things - believe it or not, I'm adapting rather well. What is challenging is that the younger generation is being hired at a much lower pay rate, and that hurts applicants in my generation. We do have different needs, perhaps different lifestyles, perhaps different goals. We have more - we think more about savings and what you're going to leave behind for your loved ones, whereas the younger generation may not. I would say that the challenge would be the pay rate and maybe that generational gap that occurs.

05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?

Honesty, commitment - if you're going to say you're going to do something, do it. I always tell my kids, you're a good person, you pay your taxes, and everything else will just follow. Pay it forward - that's the advice I would give anyone, because someone did it for you. We're not here by accident. You got to a place, and yeah sure, you did most of the work to get there, but you were influenced by many things, by people, by things. Treating people with kindness across the board, regardless of demographics or where you're from - that's been key for me, not just career-wise but personally.

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