For aspiring entrepreneurs considering launching a business in 2027, the most important decisions may need to happen before the new year begins. While January traditionally represents a fresh start for business ventures, successful entrepreneurship requires considerably more than an idea, a business registration and an ambitious launch date. Market research, financial planning, customer validation and strategic relationship development often determine whether a new company enters the marketplace with a competitive advantage or struggles to establish itself.

The final quarter of 2026 presents an important opportunity for future business owners to evaluate market conditions, identify emerging industries and build the financial and operational foundations necessary for sustainable growth. Artificial intelligence, changing consumer expectations, evolving workforce dynamics and shifting investment priorities are transforming how companies compete. Entrepreneurs who begin preparing now can enter 2027 with a clearer business model, stronger professional relationships and a more realistic understanding of the capital required to succeed.

The economic significance of entrepreneurship is substantial. According to the U.S. Small Business Administration's Office of Advocacy, the United States has approximately 36.2 million small businesses, representing 99.9% of all American businesses. Small businesses employ approximately 46% of private-sector workers and play an essential role in job creation, innovation and local economic development. Yet the difference between starting a business and building a sustainable enterprise remains significant, particularly in an environment where access to financing, operational efficiency and customer acquisition increasingly influence long-term survival.

Economic Conditions Create Opportunities, Not Guarantees

Entrepreneurs preparing for 2027 will enter a business environment shaped by moderate economic growth, technological investment and continued uncertainty surrounding interest rates, inflation and consumer spending. Although economic forecasts can provide useful guidance, they should not be mistaken for guarantees of favorable business conditions.

For new business owners, economic growth matters because it influences household purchasing power, corporate spending, borrowing costs and employment. However, national economic indicators rarely tell the complete story. A technology consulting firm, neighborhood restaurant, healthcare services company and specialized construction business can experience dramatically different market conditions within the same economy.

Rather than relying exclusively on optimistic forecasts, entrepreneurs should evaluate the specific industries and customer segments they intend to serve. Understanding local demand, competitive pricing, labor availability and the purchasing behavior of potential customers can provide more actionable intelligence than broad economic projections.

The growing adoption of artificial intelligence is another consideration. McKinsey's 2025 global survey found that 88% of respondents reported regular AI use in at least one business function, compared with 78% the previous year. For entrepreneurs, this transformation creates opportunities to establish businesses that operate with greater efficiency while offering services that help existing organizations integrate technology into their operations.

Access to Capital Requires More Than a Compelling Idea

One of the biggest misconceptions among aspiring entrepreneurs is that a promising business concept automatically attracts investors. In reality, venture capital represents only one segment of the business financing ecosystem, and most small businesses will never pursue institutional investment.

Venture capital investment has become increasingly concentrated in artificial intelligence and other technology-intensive industries. While substantial funding continues to flow toward companies developing AI infrastructure, enterprise software and advanced technologies, investors are placing considerable emphasis on demonstrated customer demand, defensible business models and credible opportunities for profitable growth.

This distinction is particularly important for entrepreneurs considering businesses outside the technology sector. A professional services company, specialty retail operation, healthcare practice or local service provider may be better positioned to grow through personal savings, business revenue, traditional lending or strategic partnerships than through venture capital.

Financing conditions also remain a practical challenge. The Federal Reserve's 2025 Small Business Credit Survey, reporting on employer firms' experiences in 2024, found that only 41% of financing applicants received the full amount they sought. This underscores why entrepreneurs should begin assessing financing options months before they expect to need capital.

A business plan supported by realistic revenue projections, startup cost estimates, cash-flow forecasts and a clearly defined customer base is considerably more persuasive to lenders and investors than an ambitious concept without supporting evidence.

Why Early Planning Can Improve Business Survival

The risks associated with entrepreneurship are well documented. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics research shows that approximately one in five new private-sector business establishments does not survive its first year. Longer-term survival is even more challenging, with only about one-third of establishments surviving a decade, depending on the industry and founding period.

These figures do not suggest that entrepreneurship is inherently a poor investment. They demonstrate why financial discipline, market validation and operational preparation deserve attention before a business opens.

Many entrepreneurs underestimate the time required to acquire customers, establish reliable revenue and cover recurring expenses. Rent, insurance, technology subscriptions, marketing, payroll, professional services and regulatory compliance can create financial pressure long before a business achieves profitability.

Developing a financial runway is therefore essential. Entrepreneurs should calculate both their initial startup expenses and the working capital needed to sustain operations while revenue develops. Preparing several cash-flow scenarios, including one in which sales fall substantially below expectations, can help identify potential financing gaps before they become emergencies.

Equally important is validating the business concept. Rather than investing heavily in branding, office space or technology before securing customers, entrepreneurs can test demand through pilot programs, limited service offerings, customer interviews or minimum viable products. These approaches provide valuable information about pricing, purchasing behavior and customer expectations while limiting unnecessary financial exposure.

The Growing Importance of Technology and Business Efficiency

Technology is reshaping the economics of starting a business. Entrepreneurs entering 2027 have access to tools that can automate administrative tasks, support customer service, analyze marketing performance and streamline financial management. These capabilities can reduce the need for large initial teams and allow smaller organizations to compete more effectively.

However, adopting technology does not automatically create a competitive advantage. McKinsey's 2025 research found that while 88% of surveyed organizations were using AI in at least one business function, only 7% reported fully scaling AI across their organizations. This gap creates opportunities for entrepreneurs who can translate emerging technologies into practical solutions for customers.

The strongest opportunities may emerge from combining industry expertise with technology rather than building technology for its own sake. Businesses specializing in AI implementation, cybersecurity, healthcare administration, digital marketing, workforce development and professional services can differentiate themselves by solving specific operational problems.

For aspiring entrepreneurs, the objective should be to identify where technology can improve profitability, reduce costs or enhance customer experiences without compromising quality, trust or regulatory compliance.

Professional Networks Can Become an Entrepreneurial Advantage

Access to capital is important, but relationships can be equally valuable during the early stages of business development. Professional networks connect entrepreneurs with prospective customers, mentors, lenders, suppliers, industry experts and potential business partners.

This is particularly relevant for Hispanic entrepreneurs, whose expanding economic influence continues to reshape American business. According to Stanford University's Latino Entrepreneurship Initiative, Latino-owned businesses generate more than $800 billion in annual revenue, demonstrating the growing scale and commercial importance of Hispanic entrepreneurship.

For entrepreneurs preparing to launch in 2027, the remaining months of 2026 offer an opportunity to develop relationships before seeking financial support, introductions or customers. Participating in professional networking events, industry associations, business chambers and entrepreneurship programs can help founders understand market needs while establishing credibility.

These relationships can also provide something that financing alone cannot purchase: access to firsthand industry knowledge. Conversations with experienced business owners can reveal overlooked expenses, regulatory challenges, customer acquisition difficulties and opportunities that may not appear in traditional market research.

Build Your 2027 Business Network at HispanicPro's Fall Networking Noche

For aspiring entrepreneurs, building professional relationships before launching a business can provide a significant competitive advantage. Networking events offer opportunities to connect with prospective customers, identify potential business partners, exchange industry insights and establish relationships with experienced professionals who understand the challenges of entrepreneurship.

In Chicago, HispanicPro's 2026 Fall Networking Noche, taking place Thursday, November 12, from 5:30 to 8 p.m. at GG's Piano Bar in the West Loop, will bring together Latino professionals, entrepreneurs, executives, business leaders and allies. The gathering offers an opportunity for individuals planning to launch or expand a business in 2027 to strengthen their professional networks, explore potential collaborations and develop connections that can translate into future opportunities.

For entrepreneurs, the value of attending professional networking events extends beyond exchanging business cards. Meaningful conversations can provide valuable market intelligence, introduce potential clients and establish relationships that support long-term business development. Building those connections now can help transform an entrepreneurial vision into a stronger business foundation for 2027.

Turn the Final 90 Days of 2026 Into a Business Launch Strategy

A successful 2027 launch should begin with a structured plan that transforms an entrepreneurial idea into a commercially viable operation. The remaining months of 2026 provide a practical window to establish priorities, test assumptions and prepare for execution.

October should emphasize market research and business concept development. Entrepreneurs should identify their target customers, study competitors, evaluate industry growth trends and determine what makes their proposed product or service distinctive. This is also the appropriate time to estimate startup costs, evaluate personal financial readiness and begin conversations with potential customers.

November should focus on financial preparation and market validation. Aspiring business owners can develop revenue projections, investigate lending programs, compare financing options and test their products or services with prospective customers. Establishing relationships with accountants, attorneys, bankers and experienced entrepreneurs can also help identify operational requirements before launch. Attending professional gatherings such as HispanicPro's Fall Networking Noche can further support these efforts by connecting entrepreneurs with individuals who may become future clients, collaborators or business advisors.

December should concentrate on execution readiness. Depending on the business, this may include finalizing legal structures, securing necessary licenses, developing marketing materials, selecting technology platforms and establishing customer acquisition strategies. Entrepreneurs should also create measurable objectives for the first 90 days of 2027, including sales targets, operating budgets and customer retention goals.

Importantly, not every business needs to open on January 1. A well-prepared launch in March or April may be more financially advantageous than a rushed opening that creates unnecessary expenses and operational problems.

The Bottom Line: Preparation Is the Real Competitive Advantage

The opportunity to start a business in 2027 is not defined exclusively by economic forecasts, venture capital availability or technological innovation. It is defined by an entrepreneur's ability to identify genuine market demand, secure appropriate financing, develop professional relationships and execute a financially sustainable business model.

The Federal Reserve's 2026 Small Business Credit Survey found that only 42% of financing applicants received the full amount requested, while 36% received partial financing and 22% received none. These figures reinforce the importance of financial planning and demonstrate why entrepreneurs should avoid assuming that outside capital will become available precisely when needed.

For professionals considering the transition from employment to entrepreneurship, the final months of 2026 represent an opportunity to prepare without immediately abandoning financial stability. Building a customer pipeline, testing a business concept and establishing operational systems before leaving a full-time position can reduce uncertainty and provide greater flexibility.

Ultimately, the entrepreneurs best positioned for 2027 will not necessarily be those with the largest investments or most ambitious ideas. They will be those who enter the marketplace with validated demand, disciplined finances, strong professional relationships and a clear strategy for converting opportunity into sustainable business growth.

Sources

• Federal Reserve Banks. (2025). 2025 report on employer firms: Findings from the 2024 Small Business Credit Survey. Small Business Credit Survey.

• Federal Reserve Banks. (2026). 2026 report on employer firms: Findings from the 2025 Small Business Credit Survey. Small Business Credit Survey.

• McKinsey & Company. (2025). The state of AI in 2025: Agents, innovation, and transformation.

• Stanford Graduate School of Business. (2024). State of Latino entrepreneurship. Stanford Latino Entrepreneurship Initiative.

• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2024). Business employment dynamics: Entrepreneurship and the U.S. economy.

• U.S. Small Business Administration, Office of Advocacy. (2025). 2025 small business profiles for the states, territories, and nation.

• U.S. Small Business Administration, Office of Advocacy. (2025, June 30). New advocacy report shows the number of small businesses in the U.S. exceeds 36 million.

In today's competitive business environment, professional success requires more than technical expertise, impressive credentials or a strong work ethic. The ability to connect with people, establish trust and develop meaningful relationships has become an increasingly valuable professional skill. Whether negotiating business agreements, pursuing career opportunities, managing employees or attending networking events, the way individuals communicate can influence their credibility, professional reputation and long-term success.

While many professionals concentrate on developing industry knowledge and technical capabilities, interpersonal effectiveness often receives less attention. Yet research in organizational psychology and workplace behavior demonstrates that communication, recognition and trust play important roles in professional relationships. Individuals who make others feel heard, respected and appreciated can create stronger foundations for collaboration, leadership and career advancement.

Becoming more likable does not require an outgoing personality or exceptional charisma. Some of the most effective communicators distinguish themselves through relatively simple behaviors: asking thoughtful questions, listening attentively, remembering important details and expressing genuine interest in others. These habits can help professionals become more approachable without compromising their authenticity or authority.

The business implications are significant. According to Gallup, only 31% of U.S. employees were engaged at work in 2025, compared with 36% in 2020, representing approximately 8 million fewer engaged employees. Globally, Gallup's 2026 State of the Global Workplace report found employee engagement declined to 20% in 2025, highlighting the continuing challenges organizations face in maintaining employee motivation, connection and commitment.

Although engagement depends on numerous factors, everyday communication remains one area where professionals can make a meaningful difference.

1. Ask Thoughtful Questions and Demonstrate Genuine Curiosity

One of the most effective ways to become more likable is to demonstrate sincere interest in other people. Professionals often approach conversations focused on making a favorable impression, discussing their accomplishments or communicating their expertise. However, concentrating too heavily on self-presentation can limit opportunities to establish meaningful connections.

A 2017 study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology found that individuals who asked more questions, particularly follow-up questions, were generally better liked by their conversation partners. Across three studies, researchers identified responsiveness as an important factor in explaining why question-asking improved interpersonal impressions.

In professional settings, this means moving beyond predictable introductions. Rather than simply asking someone about their job title, consider asking what industry developments are creating opportunities for their organization, what challenges they are addressing or which projects have generated the most excitement.

Thoughtful questions can improve networking conversations, client relationships and employee engagement. The objective is not to ask as many questions as possible but to demonstrate curiosity, listen carefully and respond naturally.

2. Make People Feel Heard Through Active Listening

Listening is frequently described as an essential communication skill, yet many professionals confuse hearing someone speak with genuinely understanding their message. During conversations, individuals may become distracted by preparing their next response, checking their phones or considering how to redirect the discussion toward themselves.

Gallup research published in 2025 found that only 16% of U.S. employees believed their organization's leadership communicated effectively with the rest of the company. Employees who strongly agreed that their leaders communicated effectively were also 61% less likely to report experiencing burnout, illustrating a strong association between communication quality and employee well-being.

Active listening begins with eliminating unnecessary distractions, allowing others to finish their thoughts and asking clarifying questions. It also requires recognizing that understanding someone's perspective does not necessarily mean agreeing with it.

For executives, listening can uncover employee concerns and improve decision-making. For entrepreneurs, it can reveal customer needs and strengthen business relationships. In professional networking environments, attentive listening can transform routine introductions into meaningful conversations that leave lasting impressions.

3. Recognize Contributions With Meaningful Appreciation

Recognition is one of the simplest ways to strengthen professional relationships, yet it remains underutilized in many organizations. Employees frequently receive feedback when something goes wrong, while valuable contributions and everyday accomplishments may receive little acknowledgment.

Research from Gallup and Workhuman found that employees receiving high-quality recognition were 45% less likely to have changed organizations two years later. Despite these benefits, only 22% of employees reported receiving the appropriate amount of recognition for their work. Employees whose recognition met at least four of five quality standards were also nine times as likely to be engaged as those whose recognition met none.

Meaningful recognition goes beyond generic compliments. Rather than simply telling a colleague they did an excellent job, identifying how their preparation, expertise or leadership contributed to a successful outcome demonstrates greater awareness and appreciation.

This principle applies equally to entrepreneurs, executives and professionals building their networks. Recognizing someone's contributions, acknowledging their expertise or expressing appreciation for an introduction can strengthen relationships when the recognition is sincere and specific.

4. Remember Details and Maintain Professional Relationships

Professional networking is often measured by the number of contacts established, events attended or LinkedIn connections accumulated. However, the quality of a professional network depends less on its size than on the strength and continuity of its relationships.

Remembering previous conversations, following up on important projects and acknowledging professional milestones demonstrates that a relationship extends beyond an initial introduction. A personalized message referencing a previous discussion is generally more meaningful than a generic request to reconnect.

Pew Research Center's 2023 workplace study found that 65% of workers had at least one close friend at work, while 62% believed their contributions were valued a great deal or a fair amount. However, only 44% reported having someone at work they considered a mentor, suggesting opportunities for stronger professional relationship development.

For professionals seeking career advancement, maintaining relationships with colleagues, mentors and industry contacts can provide access to valuable information, introductions and potential opportunities. Consistent engagement, rather than communication only when assistance is needed, helps establish lasting professional credibility.

5. Find Common Ground Without Sacrificing Authenticity

Building relationships frequently begins with identifying shared interests, experiences or professional objectives. Common ground makes initial conversations more comfortable and creates opportunities for deeper discussions, but meaningful connections do not require identical backgrounds or perspectives.

Executives from different industries may discover shared workforce challenges, while entrepreneurs may recognize common concerns involving business growth, customer acquisition or access to capital. These connections can create opportunities for collaboration that extend beyond familiar professional circles.

Pew Research Center found that 67% of workers were extremely or very satisfied with their relationships with coworkers, while 62% expressed similar satisfaction with their managers or supervisors. These findings reinforce the importance of positive interpersonal relationships in the workplace.

Authenticity remains essential. Pretending to share someone's interests or agreeing with every opinion may create temporary rapport, but it does little to establish credibility. Stronger relationships develop when professionals demonstrate genuine curiosity, respect differences and identify meaningful areas of mutual interest.

6. Express Appreciation Before Asking for Assistance

Professional networking can become transactional when individuals contact their connections primarily to request introductions, referrals, business opportunities or assistance. Although seeking support is a legitimate part of career development, relationships maintained exclusively through requests can become increasingly one-sided.

A more effective approach involves demonstrating professional interest before a specific need arises. Sharing relevant industry information, congratulating contacts on accomplishments and making valuable introductions can strengthen relationships without creating immediate expectations.

Gallup and Workhuman's recognition research also found that 51% of U.S. employees were watching for or actively seeking another job in May 2024, emphasizing the importance of workplace experiences that contribute to employee satisfaction and retention.

For entrepreneurs and business leaders, consistent appreciation can strengthen relationships with employees, clients, vendors and strategic partners. For professionals, offering assistance or sharing opportunities without expecting an immediate return can reinforce goodwill and credibility.

The most valuable professional networks are built through mutual respect, reliability and consistent engagement, not simply through exchanging favors.

7. Be Approachable Without Seeking Everyone's Approval

One of the most misunderstood aspects of likability is the assumption that being well-liked requires agreeing with everyone, avoiding disagreement or accommodating every request. In reality, professional likability and personal approval are not interchangeable.

Effective professionals recognize that building trust sometimes requires expressing difficult opinions, establishing boundaries and making decisions that others may not immediately support. The objective is to combine approachability with integrity, confidence and accountability.

The American Psychological Association's 2024 Work in America survey found that 95% of employees experiencing higher psychological safety reported feeling a sense of belonging, compared with 69% among those experiencing lower psychological safety. Additionally, only 3% of employees in higher-safety environments described their workplaces as toxic, compared with 30% in lower-safety environments.

These findings highlight the relationship between interpersonal respect and workplace experiences. Leaders can encourage open communication without eliminating accountability, while professionals can demonstrate warmth and consideration without compromising their judgment.

The most respected individuals are not necessarily those who avoid conflict. They are often those who can navigate disagreements constructively while maintaining trust and professional relationships.

The Competitive Advantage of Human Connection in an AI-Driven Workplace

As artificial intelligence transforms business operations, interpersonal effectiveness is becoming an important complement to technical expertise. AI can generate communications, summarize meetings, analyze information and automate administrative activities, but building trust and maintaining professional relationships still require human judgment, emotional awareness and authenticity.

Gallup's 2026 workplace research found that global employee engagement stood at 20% in 2025, while manager engagement declined from 31% in 2022 to 22% in 2025. Gallup also estimated that low employee engagement contributed to approximately $10 trillion in lost productivity worldwide, equivalent to roughly 9% of global GDP.

These figures underscore the economic importance of organizational engagement, although communication alone cannot resolve broader workplace challenges. Leadership quality, compensation, career development and organizational practices also influence employee experiences.

For professionals, the opportunity lies in combining technological competence with strong interpersonal skills. Individuals who understand emerging technologies while demonstrating effective communication, collaboration and relationship-building capabilities can strengthen their value to employers, clients and business partners.

Ultimately, becoming more likable is not about mastering persuasive phrases or developing a more entertaining personality. It is about consistently demonstrating respect, curiosity and genuine interest in others.

Professional relationships are rarely defined by a single conversation. They develop through repeated interactions, meaningful follow-up and demonstrated reliability. People may initially remember someone's credentials, job title or accomplishments, but lasting impressions are often shaped by whether they felt heard, respected and valued.

In a competitive professional landscape, the ability to make meaningful connections is more than a social skill. It is a long-term investment in trust, influence and career success.

Sources

• American Psychological Association. (2024). Psychological safety in the changing workplace: Work in America 2024 report. American Psychological Association.

• Gallup. (2026). State of the global workplace: 2026 report. Gallup, Inc.

• Harter, J. (2026, January 27). U.S. employee engagement declines from 2020 peak. Gallup.

• Huang, K., Yeomans, M., Brooks, A. W., Minson, J., & Gino, F. (2017). It doesn't hurt to ask: Question-asking increases liking. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 113(3), 430–452.

• Pew Research Center. (2023, March 30). How Americans view their jobs. Pew Research Center.

• Yi, R. (2024, September 18). Employee retention depends on getting recognition right. Gallup.

The final quarter of the year is an opportunity for professionals to strengthen their networks, elevate their visibility, and position themselves for career and business opportunities in 2027. As organizations evaluate year-end performance, establish budgets, and prepare their workforce strategies for the coming year, the relationships professionals build and maintain during October, November, and December can influence their prospects well beyond the holiday season.

Yet many professionals approach the final months of the year without a deliberate networking strategy. They attend occasional industry events, exchange LinkedIn invitations, and reconnect with colleagues only when an immediate need arises. This reactive approach overlooks one of the most valuable principles of professional advancement: The strongest networks are built before they are needed.

Research underscores the economic value of professional relationships. A landmark study published in Science analyzed approximately 20 million LinkedIn users, 2 billion new connections, and more than 600,000 job transitions, finding that moderately weak professional ties can be especially valuable in helping individuals discover new employment opportunities. The findings reinforce the importance of expanding beyond familiar colleagues while continuing to cultivate established relationships.

With fewer than three months remaining in 2026, professionals have an opportunity to adopt a more intentional approach built around three priorities: strengthening existing relationships, developing new connections, and communicating their professional value more effectively. Each month presents a distinct opportunity to build momentum heading into 2027.

October: Increase Your Professional Visibility and Reconnect With Your Network

October should serve as a professional networking reset. Before the holiday season accelerates and calendars become increasingly crowded, professionals should evaluate their current relationships, refresh their professional presence, and identify opportunities to reconnect with individuals who could contribute to their long-term growth.

The first priority is reviewing existing professional relationships. Former colleagues, past supervisors, mentors, industry peers, clients, and business partners represent an established network that may have become inactive during the year. Reconnecting with these individuals does not require a formal meeting or an elaborate request. A personalized message, invitation for coffee, or brief conversation about recent professional developments can reopen communication and create opportunities for future collaboration.

Professionals should also review their digital presence, particularly LinkedIn, to ensure it accurately communicates their current expertise and accomplishments. LinkedIn has surpassed 1 billion members worldwide, creating substantial opportunities for professional discovery while increasing the importance of differentiation. An outdated profile or vague professional summary can weaken the impression made after a promising introduction.

Rather than simply listing responsibilities, professionals should highlight measurable accomplishments from 2026. Revenue growth, successful projects, operational improvements, leadership initiatives, client acquisition, and professional certifications provide evidence of business value. These achievements can strengthen conversations with recruiters, potential employers, business partners, and organizational leaders.

October is also an ideal time to identify industry gatherings, professional association events, conferences, and local networking opportunities. Instead of attending every available event, professionals should prioritize environments where they are likely to encounter individuals aligned with their career interests or business objectives.

A practical October goal is to reconnect with five existing contacts, attend two relevant professional gatherings, and establish several new relationships that merit continued engagement. The objective is not immediate career advancement, but increased visibility and a stronger foundation for the remainder of the year.

November: Transform New Connections Into Meaningful Professional Relationships

If October is about visibility and reconnection, November should focus on relationship development. Meeting someone at a networking event is only the beginning of a professional relationship. The real opportunity emerges through continued conversations, shared interests, and consistent follow-through.

Research published in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology found that face-to-face requests were approximately 34 times more successful than equivalent requests made by email in the experiments studied. While this research does not directly measure networking outcomes, it illustrates the influence that personal interaction can have on responsiveness and engagement.

For professionals, November offers an opportunity to move beyond brief introductions and establish more substantive connections. Scheduling coffee meetings, participating in smaller industry gatherings, or inviting colleagues to informal discussions can create an environment where individuals exchange ideas, explore mutual interests, and better understand one another's professional priorities.

This is also an important period for gathering intelligence about the year ahead. Conversations with industry leaders, hiring managers, entrepreneurs, and experienced colleagues can provide insight into emerging business challenges, evolving workforce expectations, and skills likely to become more valuable in 2027.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that employment in computer and mathematical occupations will grow substantially faster than the average for all occupations between 2024 and 2034, reflecting continued demand for technical and analytical capabilities. Professionals do not necessarily need to pursue careers in technology to benefit from understanding how artificial intelligence, automation, and digital transformation are influencing their industries.

November networking conversations should therefore extend beyond exchanging job titles and discussing current responsibilities. Asking thoughtful questions about organizational priorities, industry developments, and emerging opportunities can help professionals identify where their experience and expertise may create value.

Equally important is adopting a relationship-building approach centered on contribution. Introducing two professionals with complementary interests, sharing useful research, recommending qualified talent, or supporting a colleague's initiative can strengthen professional credibility without requiring an immediate return.

Organizational psychologist Adam Grant's research on workplace reciprocity emphasizes how generosity and collaboration can contribute to professional success. His work also recognizes that effective giving requires judgment and boundaries. The goal is to become a valuable professional contact, not to make unlimited commitments.

By the end of November, professionals should aim to have converted several October introductions into ongoing relationships while developing a clearer understanding of the opportunities and challenges that may shape their industries in 2027.

December: Strengthen Relationships and Position Yourself for 2027

December is often treated as a period of winding down professionally, but it can be one of the most valuable months for relationship maintenance and strategic preparation. Holiday networking events, year-end business gatherings, and professional celebrations provide opportunities to reconnect with colleagues, acknowledge contributions, and reinforce relationships established throughout the year.

The key is approaching these interactions with purpose rather than viewing them solely as social occasions. A holiday gathering may provide an opportunity to reconnect with a former supervisor, meet an industry executive, strengthen a client relationship, or continue a conversation initiated earlier in the quarter.

Professionals should also make relationship appreciation a deliberate part of their year-end activities. Recognizing individuals who provided guidance, introductions, referrals, mentorship, or professional support demonstrates that relationships are valued beyond immediate business outcomes.

Research from the Harvard Study of Adult Development has consistently emphasized the importance of meaningful relationships to long-term well-being. Although the research extends beyond professional networking, it reinforces a broader principle relevant to career development: the quality of relationships matters more than their quantity.

December is also an appropriate time to evaluate the effectiveness of networking efforts throughout 2026. Rather than measuring success through the number of events attended or LinkedIn connections accumulated, professionals should consider whether their relationships have become stronger, more diverse, and more mutually beneficial.

A professional who develops five substantive relationships with industry leaders, potential mentors, or business partners may create more long-term value than someone who collects 100 new contacts without meaningful follow-up.

Before the year concludes, professionals should identify which relationships they want to prioritize in 2027, which professional communities they want to become more involved with, and which opportunities deserve additional attention. Scheduling January conversations before holiday calendars become crowded can also help maintain momentum as the new year begins.

Why Relationship Quality Should Be Your Most Important Networking Metric

The increasing accessibility of professional networking platforms has made it easier to accumulate contacts, but the size of a network does not necessarily reflect its effectiveness.

The 2022 Science study examining the strength of weak ties demonstrated that professional opportunities frequently emerge through acquaintances rather than only through close colleagues. However, the findings do not suggest that professionals should indiscriminately expand their networks. Instead, they highlight the importance of maintaining diverse relationships that provide access to different industries, perspectives, and information.

A productive professional network should include individuals who can offer different forms of value, including mentors who provide guidance, peers who exchange knowledge, industry leaders who share perspective, and business contacts who identify potential opportunities. Just as importantly, professionals should consider what they contribute to these relationships.

Technology can support this process by helping individuals identify relevant contacts, maintain communication, and remain informed about professional developments. However, digital activity should complement rather than replace meaningful interaction. A LinkedIn connection may initiate a relationship, but a substantive conversation, personal introduction, or consistent exchange of ideas often determines whether that relationship develops further.

The distinction becomes particularly important when professionals face career transitions, organizational restructuring, or new business challenges. A large network may increase potential reach, but a trusted network provides relationships through which individuals can seek perspective, exchange information, and explore opportunities.

Make the Final Quarter Count

The final months of 2026 offer a practical opportunity to strengthen the professional foundation for the coming year. October should emphasize visibility and reconnection, November should prioritize deeper engagement and professional intelligence, and December should focus on relationship appreciation and strategic preparation.

This approach does not require an extensive budget, attendance at every industry event, or hours of daily social media activity. It requires consistency, intentionality, and a willingness to invest in professional relationships without expecting immediate results.

For professionals seeking career advancement, business growth, or greater industry influence in 2027, networking should be viewed as an ongoing professional responsibility rather than an activity reserved for moments of urgency. The most effective relationships are cultivated through regular engagement, mutual respect, and a demonstrated willingness to contribute.

As 2026 draws to a close, the professionals best positioned for the coming year will not necessarily be those with the largest networks or the most impressive online profiles. They will be those who used the final quarter to reconnect with important people, establish meaningful new relationships, demonstrate their professional value, and follow through on the connections they made.

The most valuable career opportunities of 2027 may begin with conversations that happen before 2026 ends.

Sources

• Bohns, V. K. (2017, April 11). A face-to-face request is 34 times more successful than an email. Harvard Business Review.

• Grant, A. (2013). Give and take: A revolutionary approach to success. Viking.

• LinkedIn. (2023). LinkedIn reaches 1 billion members worldwide. LinkedIn Official Blog.

• Rajkumar, K., Saint-Jacques, G., Bojinov, I., Brynjolfsson, E., & Aral, S. (2022). A causal test of the strength of weak ties. Science, 377(6612), 1304–1310.

• Roghanizad, M. M., & Bohns, V. K. (2017). Ask in person: You're less persuasive than you think over email. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 69, 223–226.

• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2025). Occupational projections and worker characteristics, 2024–2034. U.S. Department of Labor.

• Waldinger, R., & Schulz, M. (2023). The good life: Lessons from the world's longest scientific study of happiness. Simon & Schuster.

The biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries are entering a new era of workforce transformation, creating career opportunities that extend far beyond laboratories and scientific research. As companies navigate changing investment conditions, artificial intelligence, regulatory demands and increasingly complex drug commercialization strategies, the demand for professionals in sales, marketing, management, business operations and regulatory affairs is evolving. For job seekers, the industry offers access to high-paying careers, but employers are becoming more selective about the skills and experience they prioritize.

Following several years of layoffs, corporate restructuring and tighter venture capital funding, the life sciences employment market in 2026 is characterized by more deliberate recruitment. Pharmaceutical manufacturers and biotechnology companies are concentrating resources on commercially promising therapies, operational efficiency and specialized talent capable of delivering measurable business results. While hiring conditions remain uneven, the industry's long-term economic significance and growing need for sophisticated business expertise continue to create opportunities for professionals from diverse educational and career backgrounds.

The opportunity is particularly compelling for individuals who understand how to combine traditional business skills with healthcare knowledge, digital technology and regulatory awareness. Professionals with experience in corporate sales, marketing, financial analysis, project management, technology and administration can find meaningful pathways into an industry where scientific innovation increasingly depends on effective business execution.

THE LIFE SCIENCES INDUSTRY REMAINS AN ECONOMIC POWERHOUSE

The American life sciences industry represents one of the nation's most important engines of innovation, employment and economic activity. According to the Biotechnology Innovation Organization and the Council of State Bioscience Associations, the broader U.S. bioscience industry directly employed nearly 2.3 million workers in 2023, supported approximately 8 million additional jobs throughout the economy and generated more than $3.2 trillion in economic output. These figures demonstrate the enormous influence of biotechnology, pharmaceutical manufacturing, medical devices, research and related industries on the American economy.

More recent research from CBRE found that U.S. life sciences employment reached approximately 2.1 million workers in March 2025, establishing a record before experiencing a subsequent decline. Although the two studies use different industry definitions and measurement periods, both illustrate the considerable size of the life sciences workforce and the importance of the sector to regional and national economies.

The industry's employment landscape, however, has become increasingly complex. During 2024 and 2025, numerous biotechnology companies reduced headcounts, consolidated research programs and reassessed development pipelines in response to higher financing costs, investor expectations and commercial uncertainty. These adjustments have continued to influence recruitment decisions in 2026, particularly among early-stage biotechnology companies that depend heavily on external investment.

At the same time, long-term demand for innovative treatments remains substantial. An aging population, the prevalence of chronic diseases, advances in oncology and immunology, and the development of cell and gene therapies are creating significant opportunities for companies capable of bringing effective medicines to market. This combination of scientific innovation and financial discipline is changing the types of professionals employers seek.

For job seekers, the distinction is important. Biotechnology companies are not simply hiring more employees across every department. They are investing strategically in positions that improve commercialization, regulatory compliance, market access, operational performance and revenue generation.

PHARMACEUTICAL SALES: HIGH COMPENSATION AND GROWING SPECIALIZATION

Pharmaceutical sales remains one of the most recognizable business career pathways within the life sciences industry. However, the profession has evolved considerably from its traditional emphasis on physician relationships and product promotion. Today's pharmaceutical sales professionals increasingly require a sophisticated understanding of clinical information, healthcare economics, treatment guidelines and complex purchasing decisions.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, technical and scientific wholesale and manufacturing sales representatives earned a median annual wage of approximately $100,000 in May 2024, substantially exceeding the median earnings of many conventional sales occupations. This broader occupational category includes pharmaceutical products, medical equipment, industrial technology and other specialized goods, rather than pharmaceutical representatives exclusively.

The financial rewards can be particularly attractive in specialized therapeutic areas such as oncology, immunology, rare diseases and advanced medical technologies. Depending on the employer, compensation packages may include base salaries, performance bonuses, commissions and other incentives. Experienced professionals responsible for major healthcare accounts or highly specialized therapies may earn considerably more than national occupational medians.

The industry's commercial model is also becoming more sophisticated. Pharmaceutical companies increasingly depend on account managers, hospital specialists, commercial operations analysts and strategic sales leaders who can navigate complex healthcare organizations. These professionals must understand how physicians, hospitals, insurance companies and other stakeholders influence treatment decisions.

Medical Science Liaisons represent another important area of specialized employment. Unlike traditional pharmaceutical sales representatives, these professionals focus on scientific exchange with healthcare providers, researchers and medical experts. Their responsibilities often require advanced degrees in pharmacy, medicine or the life sciences, making the occupation less accessible to candidates without scientific credentials.

For professionals transitioning from business-to-business sales, enterprise account management or healthcare business development, pharmaceutical sales can offer a compelling career opportunity. Success increasingly depends on the ability to communicate complex information, establish credibility with sophisticated customers and demonstrate how products address meaningful healthcare needs.

MARKETING AND MARKET ACCESS: WHERE BUSINESS STRATEGY MEETS MEDICAL INNOVATION

Marketing has become one of the most strategically important functions within pharmaceutical commercialization. Introducing a new therapy requires considerably more than advertising or brand awareness. Companies must identify patient populations, understand competing treatments, educate healthcare professionals, establish product differentiation and develop strategies that support reimbursement and patient access.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that marketing managers earned a national median annual wage of $161,030 in May 2024. Employment in this occupation is projected to grow faster than the average for all occupations during the 2024–2034 period, reflecting the continuing importance of marketing leadership across the American economy.

Within biotechnology and pharmaceuticals, marketing responsibilities often involve additional layers of complexity. Product managers and commercial marketing executives must coordinate with medical affairs, regulatory teams, legal departments, market research specialists and external healthcare organizations. Unlike many consumer industries, pharmaceutical marketing operates under extensive restrictions governing product claims, advertising and communication with healthcare professionals.

One of the industry's most important business functions is market access, which focuses on ensuring that patients can obtain treatments through insurance coverage and other reimbursement mechanisms. A medication may receive regulatory approval and demonstrate strong clinical results, but commercial success can remain limited if insurers and healthcare systems do not provide adequate coverage.

This challenge has increased the importance of Health Economics and Outcomes Research, commonly known as HEOR. Professionals in this field analyze clinical outcomes, treatment costs, economic value and real-world healthcare data to help demonstrate the benefits of medical innovations.

The stakes are particularly high for advanced therapies that may carry substantial treatment costs. Companies developing treatments for rare diseases, cancer and genetic disorders must present compelling evidence of clinical and economic value to insurers, government programs and healthcare organizations.

Market research analysts also play an important role in pharmaceutical strategy. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment for market research analysts is projected to increase approximately 7% between 2024 and 2034, faster than the national average for all occupations. Within life sciences companies, these professionals evaluate market opportunities, competitive products, patient populations, prescribing patterns and commercial performance.

For professionals with backgrounds in marketing analytics, business intelligence, digital strategy or healthcare economics, these functions offer opportunities to apply transferable skills within a highly specialized industry.

MANAGEMENT AND PRODUCT STRATEGY: TURNING SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERIES INTO BUSINESS RESULTS

As biotechnology becomes increasingly complex, companies need experienced managers who can coordinate scientific development with commercial objectives. The process of bringing a new medicine to market involves clinical research, regulatory approval, manufacturing, financial planning, distribution and commercialization, often across multiple countries and business units.

Product managers, program managers and business operations leaders help align these activities while maintaining accountability for budgets, timelines and organizational performance. Their responsibilities may include overseeing product launches, coordinating cross-functional teams, evaluating market opportunities and managing relationships with external partners.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, project management specialists earned a median annual wage of $100,750 in May 2024. Management occupations overall recorded a median annual wage of approximately $122,090, substantially higher than the median for all occupations.

These national figures cover multiple industries rather than biotechnology exclusively. Nevertheless, they illustrate the earning potential associated with the managerial capabilities that pharmaceutical companies increasingly require.

Corporate restructuring and mergers and acquisitions have also reinforced the importance of strategic management expertise. When pharmaceutical manufacturers acquire biotechnology companies or consolidate operations, they must integrate research programs, commercial teams, technology systems and organizational processes. Successful integration requires leaders who understand financial management, organizational change, operational efficiency and long-term business planning.

Professionals with experience in management consulting, corporate strategy, finance, technology implementation and business transformation may find opportunities within these functions. However, candidates seeking senior pharmaceutical leadership positions should expect employers to place significant value on industry knowledge, regulatory awareness and experience managing complex healthcare products.

REGULATORY AFFAIRS AND CLINICAL OPERATIONS: THE BUSINESS OF COMPLIANCE

Regulatory affairs is among the most essential functions in pharmaceutical and biotechnology operations. Every new medication, medical device or advanced therapy must navigate an extensive approval and compliance process before reaching patients. These requirements create an ongoing need for professionals who can manage documentation, interpret regulations, coordinate submissions and ensure that organizations meet applicable standards.

Regulatory affairs specialists work closely with scientific, legal, quality assurance and commercial teams. Their responsibilities may include preparing submissions to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, coordinating international regulatory requirements, reviewing product labeling and monitoring changes in healthcare regulations.

The growing complexity of cell therapies, gene editing technologies and AI-supported medical products is adding new dimensions to regulatory work. Organizations must address evolving expectations involving product safety, clinical evidence, data integrity and technology oversight.

For professionals with experience in legal operations, corporate compliance, healthcare administration or quality management, regulatory affairs may provide an opportunity to transition into life sciences. Entry-level positions may emphasize documentation and administrative coordination, while more advanced roles typically require specialized regulatory knowledge and substantial industry experience.

Clinical operations offers another important career pathway. Clinical trial administrators, project coordinators, study managers and clinical operations directors oversee the infrastructure required to conduct human research studies. Their responsibilities can include coordinating research sites, managing contracts, monitoring budgets, maintaining documentation and ensuring compliance with clinical research standards.

As clinical trials become increasingly global and technologically sophisticated, effective project management and operational coordination are critical to controlling costs and maintaining development timelines. Professionals with experience in healthcare operations, contract management, project administration and clinical research systems may find these positions particularly relevant.

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IS CHANGING THE SKILLS EMPLOYERS VALUE

Artificial intelligence is becoming an increasingly important consideration in biotechnology and pharmaceutical workforce planning. Companies are exploring AI applications in drug discovery, clinical research, regulatory documentation, commercial forecasting, customer engagement and supply chain management.

For business professionals, the significance extends beyond learning how to use generative AI tools. Employers increasingly need individuals who can evaluate data, improve workflows, implement technology responsibly and understand the limitations of automated systems.

Marketing departments can use advanced analytics to improve customer segmentation and evaluate campaign performance. Commercial operations teams can apply predictive modeling to sales forecasting and territory planning. Regulatory professionals may use AI-assisted systems to organize documentation, while clinical operations departments can analyze trial data to identify potential delays or operational risks.

The broader employment outlook reinforces the importance of specialized technical capabilities. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects employment in professional, scientific and technical services to grow approximately 7.5% between 2024 and 2034, compared with projected overall employment growth of 3.1%. Research and development employment in the physical, engineering and life sciences industry is projected to increase approximately 8.7% during the same period.

These projections are not exclusive to pharmaceutical companies, but they demonstrate the growing importance of specialized technical and analytical services throughout the American economy.

For job seekers, developing practical capabilities in data analytics, AI-assisted business operations, digital project management and healthcare technology can strengthen competitiveness. However, pharmaceutical employers must also prioritize patient privacy, regulatory compliance, information accuracy and appropriate human oversight. Technology literacy is most valuable when combined with sound professional judgment and a clear understanding of business objectives.

BIOTECH AND PHARMA SALARIES: WHERE PROFESSIONALS CAN EARN SIX FIGURES

The financial appeal of biotechnology and pharmaceutical careers is particularly strong for professionals pursuing management, marketing, commercial operations and specialized business positions. Although salaries vary by company, location, experience and therapeutic specialty, national employment data provides a useful benchmark for evaluating opportunities.

According to the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics figures for May 2025, marketing managers earned a median annual salary of $166,790, while sales managers earned $148,270. Project management specialists earned $102,320, market research analysts earned $78,760 and management analysts earned approximately $102,000. These figures represent occupations across the broader American economy, not pharmaceutical-specific compensation, but they illustrate the earning potential associated with skills that life sciences employers frequently seek.

The employment outlook is also favorable across several related professions. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects marketing manager employment to increase approximately 7% between 2025 and 2035, while the combined advertising, promotions and marketing management category is expected to grow 6%. Market research analysts are projected to experience approximately 7% employment growth, demonstrating the continuing importance of data-driven commercial decision-making.

For professionals evaluating opportunities, compensation should be considered alongside career advancement, specialized training and long-term industry stability. An entry-level pharmaceutical sales position may offer a different compensation structure than a regulatory affairs management role, while commercial leadership positions may include performance incentives or equity compensation. Understanding these distinctions is essential when comparing opportunities across organizations.

LATINO PROFESSIONALS HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXPAND THEIR PRESENCE IN LIFE SCIENCES

The biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries also represent an important opportunity for Latino professionals seeking careers in high-paying technical, commercial and management occupations. As Hispanics approach one-fifth of the U.S. population, their influence across the workforce, consumer economy and healthcare marketplace continues to grow.

This demographic transformation has significant implications for pharmaceutical companies. Healthcare organizations must understand increasingly diverse patient populations, address communication barriers and develop strategies that improve access to medical information and treatment. Professionals who combine business expertise with cultural understanding and bilingual communication capabilities can contribute valuable perspectives to these efforts.

Opportunities extend across pharmaceutical marketing, healthcare communications, clinical research recruitment, patient engagement, commercial operations and business development. Companies conducting clinical trials also face the challenge of recruiting participants who reflect the populations affected by the conditions being studied. Professionals experienced in community engagement, healthcare administration and relationship management can contribute to efforts to improve research participation and patient access.

However, the opportunity for Latino professionals should not be limited to positions focused on Hispanic consumers or community outreach. Biotechnology companies need experienced professionals in finance, technology, regulatory affairs, corporate strategy, operations and executive leadership. Expanding Latino participation across these functions can strengthen career mobility while helping organizations build broader talent pipelines.

Professional networking, mentorship and industry exposure can play an important role in creating these opportunities. Organizations such as HispanicPro help connect professionals with business leaders, employers and career development resources, supporting the relationships that can lead to greater awareness of opportunities in specialized industries.

HOW JOB SEEKERS CAN TRANSITION INTO BIOTECH AND PHARMA

Breaking into biotechnology or pharmaceuticals does not necessarily require a degree in biology, chemistry or medicine. While scientific credentials remain essential for laboratory research, clinical science and certain regulatory positions, many business functions depend on capabilities that professionals have developed in other industries.

A marketing executive from the technology sector may possess transferable experience in product positioning, competitive analysis and digital strategy. A financial analyst may contribute expertise in forecasting, budgeting and investment evaluation. Professionals from logistics, manufacturing and supply chain management can bring operational knowledge that is highly relevant to pharmaceutical production and distribution.

The most effective career transition strategy begins with identifying how existing experience addresses a specific business need. Rather than applying broadly to every available pharmaceutical position, candidates should evaluate companies by therapeutic specialty, business model, product portfolio and stage of development. Understanding whether an employer focuses on early-stage research, commercial drug manufacturing, medical devices or specialty therapeutics can help candidates target positions that align with their backgrounds.

Additional training can strengthen competitiveness. Courses and certifications in pharmaceutical commercialization, healthcare economics, regulatory affairs, clinical research administration, project management and data analytics can provide useful industry knowledge. Candidates should also become familiar with FDA regulations, healthcare reimbursement systems and the commercial processes involved in bringing medicines to market.

Networking remains particularly valuable because life sciences organizations often seek candidates with specialized knowledge or relevant industry connections. Attending professional conferences, joining industry associations, connecting with pharmaceutical recruiters and developing relationships with employees already working in the sector can provide insight into hiring priorities and career pathways.

Job seekers should also recognize that entering the industry may require accepting a position that provides exposure to pharmaceutical operations before advancing into a more specialized or senior role. A professional transitioning from another sector may initially pursue commercial operations, business analysis, project coordination or administrative management as a foundation for longer-term advancement.

THE FUTURE OF BIOTECH EMPLOYMENT WILL FAVOR SPECIALIZED BUSINESS TALENT

The biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries are likely to remain important sources of high-paying employment, but their workforce needs are becoming more selective. Scientific innovation alone is insufficient to guarantee commercial success. Companies must also secure financing, navigate regulatory approvals, demonstrate clinical value, negotiate reimbursement, manage complex operations and build sustainable businesses.

The contrast between the industry's economic scale and its uneven hiring conditions illustrates the importance of a strategic approach to career development. CBRE's 2025 research found that life sciences employment declined approximately 0.4% in April 2025 after reaching a record the previous month, representing nearly 9,000 jobs. The report also documented elevated layoffs and continued financing pressures, reinforcing that the industry's growth potential does not eliminate short-term employment risks.

Nevertheless, the broader bioscience sector's multitrillion-dollar economic footprint demonstrates why the industry remains strategically important to the United States. Pharmaceutical companies will continue to need professionals capable of translating scientific innovation into operational efficiency, market access and commercial performance.

For professionals considering their next career move in 2026, the most promising opportunities may not necessarily be the most visible. Specialized positions in market access, regulatory affairs, commercial analytics, product strategy, clinical operations and business transformation can provide pathways into an industry where expertise commands a premium.

The defining advantage will belong to professionals who can combine strong business fundamentals with technological adaptability, healthcare knowledge and the ability to produce measurable results. In an employment market increasingly shaped by specialization rather than broad-based hiring, those capabilities can position candidates for long-term advancement in one of America's most economically significant industries.

SOURCES

- Biotechnology Innovation Organization, & Council of State Bioscience Associations. (2024). The U.S. bioscience economy: Driving economic growth and opportunity in states and regions. Biotechnology Innovation Organization.

- CBRE. (2025). U.S. life sciences talent trends 2025. CBRE Research.

- CBRE. (2025). U.S. life sciences outlook 2025: Five positive forces unfolding in 2025. CBRE Research.

- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2026). Advertising, promotions, and marketing managers. Occupational Outlook Handbook. U.S. Department of Labor.

- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2026). Market research analysts. Occupational Outlook Handbook. U.S. Department of Labor.

- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2026). Management analysts. Occupational Outlook Handbook. U.S. Department of Labor.

- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2026). Occupational employment and wages, May 2025. U.S. Department of Labor.

- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2026). Project management specialists. Occupational Outlook Handbook. U.S. Department of Labor.

- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2026). Sales managers. Occupational Outlook Handbook. U.S. Department of Labor.

- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2026). Wholesale and manufacturing sales representatives. Occupational Outlook Handbook. U.S. Department of Labor.

- U.S. Census Bureau. (2025). National population estimates by characteristics: 2024. U.S. Department of Commerce.

The streets of Chicago are becoming a global stage for athletic achievement, cultural identity and community solidarity as the 48th Bank of America Chicago Marathon takes place today, October 11, 2026. With approximately 55,000 runners expected to participate in the 26.2-mile race, the marathon represents far more than one of the world's premier endurance competitions. It is also a powerful reflection of Chicago's international influence and the growing visibility of Latino athletes, running organizations and community advocates.

For Chicago's Hispanic community, the marathon is an opportunity to celebrate a connection that extends beyond athletic competition. From Mexican runners traveling thousands of miles to compete to neighborhood organizations raising money for essential services, Latino participation demonstrates how sports can strengthen communities, promote economic activity and create meaningful connections across borders.

The significance is especially visible in a city where Hispanics account for approximately 30% of the population. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Chicago is home to more than 800,000 Hispanic residents, making the community an essential part of the city's workforce, cultural identity and economic vitality. The marathon brings that influence into the international spotlight, connecting local neighborhoods with athletes and spectators from around the world.

Latino Runners Strengthen Chicago's International Marathon Presence

The Chicago Marathon has evolved into a destination event for international runners seeking fast finishing times, world-class competition and the experience of racing through one of America's most recognizable cities. Mexico, in particular, has developed a strong connection to the event, with an estimated 3,000 Mexican participants expected in this year's field.

Beyond Mexico, runners from across Central America, South America and the Caribbean contribute to the marathon's international character. Their participation reflects the expansion of recreational and competitive running throughout Latin America, where marathon tourism, organized running clubs and major city races have helped create a more connected endurance sports community.

At the elite level, Latin American athletes are also competing for recognition alongside the world's strongest distance runners. Panamanian marathoner Jorge Castelblanco and Mexican runner Jorge Luis Cruz are among the athletes associated with competitive marathon performances near the two-hour, ten-minute mark, demonstrating the depth of distance-running talent emerging from the region.

For many participants, Chicago represents more than a personal athletic milestone. Completing one of the world's most prestigious marathons can strengthen national pride, inspire younger athletes and encourage greater participation in competitive running. These accomplishments also challenge the tendency to view Latino sports achievement primarily through baseball, soccer and boxing, highlighting the community's presence across a broader range of international sports.

Running 26.2 Miles to Create Lasting Community Impact

One of the most meaningful expressions of Latino participation comes through the marathon's charitable fundraising programs. Chicago-based nonprofit Latinos Progresando is bringing together more than 70 runners through its Run 4 Latinos initiative, combining athletic commitment with fundraising for programs that serve Latino families and neighborhoods.

Founded in 1998, Latinos Progresando has developed into an important community organization providing immigration legal services, supporting family stability and advancing economic opportunities. Its marathon fundraising initiative illustrates how endurance sports can become a platform for civic participation and community investment.

The broader financial impact of charity running is substantial. Bank of America Chicago Marathon organizers reported that participants raised a record $36 million for charitable causes in 2024, supporting hundreds of nonprofit organizations. That fundraising model allows runners to convert months of training and personal achievement into financial resources for education, health services, social programs and neighborhood organizations.

For Latino-serving nonprofits, participation in major athletic events can also introduce their missions to audiences that might otherwise have limited exposure to their work. Every runner becomes an ambassador, engaging donors, colleagues, friends and family members while generating awareness of challenges affecting Chicago communities.

The benefits extend beyond fundraising. By bringing together runners from different professional backgrounds, generations and neighborhoods, these initiatives strengthen relationships and encourage long-term civic engagement. They also demonstrate that athletic participation and community leadership are not separate pursuits, but complementary ways to create positive change.

Pilsen Brings Mexican Culture to the Marathon Course

Few places capture the intersection of Latino culture and Chicago's marathon tradition as vividly as Pilsen. Known for its Mexican heritage, colorful murals, independent businesses and cultural institutions, the neighborhood transforms into an energetic cheering destination as thousands of runners make their way through the city.

Near 18th Street and Racine Avenue, community supporters gather to encourage participants with music, signs and bilingual cheers. The celebration associated with Latinos Progresando's cheering station includes Mexican musical and folkloric traditions, with Banda la Enkantadora and Ballet Folklórico de Chicago identified among this year's featured performers.

The significance of these cultural expressions goes beyond entertainment. Marathon spectators experience the neighborhood's identity firsthand, while runners encounter a reminder of the communities that make Chicago distinctive. For Mexican and other Latin American athletes, hearing Spanish-language encouragement and seeing familiar cultural traditions can provide a powerful sense of connection during an exhausting race.

Pilsen also illustrates how international sporting events can create opportunities for neighborhood visibility. Restaurants, cafes, retailers and other local businesses benefit from exposure to visitors, while community organizations gain a platform to share their work with audiences from across the city and beyond.

These neighborhood experiences are an important part of the marathon's appeal. Although elite competition generates international headlines, the people lining the streets help distinguish Chicago from other major running destinations.

The Chicago Marathon's Growing Economic Influence

The economic significance of the Chicago Marathon has grown alongside its international reputation. According to a March 2026 report released by Bank of America, the 2025 marathon generated nearly $756 million in economic activity, a 7.5% increase over the previous year's $683 million. The event also supported approximately 5,186 full-time-equivalent jobs, underscoring its importance to the city's hospitality, transportation, retail and service industries.

The international nature of the race is particularly important. In 2024, 36.8% of marathon finishers were international participants, with athletes representing 140 countries. The event attracted an estimated 1.7 million spectators and more than 10,000 volunteers, creating significant opportunities for tourism-related spending and local business exposure.

For Chicago's Latino-owned businesses, particularly those operating in hospitality, food services, transportation and retail, the marathon represents an opportunity to participate in a major international economic event. Although comprehensive data isolating the financial impact on Hispanic-owned businesses is not available, the race's reach across diverse neighborhoods provides opportunities to connect with visitors and introduce them to locally owned establishments.

The marathon's charitable influence has also reached new heights. In 2025, runners raised a record $47.1 million through the official charity program, an increase of approximately 31% over 2024. Organizers expect roughly one-third of the 2026 field to participate on behalf of charitable organizations, illustrating how philanthropy has become central to the event's identity.

Latino Running Communities Are Building Connections Beyond Race Day

The growing visibility of Latino runners also reflects a broader shift in how people approach physical activity, social connections and personal development. Running clubs and community fitness organizations increasingly serve as spaces where participants build friendships, establish professional relationships and pursue shared goals.

Groups such as Latinas Run Chicago illustrate the importance of culturally connected fitness communities, particularly for women seeking encouragement, accountability and greater representation in endurance sports. These networks can help make distance running more accessible by connecting experienced marathoners with beginners and creating opportunities for participation beyond traditional competitive environments.

The benefits of these communities extend to public health. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, adults should complete at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity weekly, along with muscle-strengthening activities on two or more days. Yet national surveillance data consistently shows that a substantial share of American adults do not meet recommended physical activity guidelines.

Research published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine found that running participation was associated with a 27% lower risk of all-cause mortality compared with not running. While these findings demonstrate an association rather than prove causation, they reinforce the potential health benefits of incorporating running and other forms of physical activity into everyday life.

For Latino communities, where access to safe recreational spaces, affordable fitness programs and preventive healthcare can vary significantly, community-based running organizations can help reduce barriers to participation. Their value is not limited to producing competitive marathoners. They can also encourage healthier lifestyles, strengthen social networks and inspire younger generations to view physical activity as a lifelong investment.

A Celebration of Latino Achievement and Chicago's Global Identity

As runners make their way toward the finish line in Grant Park today, the Chicago Marathon offers a reminder that athletic achievement can carry significance far beyond individual performance. Every participant represents months of preparation, personal sacrifice and determination, while the neighborhoods lining the course demonstrate the collective spirit that makes the event possible.

For Latino athletes and supporters, the race is also an opportunity to celebrate representation, cultural heritage and community contributions on an international stage. From Mexican runners pursuing personal records to Chicago nonprofits raising money for families in need, their participation reflects the many ways Hispanic communities contribute to the city's social and economic strength.

The marathon's impact ultimately extends beyond the 26.2-mile course. It creates opportunities for businesses, supports nonprofit organizations, encourages healthier communities and brings together people from different backgrounds through a shared experience.

For Chicago's Latino community, that combination of athletic excellence, cultural visibility and collective purpose is an achievement worth celebrating long after the final runner crosses the finish line.

Sources

- Bank of America. (2025, January 28). Record $36 million raised for charity at the 2024 Bank of America Chicago Marathon.

- Bank of America. (2025, June 12). Chicago economy infused with record $683 million impact from 2024 Bank of America Chicago Marathon.

- Bank of America. (2025, December 11). Bank of America Chicago Marathon shatters another record: $47.1 million for charity.

- Bank of America. (2026, March 12). 2025 Bank of America Chicago Marathon pumps record $756 million into Chicago economy.

- Bank of America. (2026, August 11). Largest Bank of America Chicago Marathon field yet fueled by inspiring stories.

- Bank of America Chicago Marathon. (2025). 2024 Bank of America Chicago Marathon economic impact report.

- Bank of America Chicago Marathon. (n.d.). Sustainability and social impact.

- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2023). Adult physical inactivity prevalence maps by race/ethnicity.

- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024). Adult activity: An overview.

- Fleet Feet Chicago. (2026, September 14). More than a marathon: Running for Latinos Progresando.

- Latinos Progresando. (2026). Run 4 Latinos: 2026 Bank of America Chicago Marathon.

- Pedisic, Z., Shrestha, N., Kovalchik, S., Stamatakis, E., Liangruenrom, N., Grgic, J., Titze, S., Biddle, S. J. H., Bauman, A. E., & Oja, P. (2020). Is running associated with a lower risk of all-cause, cardiovascular and cancer mortality, and is the more the better? A systematic review and meta-analysis. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 54(15), 898–905.

- U.S. Census Bureau. (2024). QuickFacts: Chicago city, Illinois.

The final quarter of 2026 presents an opportunity for aspiring entrepreneurs to position themselves for the next wave of business growth. Artificial intelligence is transforming how companies operate, demographic changes are creating demand for specialized services, and businesses are increasingly seeking outside expertise to improve efficiency without expanding their permanent workforce. For entrepreneurs who recognize these shifts, October through December can become more than the closing months of the calendar year. They can provide the foundation for a successful business launch in 2027.

The opportunity is significant, but so is the competition. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Americans submitted approximately 5.2 million business applications in 2024, continuing a period of elevated entrepreneurial activity compared with pre-pandemic levels. Meanwhile, the U.S. Small Business Administration reports that the country has approximately 36.2 million small businesses, accounting for 99.9% of all U.S. businesses. These figures illustrate both the accessibility of entrepreneurship and the importance of identifying markets where customers have urgent, measurable needs.

For aspiring business owners, the strongest opportunities are not necessarily the most fashionable industries. They are businesses that solve expensive problems, serve identifiable customers, generate recurring revenue and can operate efficiently without requiring substantial startup capital.

Three Business Sectors Offering Strong Entrepreneurial Opportunities

1. AI Integration and Business Automation Consulting

Artificial intelligence has moved beyond experimentation and into the operational priorities of American businesses. Yet a significant gap remains between companies adopting AI tools and those successfully integrating them into everyday workflows. That gap creates opportunities for entrepreneurs capable of translating technology into measurable business results.

McKinsey's 2025 global AI survey found that 88% of respondents reported regular AI use in at least one business function, up from 78% in the previous survey. However, the research also identified substantial differences between organizations experimenting with AI and those successfully scaling it across their operations. This suggests that the next entrepreneurial opportunity may be less about selling AI software and more about helping businesses use existing technology effectively.

Potential businesses include AI workflow consulting, customer service automation, document processing, employee training, AI governance and output verification. A consultant specializing in automating administrative processes for healthcare practices, for example, can offer a more compelling value proposition than a generalist advertising AI expertise to every industry. The value comes from reducing repetitive work, improving accuracy and allowing employees to concentrate on higher-value responsibilities.

For entrepreneurs without advanced programming backgrounds, opportunities also exist in implementation, employee training and process improvement. However, businesses serving regulated industries must understand privacy, data security and compliance obligations. Successful AI consulting requires more than familiarity with popular applications. It demands industry knowledge, measurable outcomes and the ability to earn client trust.

2. Specialized Local Services With Digital Convenience

Not every promising business opportunity depends on advanced technology. Some of the most durable entrepreneurial markets involve services that must be delivered in person, particularly when customers value convenience, reliability and specialized expertise.

Demographic changes are creating considerable opportunities. The U.S. Census Bureau projects that by 2030, approximately one in five Americans will be age 65 or older. This shift is increasing demand for services that help older adults maintain independence, manage household transitions and navigate changing living arrangements. Senior relocation coordination, downsizing assistance, home organization and aging-in-place support represent potential business opportunities for entrepreneurs who understand this growing market.

Pet services offer another avenue. The American Pet Products Association reported approximately $152 billion in U.S. pet industry expenditures in 2024, reflecting the substantial consumer market surrounding pet ownership. Mobile grooming, specialized pet transportation and in-home pet care can appeal to customers seeking convenience and personalized attention.

Technology is also creating demand within traditional home services. Smart-home installation, connected appliance maintenance, home technology troubleshooting and specialized repair services can help homeowners manage increasingly sophisticated household systems.

The competitive advantage in these markets often comes from combining personal service with professional digital infrastructure. Online scheduling, transparent pricing, automated reminders, convenient payments and responsive customer communication can differentiate a small operator from established competitors. Entrepreneurs should nevertheless evaluate local demand, licensing requirements, insurance costs and customer acquisition expenses rather than assuming that a growing national market guarantees local profitability.

3. Fractional Professional Services and Specialized B2B Consulting

Companies increasingly need specialized expertise without necessarily requiring a full-time executive or department. This creates opportunities for experienced professionals to establish businesses that provide targeted services on a contract, project or recurring-retainer basis.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects employment growth of 9% for management analysts from 2024 to 2034, faster than the average for all occupations. The agency also projects 6% growth for human resources specialists over the same period. Although employment projections do not directly measure demand for independent consultants, they indicate continuing organizational needs in areas where specialized service providers can compete.

Promising opportunities include fractional human resources management, financial operations consulting, cybersecurity coordination, digital accessibility assessments, business intelligence reporting and compliance support. An experienced HR professional, for example, could serve several growing businesses that need recruiting processes, employee onboarding systems and workforce policies but cannot justify hiring a senior HR executive.

Digital accessibility represents another specialized market. The U.S. Department of Justice's 2024 rule addressing accessibility of state and local government websites and mobile applications established technical requirements based on WCAG 2.1 Level AA, with compliance deadlines that vary by entity. This creates potential demand for qualified accessibility specialists, although entrepreneurs must distinguish these specific government obligations from the different legal requirements applicable to private businesses.

For fractional service providers, recurring contracts can improve revenue predictability, while industry specialization can support stronger pricing. The challenge is demonstrating that an external professional can deliver measurable value without adding unnecessary complexity to the client's operations.

Why Hispanic Entrepreneurs Are Positioned for Growth

The expansion of Hispanic-owned businesses represents another important dimension of America's entrepreneurial economy. According to the Stanford Latino Entrepreneurship Initiative, Latino-owned businesses have demonstrated substantial growth in recent years, reflecting the community's expanding influence across industries and regional markets. Hispanic entrepreneurs are increasingly participating in professional services, technology, construction, healthcare, transportation and other sectors that support the broader economy.

For Hispanic professionals considering entrepreneurship, industry experience, cultural understanding and established professional networks can provide meaningful competitive advantages. Bilingual business consulting, technology implementation for Hispanic-owned enterprises, specialized financial services and professional support for growing companies are examples of opportunities that combine market knowledge with emerging demand.

The opportunity also extends beyond serving Hispanic consumers or businesses exclusively. Entrepreneurs who leverage their relationships, professional expertise and understanding of diverse markets can develop companies serving corporations, government agencies and consumers across the American economy. The strongest business models will be those that convert these advantages into consistent service quality, customer retention and sustainable revenue.

The Fourth-Quarter Strategy: Building a Business Before 2027

Identifying an attractive industry is only the beginning. Execution determines whether a promising concept becomes a viable business. With approximately three months between the beginning of October and the new year, aspiring entrepreneurs can use the final quarter to establish their operations, validate demand and prepare for an organized launch.

October: Establish the Business Foundation

The first priority is defining the customer, the problem and the financial opportunity. Entrepreneurs should identify a specific market segment, research competitors and determine what customers currently spend to solve the problem their business will address. Rather than investing immediately in elaborate branding, the initial focus should be on confirming that a recognizable need exists and that prospective customers are willing to pay for a better solution.

Business formation should proceed alongside market research. Depending on the venture, this may include establishing an LLC or corporation, obtaining an Employer Identification Number from the IRS, securing necessary licenses, purchasing insurance and opening a dedicated business bank account. Entrepreneurs should also establish a professional digital presence that clearly communicates their services, target customers and contact information. Customer discovery conversations should begin immediately, even if the formal launch is scheduled for January.

November: Validate Demand and Generate Early Revenue

November should focus on moving beyond assumptions and securing evidence of customer demand. Entrepreneurs can offer limited pilot programs, introductory service packages or paid consultations to an initial group of three to five customers. These engagements provide opportunities to test pricing, understand service delivery costs and identify operational weaknesses before committing additional resources.

The objective is not simply collecting positive feedback. It is determining whether customers will actually purchase the service, whether delivery costs allow for acceptable profit margins and whether clients would recommend the business to others. Early testimonials, documented results and repeat purchases can provide more meaningful validation than social media engagement or website traffic alone.

For service businesses, a small number of satisfied customers can also become the foundation of a referral network. Establishing relationships with complementary businesses, industry associations and professional organizations can help entrepreneurs build credibility before investing heavily in paid advertising.

December: Prepare for Scale and a January Launch

By December, the emphasis should shift toward operational readiness and financial discipline. Entrepreneurs should establish reliable systems for scheduling, customer relationship management, invoicing, payments and follow-up communications. Automation can reduce administrative work, but technology investments should be proportional to the company's actual needs and anticipated revenue.

Financial planning is especially important. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' Business Employment Dynamics data have historically shown that roughly one in five new employer establishments do not survive their first year, although survival rates vary by industry and economic conditions. This underscores the importance of cash reserves, realistic sales projections and careful expense management.

Entrepreneurs should calculate their monthly operating costs, anticipated customer acquisition expenses, expected profit margins and minimum revenue needed to sustain operations. December is also an opportunity to establish marketing campaigns, reconnect with prospective clients and schedule conversations for January. For businesses selling to corporations, however, procurement timelines and budget cycles vary, making it important to begin relationship development well before the new year.

The Competitive Advantage of Starting Before Everyone Else

Waiting until January to begin building a business means competing for attention at the same moment many other aspiring entrepreneurs are pursuing their annual goals. Using the final quarter to prepare creates an opportunity to enter 2027 with an established brand, tested services, operational systems and potentially an initial customer base.

The broader economic environment supports entrepreneurship, but success will depend on disciplined execution rather than enthusiasm alone. The U.S. Small Business Administration reports that small businesses employ approximately 62.3 million Americans, representing 45.9% of private-sector employment, and account for approximately 43.5% of U.S. gross domestic product. These figures demonstrate the importance of small enterprises to job creation, innovation and national economic growth.

For professionals considering a transition from employment to entrepreneurship, the remaining months of 2026 offer an opportunity to test a business concept while maintaining existing income and financial stability. The objective should not necessarily be to resign from a job or make an immediate major investment, but to develop sufficient evidence that the venture can attract customers and operate profitably.

The businesses most likely to succeed in 2027 will not simply be those entering fast-growing industries. They will be the ones solving specific problems, establishing customer trust and building operations that can generate sustainable revenue. Entrepreneurs who use the final quarter of 2026 to make measurable progress can begin the new year with something far more valuable than a business resolution: a business already taking shape.

Sources

- American Pet Products Association. (2025). 2025 state of the industry report. American Pet Products Association.

- McKinsey & Company. (2025). The state of AI in 2025: Agents, innovation, and transformation. McKinsey Global Institute and QuantumBlack.

- Orozco, M., Chávez Zárate, R., Alcocer, J. J., & Foster, G. (2026). 2025 state of Latino entrepreneurship. Stanford Graduate School of Business, Stanford Latino Entrepreneurship Initiative.

- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2025). Business employment dynamics: Entrepreneurship and the U.S. economy. U.S. Department of Labor.

- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2025). Human resources specialists: Occupational outlook handbook. U.S. Department of Labor.

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- U.S. Census Bureau. (2020). Demographic turning points for the United States: Population projections for 2020 to 2060. U.S. Department of Commerce.

- U.S. Census Bureau. (2026). Business formation statistics. U.S. Department of Commerce.

- U.S. Department of Justice. (2024, updated 2026). Fact sheet: New rule on the accessibility of web content and mobile apps provided by state and local governments. Civil Rights Division.

- U.S. Small Business Administration, Office of Advocacy. (2026). Frequently asked questions about small business 2026. U.S. Small Business Administration.

Earning a promotion is a significant career achievement, but advancing professionally requires more than accepting a new title, higher salary and expanded responsibilities. One of the most overlooked challenges is learning to relinquish control over the work, systems and relationships that helped make that promotion possible. For ambitious professionals, the inability to let go of a previous role can undermine leadership effectiveness, create workplace friction and ultimately limit future career growth.

After years of developing procedures, improving operations and building successful programs, professionals naturally become invested in their accomplishments. Watching a successor assume responsibility for that work, particularly when they begin changing established processes, can create frustration and even resentment. What should represent an exciting career transition can instead become a source of unnecessary stress.

The challenge is especially pronounced among high-performing employees who have built their reputations on being dependable problem solvers. The qualities that earned them a promotion, including attention to detail, accountability and a strong sense of ownership, can become liabilities when applied to responsibilities they no longer control.

Why Letting Go of Your Previous Role Is So Difficult

Behavioral economics offers an explanation for this attachment. Researchers Michael Norton, Daniel Mochon and Dan Ariely identified the "IKEA effect," a psychological phenomenon in which individuals place disproportionately high value on things they helped create. Their 2012 research, published in the Journal of Consumer Psychology, demonstrated how personal effort can increase the perceived value of an outcome.

In the workplace, this phenomenon helps explain why employees become protective of systems, processes and initiatives they spent years developing. A reporting system or operational strategy may represent far more than a business function. It can become a symbol of professional achievement and personal identity.

Organizational psychologist Blake Ashforth has also examined how professional transitions require individuals to redefine their identities. Moving into a new position involves more than changing responsibilities; it often means surrendering the familiarity, recognition and influence associated with a previous role.

The difficulty arises when professional pride prevents someone from accepting that a successor may approach the same responsibilities differently. While institutional knowledge remains valuable, an employee's previous accomplishments should not become obstacles to future leadership growth.

The Career Cost of Remaining Attached to Your Old Job

Failing to transition effectively can have consequences beyond personal frustration. Professionals who continue monitoring their previous responsibilities often divide their attention between competing priorities, limiting their ability to establish credibility and deliver results in their new positions.

According to Gallup's State of the Global Workplace: 2025 Report, global employee engagement declined from 23% in 2023 to 21% in 2024, while manager engagement fell from 30% to 27%. Gallup estimated that declining engagement cost the global economy approximately $438 billion in lost productivity during 2024.

Although these figures do not specifically measure the consequences of unsuccessful promotions, they illustrate the broader importance of effective management, clearly defined responsibilities and productive workplace relationships.

The problem becomes particularly serious when a promoted employee repeatedly questions a successor's decisions, continues attending operational meetings or offers unsolicited corrections. Even when motivated by good intentions, these actions can create confusion over authority and accountability.

More importantly, they can send an unintended message to senior leadership: the employee may be struggling to shift from operational execution to higher-level strategic thinking.

Michael Watkins, author of The First 90 Days, emphasizes that leadership transitions require establishing credibility, building relationships and achieving early results. Professionals who spend valuable time revisiting former responsibilities risk neglecting the very priorities that will determine their success in a new position.

Why Great Leaders Must Learn to Relinquish Control

One of the most difficult realities of career advancement is accepting that a successor is not obligated to preserve every process established by a predecessor. New employees bring different experiences, perspectives and priorities. They may introduce new technologies, reorganize responsibilities or eliminate procedures that once seemed essential.

Some changes will improve performance, while others may produce disappointing results. However, unless serious financial, compliance, safety or organizational risks are involved, the successor and their management team should retain responsibility for operational decisions.

Harvard Business School professor Linda Hill, whose research examines the transition into management, has demonstrated that becoming a leader requires moving beyond individual expertise and learning to achieve results through others.

This distinction is critical. A successful individual contributor often measures achievement by personally solving problems. An effective leader increasingly measures success by developing people, setting direction and creating conditions in which others can perform independently.

Research by psychologists Edward Deci and Richard Ryan also identifies autonomy as a fundamental component of human motivation. When employees have meaningful opportunities to exercise judgment and take ownership of their responsibilities, they are better positioned to develop confidence and competence.

Constant intervention from a predecessor can undermine that independence while damaging professional relationships.

Five Ways to Successfully Move On After a Promotion

1. Establish clear boundaries with management. A transition period may require answering questions, transferring institutional knowledge and participating in occasional meetings. However, these arrangements should have a defined purpose and endpoint. Newly promoted professionals should clarify that routine decisions now belong to their successors and that their primary responsibility is delivering results in their new positions.

2. Separate professional identity from previous accomplishments. The systems and processes an employee developed may represent years of hard work, but they do not define that individual's future value. Organizations evolve, technologies change and successful procedures eventually require modification. Professional growth depends on adaptability rather than preserving every previous achievement.

3. Prioritize the first 90 days in the new position. A promotion creates an important opportunity to establish credibility and demonstrate leadership potential. Rather than monitoring a former department, professionals should concentrate on understanding new expectations, building relationships, identifying strategic priorities and delivering measurable results. Time invested in defending previous work is time unavailable for achieving new objectives.

4. Allow successors to make their own decisions. A successor may change a familiar workflow or introduce a different management approach. Unless the decision presents a significant business risk, the appropriate response is generally to allow that individual to exercise authority and accept accountability. Offering guidance when requested is constructive; repeatedly intervening without invitation can become counterproductive.

5. Protect professional relationships and reputation. Disagreements with a successor can quickly escalate into broader workplace tensions. Colleagues may become uncomfortable, managers may be forced to mediate unnecessary conflicts and the promoted employee may develop a reputation for being territorial. Senior leaders are expected to navigate change, manage competing interests and maintain productive relationships. Demonstrating restraint can be as important as demonstrating expertise.

The Connection Between Unresolved Transitions and Burnout

Remaining emotionally invested in a former position can also contribute to workplace stress. Employees who continue feeling responsible for previous operations while managing the demands of a new role may experience frustration, excessive workloads and uncertainty about their responsibilities.

The World Health Organization identifies burnout as an occupational phenomenon associated with chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed. Its characteristics include exhaustion, increased mental distance from work and reduced professional effectiveness.

Gallup research has similarly identified unmanageable workloads, unclear communication and insufficient managerial support as important contributors to employee burnout.

For newly promoted professionals, the implications are significant. Continuing to shoulder responsibilities from a former position can increase pressure at precisely the moment when employees are adapting to greater expectations.

Organizations must also take responsibility for managing these transitions. Clear handover procedures, documented responsibilities and defined reporting structures help ensure that promotions represent genuine advancement rather than simply adding new duties to an existing workload.

The Ultimate Test of Career Growth Is Knowing When to Step Away

Career advancement is frequently measured through compensation, job titles and increasing authority. Yet genuine professional growth also requires the ability to surrender responsibilities that once defined an individual's success.

The employee who previously earned recognition for solving operational problems may now be expected to develop strategy, strengthen partnerships, mentor colleagues or identify new business opportunities. Those responsibilities demand different priorities and a willingness to accept that others may approach familiar challenges differently.

For ambitious professionals, this transition can be uncomfortable. The instinct to intervene may remain strong, particularly when observing decisions they would have handled differently. However, leadership maturity involves recognizing the distinction between providing valuable guidance and unnecessarily exercising control.

A successful professional legacy should not depend on whether every spreadsheet, procedure or initiative remains unchanged. It should be measured by the value created, the capabilities developed and the organization's ability to continue succeeding after responsibilities have been transferred.

Ultimately, the ability to let go is not a sign of diminished commitment. It is evidence of professional maturity. The people who advance most effectively are those who understand that moving up the career ladder sometimes requires stepping away from the work that helped them climb it.

Sources

• Ashforth, B. E. (2001). Role transitions in organizational life: An identity-based perspective. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

• Beck, R., & Harter, J. (2015, April 21). Managers account for 70% of variance in employee engagement. Gallup.

• Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (2000). The "what" and "why" of goal pursuits: Human needs and the self-determination of behavior. Psychological Inquiry, 11(4), 227–268.

• Gallup. (2025). State of the global workplace: 2025 report. Gallup.

• Hill, L. A. (2003). Becoming a manager: How new managers master the challenges of leadership (2nd ed.). Harvard Business School Press.

• Hill, L. A. (2007). Becoming the boss. Harvard Business Review, 85(1), 48–56.

• Maslach, C., & Leiter, M. P. (2016). Understanding the burnout experience: Recent research and its implications for psychiatry. World Psychiatry, 15(2), 103–111.

• Norton, M. I., Mochon, D., & Ariely, D. (2012). The IKEA effect: When labor leads to love. Journal of Consumer Psychology, 22(3), 453–460.

• Watkins, M. D. (2012). How managers become leaders. Harvard Business Review, 90(6), 64–72.

• Watkins, M. D. (2013). The first 90 days: Proven strategies for getting up to speed faster and smarter (Updated and expanded ed.). Harvard Business Review Press.

• World Health Organization. (2019). Burn-out an "occupational phenomenon": International Classification of Diseases. World Health Organization.

A strong résumé may get you noticed, and a successful interview may move you closer to a job offer. But when an employer begins contacting professional references, the people speaking on your behalf can influence whether you become the company's next hire. What they say about your performance, leadership, character and ability to work with others can reinforce everything you have communicated throughout the hiring process or introduce doubts at the worst possible moment.

Professional references remain an important part of hiring, even as artificial intelligence, automated screening and digital recruiting platforms transform how employers evaluate candidates. While technology helps organizations identify qualified applicants, references offer something résumés and algorithms cannot fully provide: firsthand perspectives from people who have worked alongside a candidate and observed how that individual performs in real-world situations.

For job seekers, particularly professionals pursuing management positions, executive opportunities or career transitions, building a reliable group of references should be an ongoing career development priority rather than a last-minute activity. Knowing whom to approach, when to make the request and how to prepare someone to advocate for you can make the difference between a routine employment verification and a compelling professional endorsement.

Why Professional References Still Matter in Today's Job Market

The modern hiring process involves considerably more scrutiny than simply reviewing a candidate's qualifications. Employers want evidence that applicants can deliver results, collaborate effectively, navigate challenges and contribute positively to an organization's workplace culture. Professional references provide an additional perspective that helps employers evaluate these qualities before making a hiring decision.

According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers' Job Outlook 2025 research, 88.3% of surveyed employers looked for problem-solving skills on candidates' résumés, 81% sought teamwork abilities, 77.1% valued written communication and 73.7% looked for initiative. Strong work ethic and technical skills each registered at 73.2%, while 69.3% identified verbal communication as important. Although these statistics measure employer preferences in college recruiting rather than the frequency of reference checks, they demonstrate the professional qualities that references can help validate.

The same research found that 52.5% of employers sought leadership skills and 63.1% valued interpersonal abilities. For candidates competing for positions requiring collaboration, client relationships or team management, a reference who can describe these strengths through specific workplace examples can be particularly valuable.

References also help employers distinguish between candidates who appear similarly qualified on paper. Two applicants may possess comparable educational backgrounds, technical expertise and professional accomplishments, but a former supervisor who can describe how one candidate successfully led a difficult project, improved operations or developed colleagues can provide meaningful differentiation.

The value of a reference, however, depends heavily on its substance. A professional contact who offers enthusiastic but vague praise may be less persuasive than a former colleague who can provide specific examples of your accomplishments and professional growth. The objective is not to assemble the most impressive names but to identify people who can speak confidently and credibly about your ability to succeed.

Who Should You Ask to Be a Professional Reference?

Choosing the right references requires evaluating both professional credibility and personal familiarity. The strongest candidates are individuals who understand your work, respect your contributions and are willing to provide an honest, favorable assessment of your abilities.

Former supervisors and managers are often the most effective choices because they can discuss performance expectations, responsibilities, professional development and measurable accomplishments. A manager who supervised you for several years may be able to explain how you handled increasing responsibilities, contributed to organizational objectives and responded to challenges. For senior-level positions, former executives or department leaders who worked closely with you can also provide valuable perspectives on leadership potential and strategic thinking.

Former colleagues and cross-functional partners can be equally important, particularly when applying for positions requiring collaboration. A colleague who partnered with you on a major initiative may offer detailed examples of your communication style, reliability and ability to work across departments. In some situations, these individuals may have observed your day-to-day contributions more closely than senior executives.

Clients, customers and business partners are another valuable source of professional references, especially for individuals working in sales, consulting, business development, entrepreneurship or client-facing positions. Someone who can describe your ability to build relationships, solve problems and deliver results provides an external perspective that may strengthen your candidacy.

For recent college graduates or professionals entering a new industry, professors, internship supervisors, mentors and volunteer organization leaders can serve as credible references when they have firsthand knowledge of relevant skills. A nonprofit board member who has observed your leadership on a community initiative may provide a stronger endorsement than a former manager who supervised you in an unrelated position many years earlier.

Ideally, job seekers should maintain a network of approximately four to six potential references, even though an employer may request only two or three. This allows candidates to select the individuals whose experiences best align with a particular opportunity. A candidate pursuing a financial management position, for example, might prioritize someone familiar with budgeting, financial analysis and organizational decision-making, while a marketing executive might choose references who can speak about campaign performance, brand strategy and business growth.

When Is the Right Time to Ask for a Reference?

One of the most common mistakes job seekers make is waiting until a recruiter requests references before contacting potential supporters. This approach creates unnecessary pressure, limits preparation time and increases the possibility that someone may be unavailable or uncomfortable participating.

The best time to establish your reference network is before actively pursuing a new position. Maintaining professional relationships with former supervisors, colleagues and mentors allows you to approach them naturally when an opportunity emerges. An occasional conversation, professional update or congratulatory message can preserve relationships long after employees have moved to different organizations.

The importance of maintaining these connections becomes clearer when examining workforce mobility. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, median employee tenure was 3.9 years in January 2024, compared with 4.1 years in January 2022. Workers ages 25 to 34 had a median tenure of 2.7 years, while employees ages 55 to 64 recorded 9.6 years. These figures illustrate how frequently working relationships can change, particularly during the early and middle stages of a career.

For candidates already interviewing, the ideal time to contact potential references is when a job opportunity becomes serious, preferably before the employer formally requests their information. After an initial interview or when advancing to subsequent rounds, candidates should begin confirming who is willing and available to speak on their behalf. Employers should generally receive reference contact information only after those individuals have agreed.

There is also an important distinction between preparing references and authorizing an employer to contact your current supervisor. If you are conducting a confidential job search, it is reasonable to explain that your present employer is unaware of your search and request that recruiters not contact current management without your explicit permission. Former supervisors, colleagues or clients can often provide sufficient professional validation until an offer is being finalized.

How to Ask Someone to Serve as Your Reference

Requesting a professional reference should be a thoughtful conversation rather than a casual message asking someone to provide their phone number. The goal is to determine whether the individual is comfortable endorsing your qualifications and has enough firsthand knowledge to offer meaningful feedback.

A strong request begins by reconnecting with the individual and briefly explaining the opportunity you are pursuing. Remind the person of your working relationship, particularly if several years have passed, and explain why you believe their perspective would be valuable. Most importantly, ask whether they would feel comfortable providing a strong, positive professional reference rather than simply asking whether you can list their name.

This distinction matters because agreeing to be contacted does not necessarily mean someone intends to provide an enthusiastic endorsement. Giving the individual an opportunity to decline gracefully helps protect both the relationship and your candidacy.

For example, a candidate might write: "I hope you've been doing well. I'm currently exploring a new opportunity that aligns closely with the work we did together, particularly our experience managing projects and developing business relationships. I really valued working with you and wanted to ask whether you would feel comfortable serving as a strong professional reference. I'd be happy to share more about the position and what I've been working on since we last connected."

The message is professional, specific and respectful of the other person's time. It also opens the door to a conversation rather than creating an obligation. If someone hesitates, provides a vague response or appears uncomfortable, it may be better to approach another contact.

Whenever possible, a brief phone conversation can be especially useful for reconnecting with former managers or mentors. It allows candidates to explain their career goals, discuss the opportunity and gauge whether the individual can provide a confident recommendation.

Prepare Your References Before the Employer Calls

Securing someone's agreement is only the first step. Candidates who want references to make a meaningful impact should provide enough information to help those individuals understand the position and identify relevant experiences to discuss.

Share an updated résumé, the job description, the company's name and a brief explanation of why the position interests you. Highlight two or three accomplishments from your time working together that relate directly to the employer's requirements. This is particularly helpful when several years have passed since the professional relationship ended.

If you are pursuing a leadership role, for example, remind your reference of projects you managed, employees you mentored, organizational improvements you introduced or measurable results you achieved. If the position emphasizes client development, identify examples involving relationship management, revenue generation or customer satisfaction.

The importance of this preparation is supported by research on employer expectations. In a National Association of Colleges and Employers analysis of career-readiness competencies, 96.1% of surveyed employers rated communication and critical thinking as very or extremely important, while 93.9% gave the same rating to teamwork. Yet only 53.5% rated recent graduates as highly proficient in communication, and 55.9% did so for critical thinking.

This gap between employer expectations and perceived candidate proficiency illustrates why specific examples matter. A reference who can explain how a candidate resolved a complex problem, communicated effectively with stakeholders or helped a team achieve its objectives offers more useful evidence than someone who simply describes the candidate as hardworking.

Preparation, however, should never become coaching someone to exaggerate or misrepresent your accomplishments. The objective is to refresh their memory and provide context, not dictate what they should say. Authenticity is essential because experienced recruiters may recognize inconsistencies between a candidate's account and a reference's observations.

What to Do When You Have Lost Touch With a Former Manager

Professional relationships naturally evolve as people change employers, relocate or pursue different career paths. Losing regular contact with a former supervisor does not necessarily mean that person is no longer a viable reference, but it does require a more thoughtful approach.

Begin by reconnecting without immediately requesting a favor. A brief message acknowledging your previous working relationship and expressing interest in how the individual is doing can reopen communication. If the conversation progresses positively, explain your current career direction and ask whether they would be comfortable serving as a reference.

LinkedIn can be particularly useful for locating former colleagues and supervisors, but the platform should be viewed as a starting point rather than a substitute for meaningful interaction. A connection request alone does not establish the familiarity or trust necessary for a strong professional recommendation.

Candidates should also recognize that a former manager's ability to provide a detailed reference may diminish over time. Someone who supervised you 10 years ago might remember your professionalism and general performance but may struggle to recall specific accomplishments. In those situations, providing a concise summary of shared projects can help refresh their memory.

The broader lesson is that professional networking should not begin when unemployment or career uncertainty creates an immediate need. Relationships developed and maintained during periods of professional stability are often the most valuable when a career transition becomes necessary.

Why Your Most Senior Contact May Not Be Your Best Reference

There is a tendency among ambitious professionals to believe that references carrying prestigious titles will impress employers. A recommendation from a chief executive, vice president or well-known industry leader may appear advantageous, but professional status alone does not guarantee credibility.

Hiring managers are generally more interested in the substance of a reference's observations than the person's title. A senior executive who has interacted with you only occasionally may offer limited information, while a direct supervisor or colleague who worked closely with you can provide detailed assessments of your judgment, performance and interpersonal skills.

The most effective references can explain not only what you accomplished but how you accomplished it. They can describe how you managed competing priorities, navigated disagreements, supported colleagues and demonstrated initiative during challenging situations.

This is especially relevant in a labor market where employers increasingly emphasize demonstrated competencies. NACE's Job Outlook 2025 research found that nearly two-thirds of responding employers reported using skills-based hiring practices. That shift underscores the value of references who can validate practical abilities rather than relying exclusively on academic credentials, job titles or years of experience.

For candidates, the implication is straightforward: prioritize people who know your work over people whose names merely look impressive.

The Mistakes That Can Cost You a Job Offer

Even highly qualified professionals can undermine their candidacy by mishandling the reference process. Among the most damaging mistakes are listing someone without permission, providing outdated contact information, choosing an individual who cannot discuss relevant accomplishments and failing to notify references when an employer may reach out.

The consequences can be significant. In a CareerBuilder survey conducted by Harris Interactive in 2012, 69% of employers reported having changed their opinion of a candidate after speaking with a reference. Additionally, 62% said they had encountered references who did not provide positive feedback, while 29% reported discovering fabricated references. The survey included 2,494 hiring managers and human resources professionals and 3,976 workers. Although these findings are historical and should not be interpreted as current hiring rates, they demonstrate how reference conversations can influence employment decisions.

The same survey found that 15% of workers had listed references without first obtaining permission. That seemingly minor oversight can create an awkward situation when a recruiter contacts someone who is unprepared, unavailable or unaware that their name has been submitted.

Another mistake is assuming that every former manager will provide a detailed endorsement. Some organizations restrict employees from sharing anything beyond employment dates, job titles and eligibility for rehire. The Society for Human Resource Management has documented how these policies can limit the usefulness of traditional reference checks. Candidates should understand these restrictions and, when appropriate, identify additional colleagues or professional contacts who can provide more substantive feedback.

Job seekers should also avoid providing references too early without understanding how their information will be used. When a recruiter requests references during an initial application, it is reasonable to ask about the company's reference-checking process and when contacts are likely to be approached. This is particularly important for professionals who are currently employed and need to protect the confidentiality of their search.

What If You Left Your Previous Job on Difficult Terms?

Not every professional departure is positive. Layoffs, management disagreements, organizational restructuring and performance disputes can complicate the process of identifying references. However, leaving an organization under difficult circumstances does not automatically eliminate the possibility of obtaining credible professional endorsements.

Candidates should begin by distinguishing between their relationship with a particular supervisor and their overall performance within the organization. A strained relationship with one manager does not necessarily mean former colleagues, clients or department leaders share the same assessment.

If a previous manager is unlikely to provide a favorable reference, consider someone else who directly observed your contributions. A former project leader, senior colleague or cross-functional partner may be able to offer an accurate assessment of your skills without becoming involved in past workplace disagreements.

Transparency is also important. If a prospective employer specifically requests a reference from a former supervisor with whom you experienced conflict, explain the circumstances professionally and without assigning unnecessary blame. Focus on your accomplishments, what you learned and the alternative references available to verify your work.

Candidates who were laid off should remember that workforce reductions are not necessarily reflections of individual performance. A former manager who valued your contributions may be particularly willing to serve as a reference after an organizational restructuring. Maintaining positive relationships during and after a departure can preserve valuable professional goodwill.

How Professional Networking Strengthens Your Future References

The most effective reference strategy begins long before a job application. Professionals who consistently maintain relationships with former colleagues, supervisors, mentors and industry contacts are better positioned to obtain meaningful endorsements when opportunities arise.

This is where networking becomes more than exchanging business cards or accumulating LinkedIn connections. Strong professional relationships develop through continued communication, shared experiences, mutual assistance and demonstrated reliability. Someone who has followed your career progression, witnessed your professional development or collaborated with you across multiple organizations may become an especially valuable advocate.

For Hispanic professionals and other individuals navigating career advancement, this also presents an opportunity to reconsider cultural expectations surrounding self-promotion. In some professional and family environments, humility, loyalty and collective achievement are strongly valued. These qualities can strengthen workplace relationships, but professionals who consistently minimize their individual contributions may unintentionally make it harder for others to describe their accomplishments.

The solution is not to abandon humility but to become more intentional about communicating professional achievements. Sharing successful project outcomes, leadership milestones and measurable business results with trusted colleagues and mentors helps ensure that people understand the value you bring to an organization.

Professional networking organizations, industry associations, alumni communities and mentorship programs can also expand access to individuals who may eventually become collaborators, sponsors or references. However, participating in the same networking event or belonging to the same professional association does not automatically qualify someone to provide a credible employment reference. The relationship must develop into one where the individual has meaningful knowledge of your work.

The distinction is particularly important for professionals seeking advancement into leadership. A mentor may offer career guidance, a sponsor may advocate for your promotion or recommend you for opportunities, and a reference may validate your performance to a prospective employer. These roles can overlap, but they are not interchangeable. Building relationships across all three categories creates a more comprehensive professional support system.

After the Reference Check: Why Following Up Matters

Once someone has agreed to serve as a reference, the professional courtesy should continue throughout the hiring process. Let the individual know when a recruiter may contact them, confirm that their information remains accurate and provide updates when appropriate.

If you receive a job offer, share the news and express appreciation for their support. A thoughtful thank-you message or personal phone call reinforces the relationship and acknowledges that the individual invested time and professional credibility in helping you pursue an opportunity.

If you do not receive the position, the same principle applies. References should not be treated as disposable resources whose usefulness ends with an unsuccessful application. Maintaining contact, sharing career updates and offering assistance when possible keeps the relationship reciprocal.

Professionals should also be willing to serve as references for others when they can do so honestly and meaningfully. Supporting a former colleague's career advancement contributes to a professional environment where relationships are built around mutual respect and long-term opportunity.

The Long-Term Career Advantage of Having People Who Will Advocate for You

As hiring becomes increasingly competitive and technology changes how candidates are evaluated, professional credibility remains a valuable career asset. Résumés can summarize experience, interviews can demonstrate communication skills and online profiles can showcase accomplishments, but trusted professional references provide independent perspectives that help employers make informed decisions.

The strongest candidates recognize that references are not simply names to submit at the conclusion of an interview. They are relationships developed through consistent performance, professional integrity, collaboration and years of mutual respect.

For job seekers, the immediate priority should be identifying three to five individuals who can confidently discuss their qualifications, reconnecting with those contacts and ensuring they are prepared to speak about relevant accomplishments. For professionals who are not actively searching, the priority should be maintaining those relationships before circumstances create an urgent need.

Ultimately, career advancement depends on more than what you know, where you have worked or how effectively you present yourself during an interview. It also depends on the professional reputation you build and whether the people who have experienced your work are willing to stand behind it.

A strong reference does more than confirm your employment history. It gives a prospective employer another reason to believe that hiring you is the right decision.

Sources

• CareerBuilder. (2012, November 29). Nearly three-in-ten employers have caught a fake reference on a job application [Press release]. PR Newswire.

• Falcone, P. (2023, March 31). How to get great results when checking candidate references. Society for Human Resource Management.

• Gray, K. (2024, December 9). What are employers looking for when reviewing college students' resumes? National Association of Colleges and Employers.

• Gray, K. (2025). The gap in perceptions of new grads' competency proficiency and resources to shrink it. National Association of Colleges and Employers.

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• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2024, September 26). Employee tenure in 2024. U.S. Department of Labor.

As Latinas expand their influence across the American workforce, education, entrepreneurship and consumer economy, October 8 serves as a reminder that their growing economic contributions have yet to translate into equal compensation. Closing that gap is not simply a matter of fairness. It is an economic imperative for American businesses and the nation's future prosperity.

Today, October 8, 2026, marks Latina Equal Pay Day, a national observance that draws attention to one of the most persistent economic inequalities in the United States. At a time when Latinas are earning college degrees, launching businesses, entering professional occupations and contributing to America's economic growth, their compensation continues to fall significantly behind that of white, non-Hispanic men.

According to the Equal Pay Today coalition, Latinas working full time, year-round earn approximately 60 cents for every dollar paid to white, non-Hispanic men, based on 2024 earnings data. When part-time and part-year workers are included, that figure falls to approximately 53 cents. The disparity is particularly troubling because Latinas represent an increasingly important workforce demographic, yet their economic advancement has not been accompanied by comparable progress in earnings.

The significance of Latina Equal Pay Day extends beyond recognizing a statistical inequality. It raises fundamental questions about how American employers value talent, distribute opportunity and reward professional achievement. It also challenges business leaders, policymakers, educational institutions and allies to examine whether the systems responsible for determining compensation and career advancement are keeping pace with the changing American workforce.

The Latina Wage Gap: Decades of Progress, but Not Enough

Research released by the UCLA Latino Policy and Politics Institute for Latina Equal Pay Day reveals just how slowly wage equality has progressed. Using median hourly earnings, researchers found that Latinas earned approximately 64 cents for every dollar earned by white men in 2025, compared with 57 cents in 1990. That represents an improvement of only seven cents over 35 years, despite significant gains in education, employment and professional representation.

The UCLA study also found that Latinas earned a median hourly wage of approximately $20 in 2025, tying Native American women for the lowest median hourly earnings among the major racial and ethnic groups of women examined. These hourly wage figures differ from the annual earnings comparisons used by Equal Pay Today because they measure compensation differently. Nevertheless, both approaches point to the same conclusion: Latina economic advancement continues to outpace progress toward pay equity.

The financial consequences accumulate throughout a woman's working life. According to a 2026 analysis by the National Women's Law Center, a Latina entering the workforce today could lose approximately $1.34 million over a 40-year career if current full-time, year-round wage disparities persist. The projected lifetime loss exceeds $1 million in 40 states and surpasses $2 million in states including California and New Jersey.

That lost income represents far more than compensation never received. It translates into reduced retirement contributions, fewer opportunities to purchase homes, diminished investment portfolios, less capital to launch businesses and fewer financial resources available to support children and aging parents. For families building intergenerational wealth, the effects of unequal pay can continue long after an individual worker retires.

Latinas Are Becoming an Indispensable Force in the American Economy

The wage gap becomes even more striking when measured against the economic influence of Latinas. The United States Hispanic population exceeds 68 million people, representing approximately one-fifth of the nation's population. Within this expanding demographic, Latinas are contributing to economic growth as employees, business owners, consumers, investors and decision-makers.

Research from California Lutheran University's Center for Economic Research and Forecasting and the UCLA Latino Policy and Politics Institute estimated that U.S. Latinas generated approximately $1.3 trillion in economic output in 2021, up from $661 billion in 2010. That represents nearly a doubling of economic output in just over a decade. The report also found that Latina economic output grew at an average annual real rate of approximately 3.1% during that period, compared with 1.5% for the overall U.S. economy.

These figures illustrate a fundamental change in the American economic landscape. Latinas are no longer simply an emerging consumer demographic for companies seeking to expand their market share. They are an established economic force influencing business growth, employment, household purchasing decisions and the long-term competitiveness of American industries.

Their contributions extend across healthcare, education, financial services, technology, retail, hospitality, professional services and entrepreneurship. As the Hispanic population expands, businesses that successfully recruit, retain and advance Latina talent stand to benefit from a workforce that increasingly reflects the customers and communities they serve.

However, the persistent wage gap creates an economic contradiction. The same demographic helping generate significant growth in the American economy continues to face structural disadvantages in capturing the financial rewards of that growth.

The Latina Workforce: Growing Influence, Unequal Rewards

Latinas are helping reshape the composition of the American labor force. According to the UCLA Latino Policy and Politics Institute's 2026 research, Latinas now account for approximately one in five working-age women in the United States, more than double their share in 1990. Their growing presence makes Latina workforce participation increasingly important to employers navigating demographic change, labor shortages and the demand for specialized skills.

Latinas are also moving into professional and higher-skilled occupations at greater rates than in previous generations. They are building careers in management, business operations, healthcare, education, finance and technology, creating a more diversified professional workforce. Yet occupational advancement has not eliminated the compensation disparity.

UCLA researchers found that Latina managers and administrators earned approximately 72 cents for every dollar earned by white men in comparable occupational categories in 2025. This finding challenges the assumption that moving into professional or managerial positions automatically resolves unequal compensation. While advancement can improve individual earnings, it does not necessarily guarantee equitable pay within an occupation.

Another important factor is the concentration of Latinas in lower-paying industries and occupations. Many Latinas work in essential sectors such as healthcare support, hospitality, childcare, retail and personal services, where wages have historically been lower despite the importance of the work. Limited access to employer-sponsored benefits, predictable schedules and advancement opportunities can further constrain long-term earnings.

For corporations, this presents a critical workforce development challenge. Recruiting Latina employees without establishing meaningful pathways into management, executive leadership and higher-paying technical positions risks perpetuating the same disparities employers claim to be addressing. True advancement requires more than representation in entry-level positions. It requires equitable access to promotions, leadership development, compensation growth and positions where important business decisions are made.

Education Is Opening Doors, but Degrees Have Not Closed the Gap

One of the most encouraging developments in the Latina community is the expansion of educational attainment. Over recent decades, Latinas have made substantial gains in high school completion, college enrollment and degree attainment, strengthening their participation in the professional workforce and creating new opportunities for economic mobility.

Pew Research Center's analysis of U.S. Hispanic educational trends has documented a substantial rise in college attainment among Hispanic women. Among Hispanic women ages 25 to 34, the share holding at least a bachelor's degree increased from approximately 16% in 2010 to 27% in 2021. Hispanic women have also consistently outpaced Hispanic men in bachelor's degree attainment, positioning them as an important source of future professional and managerial talent.

However, higher educational attainment has not eliminated the wage gap. UCLA's 2026 research found that college-educated Latinas earned approximately 67 cents for every dollar earned by similarly educated white men in 2025. By comparison, Latinas without a high school diploma earned approximately 94 cents for every dollar earned by white men with comparable educational attainment.

Although college-educated Latinas earned substantially higher wages than Latinas without high school diplomas, the larger relative disparity among college graduates reveals a troubling pattern. Education improves earning potential, but it does not independently eliminate differences in compensation, occupational access or advancement opportunities.

The implications for universities, employers and professional organizations are significant. Encouraging more Latinas to pursue higher education remains essential, particularly in fields such as engineering, artificial intelligence, finance, healthcare and technology. However, educational access must be accompanied by stronger employer relationships, paid internships, professional sponsorship, leadership pipelines and transparent hiring practices that translate academic achievement into competitive compensation.

A college degree should be an investment that expands opportunity, not a credential that still leaves qualified professionals systematically undercompensated.

Latina Entrepreneurship: Building Businesses and Creating Wealth

Entrepreneurship represents another increasingly important dimension of Latina economic influence. Across the United States, Latina entrepreneurs are establishing businesses, creating employment opportunities, introducing innovative products and services, and strengthening local economies.

The broader Latino business community has experienced substantial growth. According to the Stanford Latino Entrepreneurship Initiative's State of Latino Entrepreneurship research, the United States has approximately five million Latino-owned businesses, generating more than $800 billion in annual revenue. Latino-owned businesses have expanded across industries ranging from construction and hospitality to professional services, technology, healthcare and financial services.

Within this entrepreneurial ecosystem, Latinas are pursuing business ownership as a pathway toward financial independence, greater professional control and long-term wealth creation. For some, entrepreneurship provides opportunities that traditional corporate environments have failed to deliver, particularly when advancement or compensation has not reflected their qualifications and experience.

Yet business ownership introduces its own economic challenges. Access to affordable capital, commercial credit, investment networks, procurement contracts and experienced business advisers remains critical to helping Latina-owned businesses grow beyond their initial stages. Starting a business can create economic opportunity, but scaling that business into a sustainable enterprise capable of generating significant profits and employment requires resources that are not distributed equally.

Corporations and financial institutions can play a consequential role by expanding supplier opportunities, improving access to financing and connecting Latina entrepreneurs with established business networks. Supporting Latina entrepreneurship should move beyond celebrating the number of businesses launched to helping those businesses increase revenue, improve profitability, acquire assets and build lasting enterprise value.

What Can Be Done Immediately to Reduce the Latina Pay Gap?

Although closing a decades-old wage disparity requires sustained institutional change, meaningful progress can begin with actions taken by employers, professionals and policymakers today.

Employers should begin with compensation transparency and internal pay audits. Organizations can examine salaries across comparable positions, identify unexplained compensation differences and correct disparities that cannot be justified by legitimate job-related factors. Clear salary ranges, standardized promotion criteria and consistent performance evaluations can reduce the subjectivity that often contributes to unequal compensation. Rather than waiting for annual diversity reports or employee complaints, companies should treat compensation equity as an ongoing financial and talent management responsibility.

Latina professionals should have greater access to compensation information, negotiation resources and career sponsorship. Understanding prevailing salaries, documenting measurable business contributions and preparing for compensation discussions can help employees advocate more effectively for themselves. However, the responsibility for correcting systemic pay disparities cannot rest exclusively on individual women negotiating harder. Employers must ensure that compensation systems reward performance consistently, regardless of an employee's background or negotiating style.

Professional networking also plays an important role in creating immediate opportunities. Connections with hiring managers, executives, mentors, entrepreneurs and industry leaders can provide access to positions and compensation information that may not be readily available through traditional job searches. Professional organizations can help facilitate these relationships through networking events, leadership forums, mentorship programs and career development initiatives.

Financial education must also become a more accessible professional development resource. Understanding retirement accounts, investing, credit, homeownership, business financing and long-term financial planning can help Latinas make more informed decisions with the income they earn. While financial literacy cannot compensate for unequal wages, it can strengthen financial resilience and help individuals identify opportunities to build wealth.

Employers, universities and community organizations should also expand access to paid internships, professional certifications, technical training and career-transition programs. These initiatives can provide immediate opportunities for Latinas seeking to enter higher-paying occupations or advance into leadership positions.

Long-Term Solutions Require Structural Change

Sustainable progress will depend on addressing the policies and workplace practices that contribute to unequal compensation throughout a woman's career.

One priority is expanding access to affordable childcare and paid family leave. Caregiving responsibilities can influence workforce participation, career continuity and promotion opportunities, particularly when employees lack access to reliable childcare or flexible work arrangements. Policies that support working parents can reduce career interruptions and help more women remain on professional advancement tracks.

A second priority is improving representation in senior management, corporate leadership and executive decision-making. Employers should establish measurable advancement goals, identify high-potential Latina professionals and provide access to influential sponsors who can advocate for promotions and leadership opportunities. Career sponsorship is especially important because professional advancement often depends on who is willing to recommend an employee for assignments, promotions and positions with greater responsibility.

Research also suggests that collective bargaining can contribute to narrower wage disparities. UCLA's 2026 findings show that union-represented Latinas earned approximately 77 cents for every dollar earned by white men, compared with 65 cents among nonunion Latinas. At the same time, the share of Latinas covered by union contracts declined from approximately 14% in 1990 to 10% in 2025. Although these comparisons do not establish that union membership alone causes the difference, they reinforce the importance of examining how compensation structures and collective bargaining influence earnings.

Long-term progress will also require sustained investment in education, particularly in high-growth occupations. Expanding Latina participation in engineering, technology, financial services, advanced manufacturing and other high-paying industries can strengthen lifetime earning potential. However, these efforts must be paired with equitable hiring, promotion and compensation practices to prevent wage disparities from simply following Latinas into new industries.

Finally, policymakers and business leaders should strengthen the collection and analysis of compensation data. Reliable information allows organizations to distinguish between wage differences associated with occupational concentration, work hours, career interruptions and unexplained disparities within comparable positions. Effective solutions require understanding the causes rather than relying on generalized commitments to equality.

How Allies Can Help Accelerate Progress

Closing the Latina wage gap is not exclusively a Latina responsibility. Male colleagues, executives, employers, community leaders and professionals from every background have an important role in creating workplaces where compensation and advancement reflect qualifications, performance and contributions.

One of the most meaningful actions an ally can take is to advocate for qualified Latina professionals when they are not present in the room. Recommending a colleague for a promotion, introducing an entrepreneur to a potential client or advocating for an employee's inclusion in a major project can create opportunities with lasting financial consequences.

Allies in management positions have an especially important responsibility. They can review compensation decisions, challenge inconsistent promotion standards and ensure that Latina employees have access to the same career-building assignments as their peers. Executives can also use their influence to establish accountability for equitable pay and advancement throughout their organizations.

Business owners and corporate procurement leaders can support Latina entrepreneurship by intentionally expanding access to business opportunities. Introducing a Latina-owned company to a procurement team, providing mentorship or opening a professional network to new entrepreneurs can help translate relationships into revenue and growth.

Allyship also means recognizing that professional visibility and self-advocacy are not always rewarded equally. Employees who emphasize collaboration and collective success may not always receive appropriate recognition for their individual contributions. Managers can help by documenting accomplishments accurately, recognizing leadership potential and ensuring that employees receive credit for their work.

Ultimately, meaningful allyship should be measured by outcomes. More equitable compensation, stronger leadership representation, greater access to business opportunities and measurable career advancement are far more consequential than public statements of support alone.

Beyond Latina Equal Pay Day: Turning Awareness Into Economic Opportunity

The significance of October 8 should not be confined to a single day of recognition. Latina Equal Pay Day offers an opportunity to evaluate the progress that has been made, acknowledge the economic contributions of Latinas and establish concrete commitments to closing the disparities that remain.

The economic case for action is increasingly compelling. As Latinas expand their participation in the workforce, earn advanced degrees, build companies and influence household purchasing decisions, their financial well-being becomes more closely connected to the prosperity of the broader American economy. Higher earnings can strengthen household financial security, increase retirement savings, support entrepreneurship and generate additional economic activity in communities across the country.

The challenge is ensuring that growing economic influence translates into growing economic opportunity. Employers must recognize that attracting Latina talent is only the beginning. Retaining that talent, compensating it fairly and providing meaningful pathways to leadership are equally important to building competitive organizations.

For Latinas, the path forward includes continued investment in education, professional relationships, financial knowledge, entrepreneurship and leadership development. For allies, it means using influence and resources to create opportunities and remove barriers. For corporations and policymakers, it requires measurable changes in the systems that determine who advances, who receives investment and who shares in economic growth.

Latina Equal Pay Day 2026 arrives at a moment when the contributions of Latinas to the United States are increasingly difficult to overlook. Their influence is evident in classrooms, corporate offices, small businesses, financial institutions and communities throughout the country.

The question is no longer whether Latinas contribute significantly to America's economic success. The evidence makes that clear. The question is whether American institutions are prepared to ensure that the compensation, opportunities and financial rewards available to Latinas finally reflect the value they bring to the economy.

Closing the Latina wage gap is not simply about correcting an inequality. It is about unlocking economic potential that benefits workers, families, businesses and the nation as a whole.

Sources

- California Lutheran University, Center for Economic Research and Forecasting, & UCLA Latino Policy and Politics Institute. (2024). Dando vida a la economía: The U.S. Latina GDP report.

- Equal Pay Today. (2026). 2026 equal pay day calendar.

- National Women's Law Center. (2025). NWLC resources on poverty, income, and health insurance in 2024.

- National Women's Law Center. (2026). The lifetime wage gap by state for Latinas.

- National Women's Law Center. (2026). The lifetime wage gap, state by state.

- Pew Research Center. (2023). The economic state of Latinos in America: The American dream deferred.

- Stanford Graduate School of Business, Latino Entrepreneurship Initiative. (2024). 2023 state of Latino entrepreneurship.

- UCLA Latino Policy and Politics Institute. (2026, October 8). UCLA study finds national Latina wage gap has narrowed just seven cents since 1990.

- UCLA Latino Policy and Politics Institute. (2026). The Latina wage gap since 1990: Trends by education, union coverage, and occupation in the United States.

Tomorrow, October 8, marks Latina Equal Pay Day, an important reminder of one of the most persistent economic disparities in the American workforce. Latinas working full time, year-round earn roughly 58 cents for every dollar paid to white, non-Hispanic men, according to the National Women’s Law Center. Over a 40-year career, that gap could cost a Latina approximately $1.3 million in lost earnings.

The impact extends far beyond a paycheck. Lower lifetime earnings can mean less money available to invest, purchase a home, build a business, save for retirement and create generational wealth. U.S. Department of Labor research found that Hispanic women age 50 and older hold roughly 18 cents in median wealth for every dollar held by white, non-Hispanic men. Hispanic women also contributed an average of just $2,167 annually toward retirement, compared with $6,103 for men overall.

Latinas have made significant progress. Pew Research Center found that the median hourly wage of Hispanic women ages 25 to 64 increased 22% between 2003 and 2023 after adjusting for inflation, while the share with a bachelor’s degree increased from 16% in 2013 to 23% in 2023. Yet Hispanic women still earned a median $19.23 per hour in 2023 compared with approximately $31 for white men.

Career Advancement Is Part of the Equation

Equal pay is also about access to opportunity. The U.S. Department of Labor estimated that occupational segregation cost Hispanic women approximately $53.3 billion in wages in 2023. Moving into higher-paying positions and industries, pursuing leadership opportunities and strengthening negotiating power can therefore have an enormous impact on lifetime earnings and wealth.

Many Latinas are actively looking for that mobility. Pew found that only 30% of employed Latinas described their current job as a career, while 49% said it was a job to get them by and 14% considered it a steppingstone toward a career. Strong professional networks, mentors and access to practical career information can help turn that ambition into opportunity.

Turning Awareness Into Action Tonight

That is why tonight’s 5th Annual Uplift Latina Forum at woman-owned Level Sporting Club in Chicago is especially timely. Taking place on the eve of Latina Equal Pay Day, the event brings together Latina professionals, entrepreneurs, business leaders and allies for networking and conversations about leadership, career advancement, financial literacy and building long-term prosperity.

Attendees will have an opportunity to hear practical advice and perspectives on increasing earning potential, positioning themselves for advancement and turning income into long-term financial security through investing, homeownership, retirement planning and other wealth-building strategies.

Closing the pay gap requires employers and institutions to address disparities in compensation and advancement, but awareness should also empower women with information, relationships and strategies they can use today. A new professional connection, a better approach to negotiating compensation or a stronger understanding of investing can influence financial outcomes for years.

Latina Equal Pay Day reminds us how much work remains. Tonight is an opportunity to turn that awareness into connections, ideas and action.

Build your network. Strengthen your future. Be part of the conversation.

The 5th Annual Uplift Latina Forum takes place tonight, October 7, from 5:00 to 7:30 p.m. at woman-owned Level Sporting Club in Chicago.

Sources

• National Women’s Law Center. (2026). A Window into the Wage Gap: Wage Gap Data Widens for Second Consecutive Year. National Women’s Law Center.

• National Women’s Law Center. (2026). The Lifetime Wage Gap by State for Latinas. National Women’s Law Center.

• Pew Research Center. (2024). How Latinas’ Educational and Economic Situation Has Changed in the Last Two Decades. Pew Research Center.

• U.S. Department of Labor, Women’s Bureau. (2025). Women and Wealth. U.S. Department of Labor.

• U.S. Department of Labor. (2025). How to Improve Women’s Retirement Security. U.S. Department of Labor.

• U.S. Department of Labor, Women’s Bureau. (2024). Bearing the Cost: How Overrepresentation in Lower-Paying Jobs Disadvantages Women of Color. U.S. Department of Labor.

Tomorrow, Latina professionals, entrepreneurs, business leaders and allies will come together in Chicago for the 5th Annual Uplift Latina Forum, an evening built around connection, opportunity and conversations that can move careers, businesses and financial futures forward.

Held on the eve of Latina Equal Pay Day, Uplift Latina brings together accomplished women from across business, finance, entrepreneurship, media and corporate leadership to share their experiences, perspectives and practical insights. This year’s featured guests represent women who are building businesses, leading teams, helping others create wealth, opening doors to opportunity and using their influence to strengthen the communities around them.

From conversations about leadership visibility and career advancement to financial literacy, homeownership, entrepreneurship and long-term prosperity, these are the women who will help lead the conversation at the 2026 Uplift Latina Forum.

MODERATORS

Lisa Chavarria - News Reporter, NBC Chicago

Lisa Chavarria is an award-winning television journalist and reporter at NBC Chicago, where she covers breaking news and feature stories across the Chicago metropolitan area. Known for her engaging storytelling and strong on-air presence, she reports live from the field and develops sources to deliver timely, impactful coverage for viewers throughout the region.

Lisa has built a distinguished career in broadcast journalism spanning multiple major media markets. Prior to joining NBC Chicago in 2017, she served as a reporter and anchor at WFLD‑TV. Earlier in her career, she worked as a reporter at KHOU‑TV and as a reporter and anchor at WTVF NewsChannel 5 and WPBN‑WTOM TV, gaining experience reporting on a wide range of local and national stories.

Conversationally bilingual in Spanish, Lisa is passionate about telling stories that inform and connect diverse communities. She earned her bachelor’s degree in broadcast journalism from Columbia College Chicago.

Hannah Fernandez, Founder, Money Moves Playbook

Hannah Fernandez is a business funding strategist, financial coach, and small business advocate dedicated to helping entrepreneurs access capital and grow sustainable businesses. She serves as the Illinois District Director for SCORE Mentors, where she leads initiatives that provide mentorship, education, and resources to entrepreneurs across the state.

Hannah is also the Founder and Managing Partner of ROI Business Funding, a firm that helps business owners secure customized funding solutions ranging from $50,000 to $5 million. Her work focuses on bridging the “missing middle” financing gap for businesses that may not qualify for traditional bank loans but require growth capital.

In addition, she serves as a Financial Coach with Metropolitan Family Services, providing one-on-one coaching and financial education to help individuals and families achieve economic stability and long-term financial wellness.

A frequent speaker, writer, and panelist, Hannah is passionate about expanding access to capital and empowering women, minorities, and underserved entrepreneurs. She studied at the University of Chicago and is widely recognized for her leadership in advancing small business growth and economic opportunity.

Discussion Panelists

Pattie Amaro, Director - Talent Acquisition, Blue Cross Blue Shield Association

Pattie Amaro is Director of Talent Acquisition at Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, where she leads talent strategies and initiatives designed to meet the organization’s evolving workforce needs. A strategic talent leader with a strong technical foundation, she brings extensive experience across recruiting, workforce strategy, employee engagement and organizational development.

A first-generation Latina, Pattie is passionate about mentorship, career advancement and creating pathways for emerging leaders. She currently serves as a mentor with HACE’s University Leadership Program and Chicago Innovation’s The Ladder, helping professionals build confidence, expand their networks and reach the next level of their careers. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and is pursuing a master’s degree in Organizational Leadership from DePaul University.

Clarissa Flores, Founder & CEO, Level Sporting Club

Clarissa Flores is a hospitality and entertainment executive with nearly two decades of experience leading high-volume, multi-unit operations across some of the industry's most recognized brands. She serves as Director of Operations for Tao Group Hospitality, overseeing business strategy, revenue growth, and guest experience across multiple venues. Clarissa is also the Founder and CEO of Level Sporting Club, a groundbreaking concept dedicated to elevating women's sports through community, culture, and premium hospitality experiences. A former Northwestern University basketball standout and Puerto Rican National Team athlete, she is known for her leadership, entrepreneurial vision, and ability to create impactful brands that drive both cultural relevance and business success.

Alexandra Nelson, Vice President of Mortgage Lending, Rate

Alexandra Nelson is Vice President of Mortgage Lending at Rate and a seasoned mortgage professional with more than 30 years of experience helping individuals and families navigate the path to homeownership. Originally from the Dominican Republic, she began her career in financial services in 1994 and has developed deep expertise in first-time homebuyer programs, FHA loans, down payment assistance and emerging markets.

Fluent in English and Spanish, Alexandra is passionate about making homeownership and the lending process more accessible and understandable for diverse communities. Her work is rooted in financial education, building trust and helping clients make informed decisions that can contribute to long-term financial stability and wealth building.

Lynette Correa-Velez, Founder & CEO, Pagame AI

Lynette Correa-Velez, M.Ed., is the Founder and CEO of Pagame AI, an AI-powered worker pay intelligence platform designed to help professionals better understand their market value and advocate for equitable compensation. An award-winning career coach and workforce development leader, Lynette brings more than 20 years of experience in career development, leadership, education and human capital empowerment and has helped more than 30,000 individuals advance professionally.

A bilingual and bicultural Latina entrepreneur, Lynette is a 2026 BMO Economic Mobility Fellow and has participated in entrepreneurship and technology programs through organizations including 1871, Chicago Innovation and the Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Center. She holds a Master of Education from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and is passionate about using technology, career education and entrepreneurship to expand economic opportunity and help women recognize and advocate for their value.

Lilia Arroyo Flores, Founder & CEO, Digame LLC

Lilia Arroyo Flores is the Founder and CEO of Dígame, LLC, a brand and audience strategy consultancy helping organizations build authentic connections with the communities they serve. With more than 25 years of experience in brand strategy, consumer insights, marketing and communications, she has held senior leadership roles at Havas, Edelman and Leo Burnett and has advised Fortune 500 companies, nonprofits and emerging businesses.

Lilia is also an Adjunct Professor of Brand Strategy and Consumer Behavior at Columbia College Chicago and co-host of The Chingona Chair Podcast. A passionate advocate for Latina leadership and entrepreneurship, she uses cultural intelligence, audience insights and lived experience to help organizations recognize new opportunities for growth while encouraging the next generation of leaders to own their value, amplify their voices and create opportunities for others.

Julisa Sanchez, Business Banking Center Manager, PNC Bank

Julisa Sanchez is an experienced banking and financial services leader with more than 20 years of experience spanning business banking, consumer lending, mortgage lending, sales leadership and community engagement. Throughout her career, she has led high-performing teams, developed new business and built relationships that connect individuals, entrepreneurs and communities with financial resources and opportunities.

A passionate advocate for financial literacy, Julisa brings a strong commitment to helping people better understand their financial options and make informed decisions. Her leadership experience includes senior roles in banking and mortgage lending, where she has focused on business development, team mentorship, community partnerships and expanding access to financial education.

Carolina Guerrero, Financial Advisor, J.P. Morgan Wealth Management

Carolina Guerrero is a Private Client Advisor with J.P. Morgan Wealth Management, where she helps individuals and families develop personalized strategies to pursue their financial goals, manage investments, prepare for major life changes and plan for retirement. She brings several years of experience across banking, investments and client relationship management.

Passionate about financial literacy, Carolina believes greater financial knowledge can help individuals and families make more confident decisions and build stronger financial futures. Throughout her career, she has focused on building trusted relationships, understanding each client’s unique needs and connecting them with resources and strategies to support their long-term goals. Carolina holds a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from Purdue University.

The strength of Uplift Latina has always been about bringing accomplished leaders together with professionals, entrepreneurs and allies who are ready to connect, exchange ideas and invest in what comes next.

Join us tomorrow, Wednesday, October 7, from 5:00 to 7:30 p.m. at woman-owned Level Sporting Club in Chicago for meaningful networking, cocktails and two timely conversations on Latina leadership and building long-term financial prosperity.

Come meet the women featured above, expand your network and be part of an evening dedicated to turning connections, knowledge and influence into greater opportunity. All allies are welcome. 

Be in the room. Build your network. Invest in what comes next.

Professional networking has never been easier to measure and harder to evaluate. LinkedIn gives professionals a visible number of connections, followers and interactions, creating the impression that a large digital network automatically translates into professional influence. Yet a person can accumulate hundreds or thousands of connections and discover, at precisely the moment they need an introduction, referral, client lead or career opportunity, that surprisingly few of those people represent active relationships.

That distinction matters in a labor market where relationships continue to influence how opportunities move. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that median employee tenure reached 4.1 years in January 2026. For workers ages 25 to 34, median tenure was just three years. Careers are increasingly made up of transitions between employers, roles and industries, meaning professionals are likely to need their networks repeatedly rather than once or twice during a career.

The problem is that many people treat networking as an emergency response rather than an ongoing professional practice. They become highly active when they lose a job, want a promotion, launch a business or need an introduction. Suddenly, former colleagues receive messages, LinkedIn activity accelerates and invitations for coffee appear. By then, however, the professional is attempting to withdraw relationship capital that he or she may not have been depositing for years.

A strong network requires two activities happening simultaneously: maintaining relationships with people you already know and continually creating relationships with people you do not.

A Connection Is Not Necessarily a Relationship

LinkedIn has dramatically expanded the number of professionals anyone can theoretically reach. The platform itself reported in 2025 that job seekers with more than 50 connections could be up to 4.8 times more likely to receive recruiter InMail than those with smaller networks. That demonstrates the value of reach, but reach and relationship strength are different things.

Consider your own LinkedIn account. You may have hundreds of first-degree connections, but how many have you actually spoken with during the past year? How many know what you currently do? How many understand the kind of opportunity you are pursuing? More importantly, how many would feel comfortable introducing you to someone in their organization?

Those questions reveal the difference between a contact database and a professional network.

Research on hiring reinforces that distinction. LinkedIn has found that personal networks play a meaningful role in hiring, particularly at larger employers. Its analysis of more than 347 million member profiles found that about 16% of new hires were already connected to someone at their new company. Among organizations hiring more than 100 people in a month, that figure rose to approximately 30%.

There is another important qualification: simply being digitally connected does not necessarily carry the same value as actually knowing someone. Research highlighted by LinkedIn found that online-only referral relationships were not necessarily more likely to produce a good hire than having no referral at all. The lesson is important in an era obsessed with connection counts. The number beside your LinkedIn profile can indicate the size of your potential network. It does not tell you how much trust exists inside it.

Your Weak Ties May Be More Powerful Than You Think

Professionals often assume their closest relationships will be their greatest sources of opportunity. Sometimes they are. But decades of social-network research suggest that acquaintances, former coworkers and other so-called weak ties can be remarkably important because they connect people to information circulating outside their immediate circles.

A landmark 2022 study published in Science put that theory to an extraordinary real-world test. Researchers analyzed randomized experiments involving more than 20 million LinkedIn users over five years. During that period, approximately 2 billion new social connections and 600,000 new jobs were created.

The researchers found causal evidence that weak ties increased job mobility. The effect was not unlimited: moderately weak relationships were particularly valuable, and the optimal strength varied by industry. But the broader conclusion has enormous implications for career development. People who sit slightly outside your everyday professional circle can expose you to information, companies and opportunities that your closest contacts may never encounter.

That is one reason networking only with the same colleagues, friends and industry peers eventually produces diminishing returns. If everyone you know knows everyone else you know, information tends to circulate inside the same ecosystem.

A productive professional network needs some degree of continuous expansion.

That does not mean collecting business cards indiscriminately or sending hundreds of random LinkedIn invitations. It means intentionally placing yourself in environments where you encounter professionals outside your immediate workplace and established circle. Industry conferences, professional associations, alumni groups, business organizations, volunteer leadership opportunities, community events and in-person networking gatherings all create opportunities for the kinds of weak ties that research suggests can eventually become professionally valuable.

Do Not Ignore the People You Used to Know

There is another category of relationships professionals routinely underestimate: people they already know but have stopped talking to.

Former colleagues change companies. Clients move into leadership positions. Classmates build businesses. Vendors become executives. Junior employees become decision-makers. Someone you worked beside eight years ago may now sit inside an organization you would like to join.

Research published in Organization Science examined what researchers call “dormant ties,” relationships that were once active but faded over time. Researchers asked executives to reconnect with former contacts for advice about significant work projects. The information received from those dormant relationships compared favorably with advice from their current networks.

The explanation makes intuitive sense. Former contacts can provide something unusually valuable: familiarity combined with new information. They already know something about you, which reduces the trust-building required in a brand-new relationship, but years spent apart mean they have accumulated different experiences, contacts and knowledge.

That makes reconnecting one of the most overlooked networking strategies available.

Instead of asking, “Who should I meet?” professionals should periodically ask a second question: “Who do I already know that I have lost touch with?”

The answer may be sitting inside an old phone, email account, alumni directory or LinkedIn connection list.

Networking Should Not Begin With Asking

The strongest professional relationships are rarely built around a sequence of favors. They develop through repeated interactions that create familiarity and credibility.

That means networking can be remarkably simple when there is no immediate agenda. Congratulate a former colleague on a promotion. Send someone an article relevant to their industry. Introduce two contacts who could benefit from knowing one another. Attend a professional event without arriving determined to collect 20 business cards. Invite a former coworker to coffee simply because you have not spoken in two years.

These interactions appear small precisely because they are not transactional. That is what makes them powerful.

When professionals wait until they need something to reconnect, the conversation immediately carries an obligation. A message saying, “I saw that your company is hiring. Could you refer me?” feels very different when the sender has maintained some contact over the previous three years.

Networking works best when generosity and curiosity precede necessity.

That principle applies equally to entrepreneurs. A business owner who only networks when searching for customers is limiting the potential value of every relationship. The person you meet today may never become a client, but could eventually become a referral source, investor, supplier, strategic partner, employee or connector to someone else. Professional relationships often create value in ways that cannot be predicted at the first meeting.

The Same Familiar Circle Can Become a Career Trap

Maintaining existing relationships is only half of the equation. Professionals also need to resist the comfort of networking exclusively with people who look familiar professionally.

This is particularly important as careers become less linear. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that 2026 median tenure among private-sector workers was 3.9 years. Among workers ages 20 to 24, median tenure was only 1.5 years. The modern professional should therefore assume that employers, industries, technologies and job functions will change repeatedly throughout a working life.

A network built exclusively around one employer can become considerably less useful after leaving that company. A network concentrated within one industry becomes vulnerable when that industry contracts. A network made primarily of people at your same organizational level may offer camaraderie but limited access to different perspectives or decision-makers.

Network diversity is therefore a form of career resilience.

The objective is not to abandon close professional relationships in pursuit of strangers. It is to build outward while maintaining inward. Strong ties provide trust, context and support. Weak ties provide reach and new information. Dormant ties can combine familiarity with fresh perspectives. A resilient network contains all three.

Stop Counting Connections and Start Counting Conversations

Perhaps the most useful networking metric is not how many people follow you or how many connections appear on your profile. It is how many meaningful professional conversations you are having.

LinkedIn reported in 2025 that seven people were being hired through its platform every minute. Yet even on the world's largest professional networking platform, technology ultimately facilitates something fundamentally human: one person becoming aware of another person's experience, ambitions or abilities.

A practical networking strategy therefore does not require spending every evening at receptions or constantly asking strangers for coffee. It requires consistency. A professional might reconnect with a few existing contacts each month, attend one or two events where genuinely new people are present, make useful introductions when opportunities arise and periodically follow up with people met during the year.

Small actions compound.

The worst time to discover that your network has gone dormant is the week you lose your job. The worst time to introduce yourself to an industry is when you urgently need that industry to hire you. And the worst time to begin developing business relationships is when your pipeline has already disappeared.

A network is professional infrastructure. Like any infrastructure, its value is difficult to appreciate when everything is working and painfully obvious when it is not.

Your LinkedIn account may tell you that you have 2,000 connections. Your career will eventually reveal how many of them are relationships.

Sources

• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2026). Employee tenure in 2026. U.S. Department of Labor.

• Rajkumar, K., Saint-Jacques, G., Bojinov, I., Brynjolfsson, E., & Aral, S. (2022). A causal test of the strength of weak ties. Science, 377(6612), 1304–1310.

• Levin, D. Z., Walter, J., & Murnighan, J. K. (2011). Dormant ties: The value of reconnecting. Organization Science, 22(4), 923–939.

• LinkedIn. (2025). The guide to networking on LinkedIn for job seekers. LinkedIn.

• Rigano, P. (2015). LinkedIn data: Your employees’ personal networks matter. LinkedIn Talent Solutions.

• Morison, K. (2022). How the right referral program can get candidates to “yes”. LinkedIn Talent Solutions.

• Miller, L. (2016). A look at how LinkedIn is using LinkedIn Referrals. LinkedIn Talent Solutions.

• Petrone, P. (2015). Here is why employee referrals are the best way to hire. LinkedIn Talent Solutions.

You apply for a job, make it through the initial screening and receive an invitation to interview. You research the company, study the position, prepare examples of your accomplishments and click the interview link expecting to meet a recruiter. Instead, questions begin appearing on the screen, a countdown clock starts running and your webcam begins recording. There is no recruiter waiting on the other side, no introductory small talk and no person reacting to your answers. Your first job interview is with technology, and what once sounded like a futuristic experiment is becoming part of the modern hiring process.

Artificial intelligence is moving rapidly across recruiting, from résumé screening and candidate sourcing to interview scheduling, skills assessments, transcription and early-stage interviewing. According to the Society for Human Resource Management, 51% of organizations reported using artificial intelligence in recruiting in 2025, making recruiting the leading HR function for AI adoption. LinkedIn has similarly reported that 37% of recruiting organizations were actively integrating or experimenting with generative AI, up from 27% just one year earlier. For job seekers, this means learning how to make a strong impression in an environment where the first gatekeeper may be software rather than a recruiter.

Your First Interview May Not Include Another Person

One of the most common forms of technology-assisted interviewing is the asynchronous video interview. Rather than coordinating schedules with a recruiter, candidates receive a link and record responses to questions appearing on their screen. They may receive a limited amount of preparation time and perhaps one or two minutes to provide each answer. Other platforms are becoming more conversational, using AI-powered text or voice systems capable of conducting structured exchanges and, depending on the technology, generating follow-up questions based on previous responses. These systems can also produce transcripts, summarize answers, identify job-related information and organize candidate responses for recruiters who decide who advances.

It is important, however, to distinguish between different forms of AI interviewing technology. Not every platform is analyzing facial expressions, eye movements, voice tone or supposed emotional states, despite popular descriptions that sometimes make AI interviews sound like digital lie-detector tests. Some systems focus primarily on transcripts, responses, competencies or other structured job-related criteria, while facial and emotion-recognition technologies have attracted significant scientific, ethical and regulatory scrutiny. Candidates should therefore pay attention to what an employer actually discloses about its interviewing technology instead of assuming that every blink or hand movement is being converted into a hiring score.

Why Employers Are Putting AI Between Candidates and Recruiters

The economics of recruiting help explain why employers are interested in automation. A recognizable company can receive hundreds or thousands of applications for a single position, particularly when the job is remote or attracts applicants nationally. Recruiters have limited hours to review those applications, conduct screening calls, coordinate calendars and document candidate evaluations. AI offers companies a way to automate portions of that workload while processing substantially more applicants than an individual recruiting team could realistically handle manually.

The potential productivity gains are significant. LinkedIn reported that talent acquisition professionals using generative AI estimated that the technology saved roughly 20% of their workweek, equivalent to approximately one working day. LinkedIn also found that the share of recruiting professionals adding AI literacy skills increased 2.3 times in a single year. Employers can use these technologies for candidate sourcing, résumé review, scheduling, interview transcription and administrative follow-up, theoretically allowing recruiters to spend more time interacting with candidates who advance further into the process.

Standardization is another attraction. Traditional interviewing can be surprisingly inconsistent because candidates may encounter different recruiters, different questions and different levels of interviewer preparation. Even the same recruiter can approach a morning interview differently from an afternoon interview after several hours of meetings. Structured automated systems can present candidates with comparable baseline questions and evaluation criteria, potentially creating greater consistency across a large applicant pool. Consistency, however, should never be confused with fairness because a standardized system can apply the same flawed assumptions to thousands of people just as efficiently as it can apply good ones.

Job Seekers Aren't Convinced They Want AI Making Hiring Decisions

Corporate enthusiasm for AI recruiting has not necessarily translated into enthusiasm among workers. Pew Research Center found that 71% of Americans opposed allowing artificial intelligence to make final hiring decisions, while only 7% supported the idea. Even using AI earlier in the hiring process generated considerable skepticism, with 41% opposing the use of AI to review job applications compared with 28% who supported it. These attitudes suggest that applicants are far more comfortable with technology assisting people than replacing human judgment entirely.

The potential effect on employer reputation may be even more significant. Pew found that 66% of Americans said they would not want to apply for a job with an employer that used AI to help make hiring decisions, with concerns about the loss of human interaction contributing to the resistance. That creates a complicated challenge for companies because the same technology that makes recruiting faster can also make the organization appear less personal. Employers routinely invest significant resources in candidate experience and employer branding, yet an applicant's first meaningful interaction with the company may increasingly involve speaking alone to a webcam.

AI Doesn't Automatically Eliminate Hiring Bias

One of the strongest arguments for algorithmic hiring is that computers do not possess the personal prejudices of human recruiters. The problem is that algorithms do not emerge independently of human decision-making. People determine what information systems use, how candidates are evaluated, which historical outcomes become training data and what characteristics supposedly predict job performance. An automated process can therefore reduce some forms of subjective human inconsistency while introducing different risks of its own.

Federal regulators have already made clear that employers remain responsible for discriminatory outcomes even when technology participates in the decision. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has warned that artificial intelligence and algorithmic employment tools remain subject to federal anti-discrimination protections, including protections for applicants with disabilities. Automated assessments can create particular problems when they unintentionally screen out people who could successfully perform a job with a reasonable accommodation.

One EEOC enforcement action demonstrates how automation can magnify rather than eliminate discrimination. The agency alleged that tutoring company iTutorGroup programmed application software to automatically reject female applicants age 55 or older and male applicants age 60 or older, resulting in more than 200 qualified applicants allegedly being rejected because of age. The companies ultimately agreed to pay $365,000 to settle the lawsuit and provide additional relief. The case illustrates a fundamental problem with assuming technology is inherently neutral: automating a discriminatory rule does not transform that rule into an objective hiring standard.

Researchers are also examining whether newer generative AI technologies reproduce demographic disparities. A 2024 study published through the Association for Computational Linguistics tested large language models in simulated hiring decisions and found that under many experimental conditions the models favored applicants with White-associated names over applicants with Hispanic-associated names. Results varied depending on the model, prompt and experimental conditions, which is itself important because it demonstrates how apparently minor technological choices can affect hiring outcomes.

Why Hispanic Professionals Should Pay Particular Attention

For Hispanic professionals, particularly bilingual professionals and people who speak English with an identifiable accent, automated interviewing raises another important question: How accurately does the technology interpret different ways of speaking? Accent bias existed long before artificial intelligence entered recruiting, and decades of workplace research have demonstrated that how someone speaks can influence how others evaluate professional competence even when accent has little or nothing to do with the person's ability to perform the job.

A meta-analysis involving 139 effect sizes and 4,576 participants found that candidates with standard accents were evaluated as more hireable than candidates with non-standard accents, with the disadvantage becoming stronger for positions involving greater levels of communication. A separate 2024 meta-analysis examining 22 studies and 3,615 raters similarly found that applicants using non-standard language varieties were perceived as less competent and less hireable than applicants using standard varieties, even when actual competence was comparable. Research involving Latino candidates makes the issue particularly relevant, with a 2025 study examining personnel selection for an information technology management position finding evidence that Latino accents influenced candidate evaluations.

None of this means Hispanic professionals should attempt to erase their accents or disguise their backgrounds. Speaking English with an accent is not evidence of lower intelligence, weaker expertise or inferior professional ability, and bilingualism can itself be a substantial competitive advantage in an increasingly diverse U.S. marketplace. The practical question surrounding AI interviews is whether automated speech-recognition technology accurately captures what candidates are actually saying, particularly when systems rely on transcripts to organize or evaluate responses.

A 2025 study published in the Journal of Applied Psychology examined automated speech recognition in automatically scored job interviews and found significant demographic disparities in transcription accuracy among commercial speech-recognition systems. Importantly, those transcription differences did not translate into meaningful differences in the automated interview scores examined in the study. That distinction matters because evidence of differences in transcription accuracy should not automatically be transformed into a claim that every AI interview discriminates against accented speakers. It does, however, reinforce the need for employers to validate their systems carefully and for candidates to understand that clear communication now has a technological dimension.

How to Prepare for an AI Job Interview

Trying to “beat the algorithm” is the wrong way to approach an automated interview because candidates rarely know precisely how a particular employer's technology works. A more effective strategy is to communicate qualifications so clearly that both software and the eventual human reviewer can understand the connection between your experience and the position. Preparation should begin with a close reading of the job description, identifying the competencies, responsibilities, technologies and skills the employer repeatedly emphasizes and preparing specific professional examples demonstrating those abilities.

Relevant terminology should appear naturally in those answers, but candidates should avoid simply reciting keywords from the job description. Saying that you possess “leadership, communication, collaboration, strategic thinking and project management skills” does not demonstrate any of them. Explaining that you inherited a struggling six-person team, reorganized responsibilities, introduced weekly progress reviews and delivered a major project three weeks ahead of schedule provides evidence of leadership and project management while naturally incorporating the concepts an employer is seeking.

The familiar STAR framework of Situation, Task, Action and Result can be particularly effective in automated interviews because there may be no recruiter present to redirect a wandering answer. Candidates are responsible for creating their own structure, which means explaining enough context for the response to make sense while moving quickly toward their individual actions and measurable results. Practicing several stories in advance involving leadership, problem solving, conflict, teamwork, adaptability, failure and achievement can create a flexible library of examples without requiring candidates to memorize scripted answers.

Numbers Can Make Your Answers More Powerful

Quantifying accomplishments is valuable in any interview, but it becomes especially useful when a response may eventually appear as a transcript, summary or structured candidate profile. Saying “I helped increase sales” gives the employer little sense of scale, while explaining that you increased regional sales 18% over nine months by rebuilding the client follow-up process communicates both action and impact. Similarly, “I managed a large budget” is less persuasive than explaining that you managed a $2.4 million annual operating budget and reduced outside vendor expenses by 11%.

Candidates should therefore identify relevant numbers before beginning the interview, including revenue generated, money saved, customers served, employees supervised, projects completed, budgets managed, efficiency improvements or percentage growth achieved. Not every professional accomplishment can or should be reduced to a metric, and candidates should never invent numbers simply to make an answer sound impressive. When legitimate measurements exist, however, they help turn broad claims into evidence that can be understood by both a recruiter and an automated system.

Get to the Point Before the Clock Gets There First

Timed interviews make concise communication especially important because candidates can lose valuable seconds providing unnecessary background before answering the actual question. When asked about handling a difficult client, for example, a candidate does not need to spend the first half of the response explaining the history of the company, department and account. A stronger opening would establish the stakes immediately by explaining that one of the company's largest clients was considering leaving after a service failure and that the candidate was responsible for rebuilding the relationship.

The candidate can then explain what happened, what action was taken and what result followed. This approach is not about speaking unnaturally fast or reducing every answer to a sound bite. It is about making the central point clear before adding supporting detail, a communication skill that remains valuable far beyond automated interviews. Executives, managers, customers and colleagues also tend to appreciate professionals who can explain complicated situations without forcing listeners to search for the point.

Don't Turn Yourself Into a Human Chatbot

There is an emerging irony in the modern job market. Applicants increasingly use generative AI to write résumés and cover letters, employers use AI to screen those applications, candidates use AI to prepare interview answers and employers may use another AI system to analyze the responses. Taken too far, recruiting risks becoming a conversation between machines with human beings serving mainly as intermediaries.

Candidates should resist the temptation to respond by sounding more robotic. Generative AI can be extremely useful for interview preparation because it can generate practice questions, compare a résumé with a job description, identify weaknesses in an answer and simulate difficult interview scenarios. Memorizing AI-generated responses word for word, however, can strip away the personal experiences and individual judgment that make a candidate memorable. Hiring managers ultimately need people who can solve problems, manage conflict, build relationships, persuade customers, lead colleagues and make decisions when circumstances are unclear, so the strongest interview material still comes from experiences the candidate actually lived.

The better strategy is to prepare stories rather than scripts. Candidates should develop several professional examples involving leadership, difficult decisions, teamwork, setbacks, customer relationships, innovation and measurable achievement, then practice adapting those experiences to different questions. This produces answers that are structured enough for an automated process while remaining authentic enough to resonate with the human being who may eventually review them.

Your Camera and Microphone Are Now Interview Equipment

Technical preparation has become part of professional preparation. Candidates should position the camera near eye level, use adequate front lighting, choose a quiet environment and test their microphone, webcam and internet connection before beginning. Unnecessary applications and notifications should be closed so an incoming message or software alert does not interrupt a timed response. These details are not about gaming artificial intelligence; they are about removing technical distractions that can prevent a candidate's qualifications from coming through clearly.

Audio deserves particular attention when speech-to-text technology may be involved. Candidates should speak naturally but clearly, avoid rushing through responses and allow brief pauses between major ideas. Professionals with accents should not attempt to manufacture an unfamiliar accent or suppress their identity for the machine. The objective is intelligibility, not linguistic conformity. Candidates should likewise avoid becoming obsessed with whether an algorithm is measuring every blink, smile or hand movement unless the employer specifically discloses that type of analysis. Excessive self-monitoring can make an otherwise confident professional appear uncomfortable and unnatural.

AI Interviews Are Becoming a Legal Issue Too

The rapid expansion of automated hiring is forcing lawmakers and regulators to confront questions about transparency, privacy and discrimination. New York City's Automated Employment Decision Tools law requires certain automated employment decision systems to undergo bias audits before employers use them and requires covered employers to make specified information about those audits publicly available. The law also includes notice requirements designed to give candidates greater awareness when automated tools participate in employment decisions.

Illinois has enacted protections specifically involving AI-analyzed video interviews. Under the state's Artificial Intelligence Video Interview Act, employers considering applicants for Illinois-based positions must notify candidates before an interview when artificial intelligence may be used to analyze their video, explain generally how the technology works and what characteristics it evaluates, and obtain consent before using AI to analyze the interview. Applicants can also request deletion of their video interviews, after which employers generally must delete the recordings within 30 days and instruct other parties that received copies to delete them as well.

Illinois also imposes demographic reporting requirements in circumstances where employers rely solely on AI analysis of video interviews to determine which candidates advance to in-person interviews. These requirements reflect a broader change in the debate surrounding workplace AI. The question is no longer simply whether companies will use artificial intelligence in hiring, but what employers must disclose, how automated systems should be audited, what information can be collected and how much decision-making authority organizations should delegate to software.

The Human Interview Could Become More Important

The growth of AI recruiting does not necessarily mean human interviews will disappear. Automation could instead make later human conversations more consequential. If software increasingly handles résumé screening, scheduling, initial assessments, transcription and standardized questions, recruiters and hiring managers can theoretically spend more time evaluating qualities that are difficult to reduce to structured data, including judgment, curiosity, creativity, leadership, interpersonal chemistry and the ability to navigate ambiguity.

Tomorrow's successful job seeker may therefore need two complementary skill sets. The first is digital interview fluency: understanding how to communicate concisely through structured platforms, becoming comfortable speaking to a camera without immediate feedback and recognizing that parts of the application process may be interpreted by software before a person reviews them. The second is intensely human: storytelling, persuasion, emotional intelligence, relationship building and the ability to demonstrate sound judgment. Professionals who become proficient at both will be better positioned for a labor market where technology determines more of who gets through the door but people still determine much of what happens after they enter.

The New First Impression

A candidate's first meaningful interaction with an employer may now happen before either person speaks to the other. A résumé can be parsed by software, qualifications can be organized algorithmically and interview responses can be recorded, transcribed and summarized before a hiring manager decides whether to schedule a conversation. That can make the hiring process feel as though control has shifted entirely toward technology, but candidates still control how thoroughly they research the opportunity, how clearly they explain their experience and how effectively they connect their accomplishments to an employer's needs.

The objective should not be to trick an algorithm into approving an application. Candidates should instead make their professional value difficult for either technology or people to misunderstand by using specific examples, measurable accomplishments, relevant terminology and clear communication. Artificial intelligence may be changing who, or what, conducts the first interview, but the qualities behind a strong candidacy remain remarkably human: preparation, experience, credibility, judgment and the ability to demonstrate that you can solve problems that matter.

Sources

• An, H., Acquaye, C., Wang, C., Li, Z., & Rudinger, R. (2024). Do large language models discriminate in hiring decisions on the basis of race, ethnicity, and gender? Proceedings of the 62nd Annual Meeting of the Association for Computational Linguistics, 386–397. Association for Computational Linguistics.

• Hickman, L., Langer, M., Saef, R. M., & Tay, L. (2025). Automated speech recognition bias in personnel selection: The case of automatically scored job interviews. Journal of Applied Psychology, 110(6), 846–858.

• Illinois General Assembly. (2026). Artificial Intelligence Video Interview Act, 820 ILCS 42. Illinois General Assembly.

• LinkedIn Talent Solutions. (2025). The future of recruiting 2025. LinkedIn.

• New York City Department of Consumer and Worker Protection. (2026). Automated employment decision tools. City of New York.

• Pew Research Center. (2023). AI in hiring and evaluating workers: What Americans think. Pew Research Center.

• Schulte, N., et al. (2024). Do ethnic, migration-based, and regional language varieties put applicants at a disadvantage? A meta-analysis of biases in personnel selection. Applied Psychology, 73(4), 1866–1892.

• Society for Human Resource Management. (2025). A new era of recruiting: Becoming the best strategic talent advisor. Society for Human Resource Management.

• Spence, J. L., Hornsey, M. J., Stephenson, E. M., & Imuta, K. (2024). Is your accent right for the job? A meta-analysis on accent bias in hiring decisions. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 50(3), 371–386.

• U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. (2022). U.S. EEOC and U.S. Department of Justice warn against disability discrimination in employers' use of artificial intelligence tools. U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

• U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. (2023). iTutorGroup to pay $365,000 to settle EEOC discriminatory hiring suit. U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

For decades, the public image of Hispanic entrepreneurship in the United States was largely tied to a familiar collection of industries: construction companies, restaurants, transportation businesses, neighborhood retailers and family-owned service firms. Those businesses remain important pillars of the Hispanic business economy, but they no longer tell the whole story. A new generation of Hispanic entrepreneurs is expanding into technology, professional services, financial technology, e-commerce and other growth sectors while established business owners are adopting artificial intelligence and digital tools at a pace that increasingly resembles their non-Hispanic peers.

The numbers suggest something larger than a demographic shift. Hispanic entrepreneurs are becoming a more consequential part of America's business formation, employment and economic growth story. From 2018 through 2023, the number of Latino-owned businesses increased 44%, according to research from the Stanford Latino Entrepreneurship Initiative. More recent Stanford research found that Latino-owned businesses continued to outpace white-owned businesses in overall growth between 2017 and 2023, with Latino businesses accounting for more than 55% of net new firms in both California and Florida during that period.

That growth is unfolding alongside the expanding economic influence of the broader Hispanic population. The Latino Donor Collaborative estimates that the U.S. Latino economy reached $4.4 trillion in 2024. Measured independently, that would make it the fourth-largest economy in the world. Latino household consumption reached approximately $2.8 trillion and Latino gross domestic income reached $3.4 trillion in 2024. Those figures help explain why Hispanic entrepreneurship should no longer be viewed primarily through the lens of minority business development. It is increasingly an American competitiveness and growth story.

Hispanic Entrepreneurs Are Embracing AI

Perhaps the most important transformation is happening inside the businesses themselves. Artificial intelligence is rapidly becoming part of the operating infrastructure of Hispanic-owned companies.

Stanford's 2025 State of Latino Entrepreneurship research found that AI adoption among Latino-owned businesses more than doubled between 2024 and 2025. Even more significant, Latino-owned and white-owned businesses reported adopting AI at roughly similar rates. Business owners are using the technology for marketing and content creation, data analysis, forecasting, customer service and business intelligence. The research also found that companies are beginning to develop more structured approaches to AI, including employee training and risk management.

This matters because AI has the potential to disproportionately benefit smaller companies. A business that cannot afford a large marketing department, research team or sophisticated analytics operation can increasingly access capabilities that were once available primarily to larger corporations. AI can help entrepreneurs analyze customer behavior, automate administrative work, develop marketing campaigns, improve customer service and identify opportunities more quickly.

For Hispanic businesses, technology therefore represents more than efficiency. It can become a scale equalizer.

The changing technology profile is already visible in the composition of Latino entrepreneurship. Stanford reports that roughly one in four Latino-owned businesses in its research population are technology companies. Latino entrepreneurs are entering high-growth areas such as AI and fintech at rates comparable to white entrepreneurs, while tech-centric Latino businesses report profit margins comparable to white-owned technology businesses despite generally being younger and smaller.

The Hispanic Business Economy Is Diversifying

Technology adoption is occurring alongside another important change: Hispanic entrepreneurship is becoming significantly more diversified.

Construction remains a powerhouse. Census data has historically identified construction as the sector with the largest number of Hispanic-owned employer firms, and Stanford's latest analysis shows remarkable continued expansion. Between 2017 and 2023, the number of Latino-owned construction businesses increased 86%, compared with just 2% growth among white-owned construction businesses. That growth may become even more strategically important as AI itself generates demand for data centers, energy infrastructure and other large-scale construction projects.

But construction is only part of the story. Brookings analysis of Census Bureau data found that Hispanic-owned employer businesses have been expanding rapidly across a much wider collection of industries. Between 2017 and 2022, Hispanic-owned businesses in arts, entertainment and recreation increased 86%. Transportation and warehousing grew 74%, while real estate and rental and leasing increased 66%. Construction grew 75% over that five-year period, adding more than 37,500 Hispanic-owned employer businesses.

The industry mix itself illustrates how broad the Hispanic entrepreneurial base has become. Construction represented approximately 18.8% of Hispanic employer businesses, followed by accommodation and food services at 12.3%. Professional and technical services already represented 10.9%, placing a knowledge-intensive sector among the three largest categories of Hispanic-owned employer firms.

That diversification is economically important. An entrepreneurial ecosystem concentrated in a small number of industries is more vulnerable to sector-specific downturns. Expansion into technology, professional services, finance, real estate, entertainment and digital commerce creates additional pathways to higher margins, scalable business models and national or international markets.

Hispanic Businesses Are Becoming Employers at Scale

The entrepreneurial story is also about jobs.

Census Bureau data showed 406,086 Hispanic-owned employer businesses in 2021, an increase of 8.2% from 375,256 just one year earlier. Those companies generated approximately $572.9 billion in annual receipts, employed roughly 3 million people and produced approximately $124.4 billion in annual payroll. Hispanic-owned companies represented about 6.9% of U.S. employer businesses at the time.

The distinction between an entrepreneur and an employer matters. Millions of Americans operate businesses without employees, but employer firms have a broader economic footprint because their success generates wages, career opportunities, supplier relationships and local tax activity. As more Hispanic entrepreneurs make the transition from self-employment to employer businesses, their economic influence multiplies.

This also challenges the outdated assumption that Hispanic entrepreneurship primarily consists of microbusinesses serving Hispanic neighborhoods. Increasingly, Latino entrepreneurs are building companies that employ workers, serve national customers and operate across borders.

Stanford's 2025 entrepreneurship research found that nearly half of Latino-owned businesses in its survey operate internationally. Those internationally active firms reported higher median profit margins than businesses operating exclusively in the United States. Cultural familiarity, bilingual capabilities and family or business connections to other countries can become commercial advantages rather than characteristics separate from business strategy.

Capital Remains the Missing Piece

The growth story, however, contains a persistent contradiction. Hispanic entrepreneurs are creating companies rapidly and adopting new technologies, yet access to growth capital has not kept pace.

Stanford's latest analysis found that Latino-owned businesses received less than 2% of all venture capital funding in 2025. This is particularly consequential when approximately one-quarter of Latino-owned businesses in the Stanford research population operate in technology. The entrepreneurs are increasingly present in sectors investors say they want to fund, but investment dollars have not expanded proportionately.

There is an important counterpoint. Latino-owned companies that did secure venture funding recorded a median deal size of approximately $6 million, above the overall U.S. median deal value cited in Stanford's research. That suggests the problem cannot simply be explained by a lack of investable businesses. Once Latino entrepreneurs enter the capital pipeline, many are demonstrating an ability to compete for substantial investments.

The larger opportunity, therefore, may be improving access to the pipeline itself. Venture networks, banking relationships, procurement opportunities, accelerators and relationships with corporate decision-makers can determine whether a promising company remains a small operation or becomes a significant employer. For Hispanic entrepreneurs, strategic networks can be as important as entrepreneurial talent.

From Small Business Story to Economic Strategy

The broader U.S. Latino economy makes the stakes increasingly difficult for corporate leaders and investors to ignore. Latino economic output has moved from $3.6 trillion in 2022 to an estimated $4.4 trillion in 2024, according to Latino Donor Collaborative research. The organization also reports that Latino household consumption reached $2.8 trillion in 2024. This means the same population expanding America's workforce and consumer markets is simultaneously creating businesses serving those markets.

That creates a powerful economic cycle. Population growth expands the workforce and customer base. Rising income expands purchasing power. Entrepreneurship converts market knowledge into new companies. Technology makes those businesses more productive and scalable. Successful companies then create employment, wealth and additional investment.

The next chapter of Hispanic entrepreneurship will therefore be defined less by how many businesses Latinos start and increasingly by how large those companies can become.

AI adoption offers entrepreneurs the ability to operate more efficiently. Industry diversification opens pathways into higher-value sectors. International expansion creates new markets. Rising Hispanic purchasing power creates a massive domestic customer base. The remaining challenge is ensuring that access to capital, corporate procurement, professional networks and investment infrastructure evolves as quickly as Hispanic entrepreneurship itself.

The traditional image of the Hispanic small business owner is not disappearing. It is expanding. Today's Hispanic entrepreneur may own a construction company or restaurant, but increasingly that entrepreneur may also be building an AI startup, financial technology platform, consulting firm, e-commerce company, entertainment business or international enterprise.

The economic significance of that transition extends well beyond the Hispanic community. As America's demographic and economic center of gravity continues to change, the businesses being built by Hispanic entrepreneurs will increasingly influence where Americans work, what they buy, which technologies they use and where future economic growth originates. Hispanic entrepreneurship is no longer simply one component of America's small-business economy. It is becoming one of the forces reshaping it.

Sources

• Brookings Institution. (2025). Charting the surge in Latino or Hispanic-owned businesses in the US.

• Chavez Zárate, R., Orozco, M., Alcocer, J. J., & Foster, G. (2026). 2025 State of Latino Entrepreneurship. Stanford Graduate School of Business, Stanford Latino Entrepreneurship Initiative.

• Latino Donor Collaborative. (2026). 2026 U.S. Latino Economic Impact Report. Latino Donor Collaborative and W. P. Carey School of Business, Arizona State University.

• Stanford Graduate School of Business. (2025). A decade of data shows Latino entrepreneurs growing and adapting.

• Stanford University. (2026). How Latino business owners are navigating growth, AI, and inflation. Stanford Report.

• U.S. Census Bureau. (2023). Census Bureau releases new data on minority-owned, veteran-owned and women-owned businesses. Annual Business Survey.

• U.S. Census Bureau. (2024). Construction sector had highest number of Hispanic-owned businesses. Annual Business Survey.

For generations, one of the unwritten rules of starting a career was simple: get a job, keep your head down and stay long enough to prove you were dependable. Leaving too soon could brand a young professional as impatient or unreliable, while staying several years demonstrated loyalty. That formula has changed dramatically. The modern labor market rewards mobility, skills and measurable results more than longevity alone, but that does not mean job tenure has become irrelevant.

For someone entering the workforce today, the better question is not simply how long you should stay at your first job. It is how long you need to stay to gain enough experience, accomplishments, relationships and professional credibility to make your next move a strategic one. For many early-career professionals, that makes roughly 18 to 24 months a useful target rather than an inflexible rule.

Job Hopping Is More Normal Than It Used to Be

The latest federal data illustrate just how differently younger Americans experience employment. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median wage and salary worker had been with their current employer for 4.1 years as of January 2026, up slightly from 3.9 years in 2024. Among workers ages 20 to 24, however, median tenure was only 1.5 years. For workers ages 25 to 34, it was 3.0 years. By comparison, employees ages 45 to 54 had a median tenure of 7.0 years, while workers ages 55 to 64 had been with their employers for a median 9.6 years.

The difference is not surprising. Early career is naturally a period of experimentation. People discover that the profession they studied for is different from the profession they imagined, salaries change, industries expand and contract, relationships matter, and opportunities emerge that were impossible to predict at graduation. BLS data show that 45.9% of workers ages 20 to 24 had been with their current employer for 12 months or less in January 2026. Another 12.3% had been there between 13 and 23 months. Among workers ages 25 to 34, 25.5% had been with their current employer for a year or less.

Generational research points in the same direction. Randstad found that Gen Z workers averaged just 1.1 years per job during their first five years in the workforce, compared with 1.8 years for Millennials, 2.8 years for Gen X and 2.9 years for Baby Boomers at the same stage of their careers. Twenty-two percent of Gen Z respondents had left a job within a year, more than twice the 9% rate among Millennials in the study. One-third of Gen Z workers also said they planned to change jobs within the following 12 months.

Calling all of this “job hopping” misses what is happening. Younger workers are entering a labor market in which career development is increasingly individualized. Randstad found that 41% of Gen Z workers said they always consider their long-term career goals when changing jobs, a higher share than Millennials, Gen X or Baby Boomers. Mobility, in other words, is not necessarily evidence that young employees do not care about careers. It can be evidence that they care intensely about where those careers are going.

Why the First Year Still Matters

Despite these changes, leaving a first professional job after three, four or six months should not automatically become the default. There is a difference between having the freedom to leave and having a compelling reason to do so.

Your first year of professional employment provides something that college, internships and certifications cannot fully replicate: evidence that you can function inside an organization. You learn how managers make decisions, how budgets influence priorities, how office politics operate, how deadlines shift, how clients behave, how teams communicate and how performance is actually evaluated. You also begin converting academic knowledge into professional judgment.

That experience is particularly valuable in a hiring environment increasingly focused on demonstrable skills. Nearly 70% of employers surveyed by the National Association of Colleges and Employers for its 2026 outlook reported using skills-based hiring. Employers are looking for candidates who can demonstrate problem-solving, teamwork and communication through concrete examples rather than simply listing credentials. Entry-level postings requiring artificial intelligence skills have also climbed to 10.5%, further illustrating how quickly expectations for new workers are evolving.

Staying long enough to build those examples matters. “I worked there for eight months” communicates considerably less than being able to explain how you managed a project, improved a process, increased revenue, reduced costs, developed a client relationship or assumed responsibilities beyond your original job description.

That is why the one-year mark remains a useful career milestone. It is not magical, nor does crossing it suddenly transform a résumé. It simply gives many young professionals enough time to move beyond onboarding and begin producing evidence of what they can accomplish.

Why 18 to 24 Months Can Be the Career Sweet Spot

For many professionals, the strongest first-job strategy is to think of the first two years in stages. During the first six months, learn aggressively. Understand the organization, master the fundamentals of your position, identify strong performers and begin developing relationships beyond your immediate team. Between six and 12 months, start demonstrating independence and taking ownership. During months 12 through 24, the goal should shift toward measurable impact, increased responsibility and building a professional reputation that travels with you.

This is where staying approximately 18 to 24 months can become particularly valuable. By then, you have likely experienced annual planning cycles, performance reviews, organizational changes and enough workplace challenges to speak credibly about what you accomplished. You are no longer selling employers primarily on your potential. You can begin selling them on your record.

That distinction matters in the current market. The Class of 2026 entered a complicated employment environment. The National Association of Colleges and Employers reported in the spring that employers expected to hire 5.6% more members of the Class of 2026 than the previous graduating class, an improvement from earlier projections. Yet 45% of surveyed employers still characterized the graduate job market as merely “fair.”

The Federal Reserve Bank of New York provides additional context. During the second quarter of 2026, unemployment among recent college graduates stood at approximately 5.6%, while underemployment reached roughly 42%. That means a significant share of graduates were either unable to find work or were working in positions that did not typically require their degree.

In that environment, quitting simply because a first job is imperfect deserves careful consideration. The next opportunity may take longer to secure than expected, and the second job should ideally move your career forward rather than merely move you out of the first one.

But Staying Too Long Has a Price, Too

Young professionals can also make the opposite mistake: confusing loyalty with career strategy. Staying in the same position for four or five years while responsibilities, compensation and skills remain largely unchanged can become just as problematic as leaving prematurely.

The financial incentive to move can be substantial. The Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta's Wage Growth Tracker reported that workers who changed jobs were experiencing median wage growth of 5.0% in August 2026, compared with 3.6% among workers who stayed in their jobs. That does not mean every job change produces a raise, nor does it prove that changing employers caused the entire difference, but it demonstrates why external mobility continues to be financially attractive.

Career growth should therefore be evaluated by trajectory rather than tenure. If you have been with an employer for three years but have received promotions, meaningful raises, new responsibilities, mentorship and opportunities to acquire valuable skills, staying may be an excellent decision. If you have been there three years doing essentially the same work for nearly the same inflation-adjusted compensation, longevity itself is not necessarily helping your career.

When Leaving Before a Year Makes Sense

No employee should remain in a damaging situation simply to reach an arbitrary anniversary. Serious harassment, discrimination, unethical conduct, unsafe working conditions, chronic mistreatment or a fundamentally misrepresented position can justify leaving quickly. So can an extraordinary opportunity that materially improves your compensation, responsibilities, career direction or quality of life.

There is also an important difference between one short job and a pattern of short jobs. A six-month position followed by several years of steady progression tells a different story from four consecutive positions lasting six to nine months. Hiring managers look for patterns because patterns help them estimate risk.

If you do leave early, the explanation matters. Avoid spending an interview attacking your former manager or company. Explain what you learned, why the position was not the right long-term fit and, most importantly, why the opportunity you are pursuing represents a more deliberate direction. Employers are generally less interested in whether every career decision was perfect than in whether you can explain your decisions professionally.

Your First Job Is a Launchpad, Not a Life Sentence

Perhaps the biggest mistake young professionals make is believing that their first job must validate every decision they made in college. It does not. Your first employer does not have to be your dream company, your first title does not have to define your career and your starting salary does not determine your lifetime earning potential.

In fact, the early-career labor market itself suggests that experimentation is increasingly normal. Employers are simultaneously asking for greater technical sophistication, practical experience and adaptability from young workers. NACE found that employer demand for AI skills in entry-level positions nearly tripled between fall 2025 and spring 2026. The skills that make someone competitive today may therefore look different only a few years from now.

The smartest first-job strategy is consequently neither “leave as quickly as possible” nor “stay because leaving looks bad.” It is to extract maximum career value from the opportunity while continuously evaluating your growth.

Ask yourself whether you are still learning, whether your responsibilities are increasing, whether your compensation is progressing, whether you are developing relationships that strengthen your professional network and whether you can point to accomplishments that will make another employer want you. Those questions tell you far more about when to leave than the calendar alone.

For many graduates, staying at least a year and targeting roughly 18 to 24 months provides enough time to establish credibility, build transferable skills and accumulate meaningful accomplishments. After that, the question should become less about how long you have been there and more about whether another year will make you substantially more valuable.

Your first job is not supposed to be the destination. Its real value is in how effectively it prepares you for everything that comes next.

Sources

• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2026, September 24). Employee tenure in 2026. U.S. Department of Labor.

• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2026). Median years of tenure with current employer for employed wage and salary workers by age and sex, selected years, 2016–2026. U.S. Department of Labor.

• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2026). Distribution of employed wage and salary workers by tenure with current employer, age, sex, race, and Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, January 2026. U.S. Department of Labor.

• Randstad. (2025, September 8). Gen Z workplace blueprint: New research finds Gen Z’s average job stint is 1.1 years, but it’s not job-hopping, it’s growth-hunting.

• Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta. (2026, September). Wage Growth Tracker.

• Federal Reserve Bank of New York. (2026). The labor market for recent college graduates.

• National Association of Colleges and Employers. (2026, April). Job Outlook 2026: Spring Update.

• National Association of Colleges and Employers. (2026, April 15). Employers expect to hire 5.6% more new college graduates this year.

For decades, discussions about Latinas in the American economy have often been framed around future potential. That framing is increasingly obsolete. Latinas are already a major force in the U.S. workforce, consumer economy, higher education and entrepreneurship, and their influence is expanding as a younger generation moves into its prime working, earning and spending years.

The numbers make the case. Research from the U.S. Latina GDP Project found that Latinas generated approximately $1.3 trillion in economic output in 2021, nearly double the $661 billion generated in 2010. After adjusting for inflation, Latina GDP increased 51.1% during that period, compared with 18.8% growth in non-Hispanic GDP. Put another way, Latina economic output grew at roughly 2.7 times the rate of the non-Hispanic economy.

That momentum is part of an even larger economic transformation. The latest Latino GDP research estimates that overall U.S. Latino economic output reached approximately $4.4 trillion in 2024. If U.S. Latinos constituted an independent economy, that output would rank among the largest economies in the world. The Latino Donor Collaborative also estimates U.S. Latino disposable income at approximately $3.4 trillion, illustrating why companies can no longer treat Hispanic consumers as a niche or secondary market.

A Workforce America Increasingly Depends On

Latinas are central to that growth. Between 2010 and 2021, the number of Hispanic women participating in the labor force increased 32.9%, compared with just 2.7% growth among non-Hispanic women. Although Latinas represented only 9.3% of the U.S. population in the study period, they accounted for 30.2% of U.S. labor-force growth since 2010. Latina labor-force participation also increased by 7.5 percentage points between 2000 and 2021, while participation among non-Hispanic women remained essentially flat.

More recent research from the Latino Donor Collaborative places Latina labor-force participation at approximately 69%. This matters far beyond representation. As employers contend with an aging population, retirements and competition for skilled workers, Latinas represent an increasingly important component of America's future talent pipeline.

Their growing presence is not confined to any one sector. Latinas are building careers across healthcare, technology, finance, education, professional services, hospitality, government and entrepreneurship. They are employees and managers, but increasingly they are also business owners, household financial decision-makers and consumers whose choices influence billions of dollars in corporate revenue.

Education Is Changing the Latina Workforce

One of the most important forces behind this economic expansion is education. The number of Latinas holding a bachelor's degree or higher increased 103% between 2010 and 2021, compared with 38.3% growth among non-Hispanic women. That means the population of highly educated Latinas expanded at roughly 2.7 times the rate of highly educated non-Hispanic women during the period.

The generational shift is particularly striking. Pew Research Center found that 30% of Latinas ages 25 to 29 held at least a bachelor's degree, compared with 14% of Latinas 65 and older. Among Latinas ages 25 to 64, those with a bachelor's degree or higher had an 82% labor-force participation rate, compared with 60% among those with a high school education or less. Education is therefore not simply increasing credentials; it is expanding Latina participation in the professional economy and the pool of women positioned to move into management, leadership and entrepreneurship.

Yet education alone has not eliminated economic disparities. UCLA's Latino Policy & Politics Institute found that the share of Latinas with bachelor's degrees or higher has more than doubled over roughly two decades while substantial wage gaps remain. Even when compared with Latino men and white women with equivalent levels of education, Latinas earn approximately $5 to $6 less per hour.

That contradiction should concern employers. Companies cannot continue encouraging educational advancement while failing to ensure that greater qualifications translate into greater compensation, responsibility and leadership opportunity.

Purchasing Power Is Becoming Corporate Influence

The Latina economic story also extends well beyond the paycheck. Latinas increasingly influence how American households spend money. According to the Latino Donor Collaborative, approximately 86% of Latinas identify as the primary shoppers in their households, compared with a national average of 78% among women overall.

That purchasing influence reaches industries ranging from housing and financial services to automobiles, food, healthcare, technology, travel, entertainment and education. A Latina professional earning a paycheck may simultaneously be deciding where her household banks, which vehicle the family purchases, which healthcare providers it uses, what technology enters the home and where discretionary income is spent.

For corporate America, that creates an important convergence. The same population companies are trying to recruit and retain is increasingly part of the population they are trying to reach as customers. Workforce strategy and market strategy are becoming inseparable.

The demographic runway makes that connection even more consequential. Latino Donor Collaborative research reports that nearly one in five U.S. women and approximately one in four girls under 18 are Latina, while the median age of Latinas is about 30. Only about 9% are at retirement age. This is not a consumer segment approaching the end of its peak economic years. It is a population moving deeper into them.

Entrepreneurship Adds Another Dimension

The influence of Latinas also increasingly extends from employment to ownership. Federal data show the broader Hispanic entrepreneurial economy continues to expand rapidly. In 2023, approximately 496,000 Hispanic-owned employer businesses generated $730.3 billion in receipts, while another 5.3 million Hispanic-owned nonemployer businesses generated $244.2 billion.

Women are an important part of that entrepreneurial ecosystem. Census research found that Hispanic women owned more than 103,000 employer firms in 2021, and approximately three-quarters of Hispanic women-owned businesses studied between 2017 and 2021 had a sole owner. Those figures illustrate both the entrepreneurial ambition within the community and the enormous opportunity to help more Latina-owned businesses move from self-employment and small enterprises into companies with employees, capital and significant revenue.

Access to capital remains a major obstacle. The Latino Donor Collaborative reports that Latinas receive only about 39% of the financing they request from banks and hold approximately 1% of C-suite positions. The gap between participation and power therefore remains visible on multiple fronts: Latinas are working, studying, starting businesses and influencing spending faster than they are gaining access to capital and the highest levels of corporate leadership.

The 58-Cent Contradiction

That brings the conversation to October 8, Latina Equal Pay Day. The date symbolizes how far into the following year Latinas must work to earn what white, non-Hispanic men earned during the previous calendar year.

For full-time, year-round workers, Latinas earn approximately 58 cents for every dollar paid to white, non-Hispanic men. When all earners, including part-time and part-year workers, are included, the figure falls to approximately 54 cents.

Over an entire career, the consequences compound. The Institute for Women's Policy Research estimates that the wage disparity can cost a Latina approximately $1.2 million over a working lifetime. That is not simply lost salary. It represents money that cannot be contributed to retirement accounts, invested in the stock market, used for a home down payment, deployed to launch or expand a business or transferred to the next generation.

This is why the pay gap should not be discussed only as a workplace fairness issue. It is also a wealth-building issue, a consumer-market issue and an economic-growth issue. A population can possess enormous purchasing power while still accumulating less wealth than its economic contribution would suggest. Closing the wage gap can therefore have consequences that extend through households, businesses and future generations.

From Economic Influence To Economic Opportunity

The next chapter of Latina advancement should be measured by more than participation. The question is whether growing education, workforce presence and purchasing power will translate into greater compensation, leadership, ownership and wealth.

That requires employers to look beyond recruitment numbers and examine advancement, compensation and access to revenue-generating assignments. It requires financial institutions to recognize Latina professionals and entrepreneurs as an expanding market for capital, investment, homeownership and wealth-management services. It requires Latinas themselves to think strategically about salary negotiation, professional visibility, networking, entrepreneurship, credit, investing and long-term financial planning.

It also requires allies. Decisions about salaries, promotions, contracts, lending, investment and procurement are made by people across every demographic group. Latina economic advancement cannot be treated as a conversation only for Latinas.

HispanicPro Is Bringing The Conversation Together

That is the idea behind HispanicPro's 5th Annual Uplift Latina Forum on Wednesday, October 7, the eve of Latina Equal Pay Day. From 5:00 to 7:30 p.m. at woman-owned Level Sporting Club in Chicago, Latina professionals, entrepreneurs, business leaders and allies will come together for networking and conversations focused on leadership, career advancement, financial literacy and long-term prosperity.

The timing is intentional. On October 8, the country will once again confront the statistics surrounding Latina pay. Uplift Latina creates an opportunity the evening before to discuss what can actually be done with that knowledge.

The program connects two issues that are too often treated separately. “Latina Leadership: Turning Influence Into Opportunity” will focus on translating professional ability and visibility into advancement and influence. “Financial Literacy: Turning Income Into Long-Term Prosperity” will examine the other side of the equation: what happens after income is earned and how better financial decisions can help transform earnings into assets, security and generational wealth.

Just as important is the networking taking place around those conversations. Careers and businesses do not advance through statistics alone. They advance through relationships, introductions, information and access. A conversation can lead to a job opportunity, client, mentor, financial advisor, business relationship or future collaborator. Bringing professionals, entrepreneurs, corporate leaders and financial experts into the same room creates opportunities that cannot be measured by attendance alone.

The venue itself reinforces that message. Level Sporting Club is a woman-owned Chicago business founded by Clarissa Flores, a former Northwestern University Division I basketball player who represented Puerto Rico internationally before building a career in hospitality and entrepreneurship.

All allies are welcome because the future of Latina economic prosperity is not exclusively a Latina issue. Employers need talent. Companies need customers. Banks need entrepreneurs and investors. Communities benefit from stronger businesses and financially secure households. When one of America's youngest and fastest-growing economic populations advances, the impact extends throughout the economy.

Latinas have already demonstrated their economic value. They are earning degrees, expanding their workforce presence, building businesses and influencing trillions of dollars across the broader Hispanic economy. The unresolved question is whether compensation, leadership representation, access to capital and wealth creation will finally begin catching up.

On October 8, Latina Equal Pay Day will remind America how much work remains. On October 7, Uplift Latina will focus on what comes next.

Sources

• Bank of America Corporation. (2024). Inaugural U.S. Latina GDP report finds Latinas contribute $1.3 trillion in GDP. Bank of America Newsroom.

• California Commission on the Status of Women and Girls. (2026). Equal Pay California: 2026 equal pay days.

• HispanicPro. (2026). 2026 Uplift Latina: 5th Annual Latina Equal Pay Day Forum.

• Institute for Women's Policy Research. (2025). Latinas stand to lose $1.2 million over the course of a career: IWPR report released on the 10th anniversary of Latina Equal Pay Day.

• Latino Donor Collaborative. (2025). 2025 LDC U.S. Latinas Overview.

• Latino Donor Collaborative. (2026). 2025 LDC Impact Report.

• Latino GDP Project. (2026). 2026 U.S. Latino GDP Report.

• Pew Research Center. (2024). Educational and economic differences among Latinas in the U.S. today.

• UCLA Latino Policy & Politics Institute. (2025). Latinas remain lowest-paid group in U.S. workforce, despite historic gains in education.

• U.S. Census Bureau. (2024). Women-owned businesses more likely to have sole owners than male-owned businesses.

• U.S. Census Bureau. (2025). Census Bureau releases new data about characteristics of employer and nonemployer business owners.

• U.S. Census Bureau. (2025). Construction sector had highest number of Hispanic-owned businesses.

October changes the rhythm of the business year. Summer is behind us, companies are deep into fourth-quarter priorities, budgets and talent decisions are taking shape, and the finish line of the calendar year is suddenly visible. It can feel like the beginning of the year-end slowdown, but professionally, October should mean almost the opposite. The beginning of the fourth quarter offers a valuable window to strengthen relationships, increase visibility and create opportunities that can carry into 2027.

That matters in a more cautious labor market. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported 7.1 million job openings in August 2026, alongside approximately 5.2 million hires. When employers become more selective, professional relationships and reputation become increasingly valuable. A résumé explains what you have accomplished, but a trusted colleague, former manager or professional contact can help make sure the right person actually sees it.

October should therefore be treated as a professional fourth-quarter reset. Look back at the goals you established earlier this year. Perhaps you intended to pursue a promotion, learn a new skill, find a mentor, change industries or become more visible within your organization. Entrepreneurs may have planned to win new clients, develop corporate relationships or expand into new markets. Three months may not be enough to reinvent everything, but it is plenty of time to create meaningful momentum.

Professional Development Means Getting Back in the Room

Professional development is increasingly about more than adding credentials. LinkedIn’s 2025 Workplace Learning Report found that 91% of learning and development professionals believe continuous learning is more important than ever for career success, while 49% reported that executives are concerned employees do not possess the skills necessary to execute business strategy. Yet only 36% of organizations qualified as “career development champions” with mature programs supporting employee growth.

That places greater responsibility on professionals to actively manage their careers. A conversation with an executive about how an industry is changing can be professional development. Meeting someone working in a field you want to enter can be professional development. Listening to an entrepreneur explain how she built a company can provide insights that never appear in a course. The strongest professionals continually expand both what they know and who they know.

October provides plenty of opportunities to do exactly that. Conferences, professional forums, industry gatherings and business events create access to people outside your everyday circle. Networking is not about collecting contacts or immediately asking strangers for jobs. It is about becoming visible, exchanging information and developing relationships before you need something from them.

The person you meet this month may not have an opportunity for you today. That same person could remember you when a position opens in January, introduce you to a decision-maker or become a future collaborator. In a cautious employment market, building relationships before opportunities become public can be especially valuable.

For Entrepreneurs, Networking Is Business Development

For entrepreneurs, networking can have an even more direct economic impact. Every room potentially contains customers, referral partners, vendors, advisers or people who can provide an important introduction. The objective is not to aggressively sell to everyone you meet. It is to increase the number of people who understand what your company does and the problem it solves.

That opportunity is particularly significant for Latino entrepreneurs. Stanford research has estimated that Latino entrepreneurs own approximately 4.7 million businesses generating more than $800 billion annually. The Census Bureau reported that Hispanic-owned employer firms alone numbered approximately 496,000 in 2023 and generated $730.3 billion in receipts. Latino economic output has also reached approximately $3.6 trillion, illustrating the scale of a population increasingly influencing entrepreneurship, employment and consumer markets across the country.

Growth, however, still depends heavily on access. Entrepreneurs need customers, contracts, capital, information and relationships. That makes networking more than a social activity. Done strategically, it is business development.

Instead of walking into an October event simply hoping to “meet people,” entrepreneurs should identify what kind of connection would move their businesses forward. The goal might be meeting prospective customers, developing corporate contacts, identifying a strategic partner or connecting with another entrepreneur who has successfully entered a desired market. Having an objective makes networking more productive without making it transactional.

Uplift Latina Puts That Strategy Into Action

Chicago professionals have an immediate opportunity to put that strategy into practice next Wednesday. The 2026 Uplift Latina: 5th Annual Latina Equal Pay Day Forum takes place Wednesday, October 7, from 5:00 to 7:30 p.m. at the woman-owned Level Sporting Club. Presented by HispanicPro on the eve of Latina Equal Pay Day, the gathering brings together Latina professionals, entrepreneurs, business leaders and allies for networking and conversations focused on leadership, financial literacy and long-term prosperity.

The timing carries additional significance. Latinas working full time and year round earn approximately 58 cents for every dollar earned by white, non-Hispanic men. Professional advancement and economic advancement therefore cannot be separated. Building leadership skills matters, but so does understanding how greater income, entrepreneurship and financial knowledge can translate into long-term prosperity.

Uplift Latina will feature conversations on “Latina Leadership: Turning Influence Into Opportunity” and “Financial Literacy: Turning Income Into Long-Term Prosperity,” with perspectives spanning talent acquisition, entrepreneurship, banking, mortgage lending and financial education. Yet some of the evening’s most valuable opportunities may happen outside the formal program. A conversation can lead to a mentor, prospective client, referral, collaborator or introduction that continues long after the event ends. Although the forum centers Latina advancement, it is not women-only. All allies are welcome, including men.

Do Not Wait Until January

Too many professionals postpone ambition until January. They promise themselves they will update their résumé, reconnect with colleagues, attend more events, search for a better opportunity or become more serious about growing their business once the calendar resets. But January rewards people who started building momentum earlier.

October still provides three months to strengthen relationships, increase visibility and enter 2027 with conversations already underway. Choose networking opportunities where the people, industries and ideas align with where you want to go. Arrive prepared to explain what you do, ask thoughtful questions and follow up afterward. Quality matters more than collecting dozens of business cards or LinkedIn connections.

October is not simply the beginning of the end of the year. Professionally, it can be the beginning of what comes next. The relationship developed this month could become next year’s job opportunity, mentor, customer, partnership or introduction. Finishing the year strong starts by continuing to learn, showing up and making sure you are in the room when new relationships begin.

Sources

• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2026). Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey: August 2026. U.S. Department of Labor.

• U.S. Census Bureau. (2025). Census Bureau releases new data about characteristics of employer and nonemployer business owners. U.S. Department of Commerce.

• LinkedIn Learning. (2025). 2025 Workplace Learning Report: The rise of career champions. LinkedIn.

• Orozco, M., Chávez Zárate, R., & Foster, G. (2025). 2024 State of Latino Entrepreneurship. Stanford Graduate School of Business, Stanford Latino Entrepreneurship Initiative.

• Stanford University. (2024). Report gives a richer picture of Latino entrepreneurs. Stanford Report.

• HispanicPro. (2026). 2026 Uplift Latina: 5th Annual Latina Equal Pay Day Forum. HispanicPro Network.

The U.S. Hispanic market is no longer an emerging segment of the American economy. It is one of its most consequential growth engines. The latest Latino Donor Collaborative economic analysis estimates that U.S. Latino economic output reached $4.4 trillion in 2024, which would make it the fourth-largest economy in the world if U.S. Latinos were measured as an independent country. Between 2019 and 2024, that economy expanded at an annualized rate of 5.4%, more than twice the 2.4% rate for the United States overall. Earlier Census data also showed that Hispanics accounted for nearly 71% of total U.S. population growth between 2022 and 2023, underscoring why Latino consumers, workers and entrepreneurs increasingly matter to virtually every major industry.

Entrepreneurship is a particularly important part of that economic story. The U.S. Census Bureau counted approximately 496,000 Hispanic-owned employer businesses in 2023, representing 8.4% of employer firms and generating approximately $730.3 billion in receipts. Stanford researchers have documented an equally important longer-term trend: the number of Latino-owned businesses increased 44% between 2018 and 2023, while their combined revenue increased 36%. More recent Stanford research found that Latino-owned businesses grew faster than white-owned businesses between 2017 and 2023, and in California and Florida they represented more than 55% of net new firms.

But Hispanic entrepreneurship is not distributed evenly across America. Certain markets combine Latino population density, purchasing power, infrastructure, access to international commerce and entrepreneurial culture in ways that create particularly attractive environments for starting and scaling businesses. WalletHub's 2026 analysis of 182 U.S. cities reinforces that geographic concentration: Florida alone captured seven of the top nine positions in its ranking of cities for Hispanic entrepreneurs. At the same time, markets such as Laredo, Albuquerque and Chicago illustrate that there is more than one formula for building a successful Hispanic entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Miami-Fort Lauderdale: The Capital of Cross-Border Hispanic Enterprise

Few places illustrate the scale of Hispanic economic influence as clearly as South Florida. WalletHub ranked Pembroke Pines No. 1, Fort Lauderdale No. 2 and Miami No. 4 nationally for Hispanic entrepreneurs in 2026. Miami ranked first in Hispanic business friendliness, while Fort Lauderdale tied for the nation's highest Hispanic entrepreneurship rate. Approximately 71.5% of Miami's population is Hispanic or Latino, and 57.7% of residents are foreign-born, creating an unusually international marketplace in which bilingual and bicultural business capabilities are often commercial advantages rather than niche attributes.

That makes the greater Miami-Fort Lauderdale region especially compelling for businesses that can move easily between U.S. and Latin American markets. Fintech, international banking, real estate technology, logistics, professional services, e-commerce and premium consumer brands all fit naturally into an ecosystem built around international capital and commerce. The opportunity extends beyond selling specifically to Hispanic consumers. Miami increasingly gives Hispanic founders a platform from which to build companies capable of serving the United States, Latin America and global markets simultaneously.

Orlando: Population Growth Meets Entrepreneurship

Orlando has evolved far beyond its reputation as a tourism economy. WalletHub ranked the city No. 3 nationally for Hispanic entrepreneurs in 2026, with nearly 19% of businesses in the study identified as Hispanic-owned. WalletHub also found Orlando's Hispanic population had increased by more than 23% over five years. Census estimates place Orlando's total population at nearly 334,000 in 2025, an 8.4% increase from its 2020 population base, while Hispanics account for 35.4% of residents.

The city's broader economic numbers help explain its entrepreneurial potential. Orlando recorded nearly $14.9 billion in retail sales, approximately $9.5 billion in health care and social assistance revenue, more than $5.3 billion in transportation and warehousing revenue and roughly $4.1 billion in accommodation and food-service sales in 2022. That combination makes Orlando fertile territory for hospitality technology, digital media, e-commerce, health services, education technology and consumer startups. Its strength lies not simply in demographic growth, but in the convergence of a growing Hispanic customer base with a rapidly expanding metropolitan economy.

Laredo: Where Hispanic Entrepreneurship Meets Global Trade

Laredo offers a fundamentally different proposition. This is not primarily a consumer-market story; it is a trade and infrastructure story. The city is 95.1% Hispanic or Latino, making Hispanic entrepreneurship integral to the economic structure of the community rather than a specialized segment within it. WalletHub ranked Laredo No. 10 nationally for Hispanic entrepreneurs in 2026 and placed it among the country's leaders for the share of businesses that are Hispanic-owned.

The numbers reveal where the opportunity lies. Census data show Laredo generated nearly $5.4 billion in transportation and warehousing revenue in 2022, alongside approximately $4.8 billion in retail sales. Its population has also continued expanding, reaching an estimated 269,515 in 2025, up 5.6% from its 2020 population base. For entrepreneurs working in logistics automation, transportation, cross-border payments, customs technology, supply-chain analytics and B2B trade software, Laredo offers something difficult to replicate elsewhere: an enormous real-world laboratory built around U.S.-Mexico commerce.

Tampa: A Sun Belt Market Moving Up the Rankings

Tampa represents another dimension of Florida's Hispanic business boom. WalletHub ranked the city No. 8 nationally for Hispanic entrepreneurs in 2026 and sixth in Hispanic business friendliness. Tampa's overall population reached an estimated 413,554 in 2025, representing growth of 7.3% from its 2020 population base. That expansion is occurring within one of the country's fastest-developing Sun Belt business corridors.

For Hispanic founders, Tampa's advantage is diversification. Financial services, health care, professional services, technology and consumer businesses can operate in a region that provides access to Florida's expanding population without depending on a single dominant industry. Opportunities in health technology, digital wellness, financial services, AI-enabled professional services and B2B software are particularly relevant as Latino entrepreneurs move into more technology-intensive sectors. Stanford's 2026 entrepreneurship research found that 26% of Latino-owned businesses surveyed operate in technology-centric sectors, challenging the outdated assumption that Hispanic entrepreneurship is concentrated primarily in restaurants, construction and neighborhood retail.

Albuquerque: Affordability, Culture And An Underestimated Market

Albuquerque rarely receives the national entrepreneurial attention of Miami or Chicago, but its demographics make it impossible to dismiss. Hispanics represent 47.7% of Albuquerque's population, while New Mexico overall is 49.4% Hispanic or Latino. Albuquerque had an estimated population of approximately 556,600 in 2025 and recorded more than $13.2 billion in retail sales in 2022. WalletHub ranked the city No. 14 nationally for Hispanic entrepreneurs and ninth for Hispanic business friendliness in 2026.

Albuquerque's competitive proposition is different from that of rapidly expanding Florida metros. Housing and operating costs remain comparatively accessible, while the city's deep Hispanic cultural roots provide entrepreneurs with a large established market. The combination can be particularly attractive for creative businesses, tourism technology, food and consumer products, clean energy, agricultural technology and professional services. Albuquerque demonstrates an important lesson for founders: the best entrepreneurial market is not always the largest one. Lower operating costs and cultural familiarity can sometimes provide an early-stage company with more room to experiment, establish customer loyalty and preserve capital.

Chicago: Scale, Density And A Powerful Hispanic Consumer Market

Chicago illustrates why national rankings cannot tell the entire entrepreneurial story. The city does not appear near the top of WalletHub's 2026 overall ranking, yet its sheer economic scale creates opportunities that smaller markets cannot duplicate. Chicago had approximately 2.73 million residents in 2025, and Hispanics account for 29.7% of the city's population. In practical terms, that translates into an enormous Hispanic consumer, workforce and entrepreneurial base embedded within one of America's largest metropolitan economies.

Chicago's strength also comes from concentration. Neighborhood business corridors in communities such as Pilsen and Little Village provide entrepreneurs with dense consumer markets where new concepts can build awareness and loyalty before expanding across the metropolitan area or nationally. At the same time, Chicago's established corporate ecosystem creates opportunities for Hispanic-owned companies in professional services, technology, finance, food manufacturing, logistics and B2B services. For founders capable of connecting neighborhood-level consumer understanding with enterprise-scale technology and corporate relationships, Chicago offers a particularly compelling bridge between community entrepreneurship and national growth.

The Next Hispanic Startup May Not Look Like The Last One

Perhaps the biggest mistake businesses and investors can make is assuming that the next generation of Hispanic entrepreneurship will resemble the previous one. Stanford's latest research found that Latino-owned businesses have more than doubled their use of artificial intelligence since 2024, while nearly half operate internationally. Latino entrepreneurs were also more likely than white entrepreneurs to report considering acquisitions as a growth strategy, 38% versus 26%. Latino-owned construction businesses grew 86% between 2017 and 2023, compared with just 2% growth among white-owned construction businesses, demonstrating that even historically strong sectors are evolving alongside technology and infrastructure investment.

There is still a significant obstacle between entrepreneurial ambition and capital. Stanford found that Latino-owned companies received less than 2% of U.S. venture capital funding in 2025, despite roughly one in four Latino-owned firms in its survey operating in technology. Latino entrepreneurs were also more likely to seek financing from multiple sources and less likely to receive the full amount requested, with the largest financing disparities appearing among companies seeking $1 million or more. Those gaps suggest that America's Hispanic entrepreneurship story is not simply about how many companies are being created. The larger economic question is how many promising Latino-owned companies can obtain the capital, customers and institutional relationships necessary to scale.

That is why geography matters. Miami-Fort Lauderdale provides international connectivity and capital. Orlando combines population growth with a diversified consumer economy. Laredo sits directly inside one of North America's most important trade corridors. Tampa offers Sun Belt growth and corporate infrastructure. Albuquerque combines cultural depth with comparatively manageable operating costs. Chicago offers density, corporate access and the scale of a major global city. They are very different markets, but together they demonstrate how widely the geography of Hispanic entrepreneurship is expanding.

The larger message for corporate America, investors and economic-development leaders is difficult to ignore. Hispanic entrepreneurship should no longer be treated primarily as a diversity story or a specialized multicultural-market strategy. With $4.4 trillion in economic output, hundreds of thousands of employer businesses, accelerating technology adoption and a population that continues to reshape the American workforce and consumer marketplace, Hispanic enterprise is increasingly part of the country's mainstream growth strategy. The question is no longer whether Latino entrepreneurs will influence the next chapter of the U.S. economy. It is which cities, industries and investors will recognize the opportunity early enough to grow alongside them.

Sources

• Latino Donor Collaborative. (2026). The 2026 LDC U.S. Latino Economic Impact Report: Part One. Los Angeles, CA: Latino Donor Collaborative and W. P. Carey School of Business, Arizona State University.

• McCann, A. (2026). Best Cities for Hispanic Entrepreneurs in 2026. WalletHub.

• Stanford Latino Entrepreneurship Initiative. (2026). 2025 State of Latino Entrepreneurship. Stanford Graduate School of Business and Latino Business Action Network.

• Steen, M. (2026). How Latino business owners are navigating growth, AI, and inflation. Stanford University.

• Stanford Latino Entrepreneurship Initiative. (2025). 2024 State of Latino Entrepreneurship. Stanford Graduate School of Business and Latino Business Action Network.

• U.S. Census Bureau. (2025). Annual Business Survey: Characteristics of employer and nonemployer business owners. U.S. Department of Commerce.

• U.S. Census Bureau. (2026). QuickFacts: Albuquerque city, New Mexico. U.S. Department of Commerce.

• U.S. Census Bureau. (2026). QuickFacts: Chicago city, Illinois. U.S. Department of Commerce.

• U.S. Census Bureau. (2026). QuickFacts: Laredo city, Texas. U.S. Department of Commerce.

• U.S. Census Bureau. (2026). QuickFacts: Miami city, Florida. U.S. Department of Commerce.

• U.S. Census Bureau. (2026). QuickFacts: Orlando city, Florida. U.S. Department of Commerce.

• U.S. Census Bureau. (2026). QuickFacts: Tampa city, Florida. U.S. Department of Commerce.

There is a particular kind of workplace frustration that goes beyond an annoying colleague or difficult manager. You contribute the idea, solve the problem, make the introduction, build the presentation or step in to help rescue a project. Then, when the work succeeds and leadership starts paying attention, someone else tells the story as though you were barely involved. In some cases, they deny your contribution altogether.

There is a name for this behavior: knowledge theft. Researchers define it as intentionally claiming unjustifiable ownership of another person's ideas or work. It can involve stealing an idea outright, but it can also be subtler: presenting collaborative work as an individual accomplishment, omitting a colleague's contribution when speaking to management or rewriting the history of a project after it succeeds.

The behavior is more common than many professionals might assume. Research led by University of Toronto professor David Zweig examined more than 1,500 workers across seven samples in the United States, United Kingdom and Canada. In one study, 91% of participants reported having experienced knowledge theft, witnessed it or engaged in it themselves. The researchers also found that people who experienced knowledge theft became more inclined to hide knowledge, remain silent when colleagues requested information and engage in other counterproductive behaviors. In other words, stealing credit does not simply irritate one employee. It can gradually make an entire organization less collaborative.

That helps explain why credit stealing generates such a strong reaction. A 2026 FlexJobs Workplace Culture Report surveying 2,142 U.S. workers found that 65% identified coworkers taking credit for someone else's work as their biggest workplace "ick." It ranked above micromanaging, cited by 57%; gossiping, 54%; favoritism, 49%; and talking over colleagues, 41%. Employees appear willing to tolerate plenty of workplace annoyances, but watching someone else collect recognition for work they did crosses a particularly sensitive line.

Why Credit Matters More Than Ego

It is tempting to dismiss disputes over credit as bruised egos. In reality, professional recognition functions as a form of career currency. Managers make decisions about promotions, assignments, raises and leadership opportunities partly by evaluating who produces results. If the record of who generated those results becomes distorted, the consequences can extend well beyond hurt feelings.

Recognition is also closely connected to retention and engagement. Gallup and Workhuman tracked nearly 3,500 employees between 2022 and 2024 and found that employees receiving high-quality recognition were 45% less likely to have changed organizations two years later. Gallup has separately found that when recognition is done well, employees are five times as likely to feel connected to their organization's culture and four times as likely to be engaged.

Those numbers are especially relevant in a workplace where engagement is already fragile. Gallup reported that only 31% of U.S. employees were engaged at work during the first half of 2026, while 18% were actively disengaged. Globally, employee engagement stood at just 20% in 2025. In the United States and Canada, half of employees reported experiencing significant daily stress. Against that backdrop, allowing employees to watch other people receive recognition for their contributions is hardly a trivial management issue.

Credit also compounds over time. The employee who repeatedly receives public recognition may become management's obvious choice for the next high-profile assignment. That assignment creates another accomplishment, which strengthens the employee's case for promotion. Meanwhile, the person whose contribution disappeared from the original story may appear less accomplished despite having done equally valuable work. What looks like a small acknowledgment problem can eventually become a career opportunity problem.

Why People Steal Credit

Not every disagreement over ownership constitutes deliberate theft. Modern projects frequently involve overlapping responsibilities, informal brainstorming and collaboration across teams. Two employees can genuinely remember their contributions differently. Professionals should therefore be cautious about interpreting every omitted acknowledgment as malicious.

Repeated behavior, however, deserves closer attention. When someone consistently minimizes colleagues' contributions while maximizing their own, the issue is no longer simply poor memory. It becomes a pattern of professional positioning.

Competition can make that behavior worse. When promotions, bonuses, visibility or job security appear scarce, employees may begin treating recognition as a zero-sum resource: If you receive more credit, they believe there is less available for them. That mentality can turn otherwise collaborative workplaces into environments where employees hoard information, protect territory and carefully manage how leadership perceives them.

Research into broader workplace sabotage illustrates how widespread that mentality can become. A Resume Now survey of more than 1,000 U.S. workers found that 61% said they had been thrown under the bus by a colleague, including 32% who said it had happened multiple times. Another 63% had witnessed the behavior, and 29% reported seeing it at least weekly. Peers were identified as the most common offenders by 64% of respondents, followed by teammates at 37% and direct managers at 26%.

The irony is that these behaviors ultimately undermine the environment employees need to succeed. Knowledge-driven organizations depend upon people voluntarily sharing expertise, ideas and information. If employees learn that helping a coworker creates the possibility that the coworker will later claim the achievement, withholding assistance can begin to feel rational. The individual protects himself or herself, but the organization loses access to valuable knowledge.

That is precisely what the University of Toronto-led research found. Victims of knowledge theft reported becoming more protective and territorial about their work. They were more likely to hide knowledge and remain silent when colleagues sought help. Some of those behaviors even followed employees into subsequent jobs. One person's credit grab can therefore produce a much longer chain reaction of distrust.

The Documentation Advantage

The most effective defense against credit theft is usually not confrontation. It is visibility.

Professionals should create a routine paper trail around meaningful work, particularly when responsibilities cross departments or involve colleagues with a history of claiming disproportionate credit. That does not mean copying senior executives on every email or turning routine interactions into legal briefs. It means making ownership and collaboration naturally visible through normal business communication.

After an important meeting, for example, send a concise recap documenting decisions, responsibilities and next steps. When completing your portion of a project, communicate the deliverable rather than quietly dropping it into a shared folder. Maintain copies of relevant emails, presentations, project plans and collaborative documents. Where appropriate, use project-management systems that clearly identify task owners and contributors.

This matters because the modern workplace already struggles with unclear ownership. Asana research involving more than 10,000 knowledge workers has found that employees can spend approximately 60% of their time on "work about work" rather than skilled work. That includes searching for information, chasing updates, managing changing priorities and coordinating tasks. Clear documentation therefore serves two purposes: It protects professional contributions while also reducing organizational ambiguity.

Documentation should not look defensive. The goal is not to build a secret case against colleagues. It is to establish an accurate record of accomplishments before anyone has an opportunity to rewrite them.

For Hispanic Professionals, Humility Can Become a Career Blind Spot

For many Hispanic professionals, taking credit can present an additional cultural tension. Hispanic and Latino workers are certainly not a monolithic group, and individual attitudes vary enormously by family, country of origin, generation and experience. Still, research has identified values involving interdependence, humility and concern for collective well-being across segments of Hispanic and Latin American cultures. Those characteristics can be enormous professional strengths because they encourage relationship-building, loyalty and collaboration. They can also create a vulnerability in workplaces where individual visibility is heavily rewarded.

Many of us grew up hearing some variation of a familiar message: Work hard. Stay humble. Let your work speak for itself. When a project succeeds, the instinct may be to say, "It was a team effort," rather than, "I led this," "I developed the strategy" or "That was my idea." There is nothing wrong with recognizing the team. Strong leaders should share credit. The problem comes when you repeatedly give away your own contribution while someone else has no hesitation about claiming theirs, and perhaps yours as well.

There is evidence that recognition experiences are not equal across demographic groups. Gallup and Workhuman research involving more than 7,500 U.S. employees found that only 21% of Hispanic employees strongly agreed they received recognition comparable to colleagues delivering similar performance, compared with 28% of White employees. Another Gallup analysis found that only 27% of Hispanic employees strongly agreed that recognition at their workplace was fair and equitable, compared with 34% of White employees. Employees who strongly believed recognition was equitable were also six times more likely to strongly agree that their organization was committed to developing everyone's strengths.

Earlier LinkedIn and YouGov research found that 60% of Latino professionals surveyed said they had felt overlooked or intentionally passed over for career advancement opportunities because of their race or ethnicity. Among Latino professionals considering leaving their employer, 54% cited a lack of recognition or acknowledgment for their work as a reason. Those findings should not be attributed simply to cultural humility. Organizational bias, management practices, unequal access to influential networks and sponsorship can also affect advancement. But the numbers reinforce an important career lesson: Professionals cannot always assume that excellent work will automatically be noticed, attributed correctly and rewarded.

The answer is not abandoning humility or becoming the loudest person in the room. It is learning the difference between self-promotion and self-advocacy. You can say, "Our team delivered a strong result, and I was proud to lead the strategy," without diminishing anyone else's contribution. You can say, "Maria managed the client relationship while I developed the analysis and recommendations." You can recognize the collective achievement while clearly identifying what you contributed to it.

This distinction becomes increasingly important as Hispanic professionals pursue management and executive leadership opportunities. Collaboration, humility and loyalty can remain central to how you work and lead, but they should not require professional invisibility. Keep saying, "We did this." Just become equally comfortable explaining what you did within that "we." Making your contribution visible is not bragging. It is career management.

Learn To Communicate Your Own Contributions

Many capable professionals are uncomfortable discussing their accomplishments because they fear appearing self-promotional. That instinct can become a disadvantage when working alongside colleagues who have no such hesitation.

There is a difference between boasting and communicating results. Instead of saying, "I deserve credit for this," professionals can describe contributions factually: "I developed the initial analysis and worked with Maria on the final recommendation." Another useful formulation is, "After identifying the issue last month, I created the revised process, and the team helped implement it." These statements acknowledge collaboration while making individual contribution unmistakable.

Regular manager updates can accomplish the same thing. A concise weekly or monthly summary of completed projects, measurable results, current priorities and upcoming objectives gives a manager an ongoing picture of performance. When promotion or compensation discussions eventually arrive, neither employee nor manager has to reconstruct months of accomplishments from memory.

The same principle applies to performance reviews. Maintain an accomplishment file throughout the year containing revenue generated, money saved, clients retained, projects delivered, efficiencies created, positive feedback and measurable outcomes. Waiting until annual review season to remember everything you accomplished gives other people's narratives too much influence over your professional record.

What To Do When Someone Already Took the Credit

When credit has already been taken, resist the temptation to launch an emotional confrontation. Begin by determining exactly what happened and gathering evidence. Review emails, messages, presentations, meeting notes, document histories and project-management records. Separate what you can prove from what you suspect.

Then decide whether the incident warrants correction. A minor omission during a casual conversation may not justify escalation. A colleague falsely claiming sole ownership of a major project in front of leadership probably does.

When correcting the record, focus on facts rather than accusations. Instead of telling a manager, "She stole my work," explain your actual role: "I wanted to clarify my contribution to the project because I developed the original proposal, completed the analysis and worked with the team through implementation." The distinction matters. One approach sounds like an interpersonal dispute; the other establishes a professional record.

It may also be appropriate to address the coworker directly. The conversation does not have to be combative. A clear statement that you noticed your contribution was omitted, followed by an expectation that future presentations accurately reflect everyone's work, establishes a boundary without creating unnecessary drama.

If the behavior continues after that conversation, the issue changes. A repeated pattern supported by documentation may warrant discussion with a manager or human resources, particularly when it affects performance evaluations, compensation, promotions or professional reputation.

Managers Have A Responsibility Too

Credit stealing should not be treated exclusively as an employee conflict. Managers shape the incentives that either encourage or discourage it.

Leaders can ask simple questions when successful work is presented: Who contributed? Who developed the original idea? Who executed each component? Who helped solve the difficult problems? Those questions make it harder for one employee to monopolize a team's accomplishments.

Researchers studying knowledge theft have also suggested that organizations consider rewarding teams rather than relying exclusively on individual recognition. That does not mean individual performance should disappear. It means organizations should avoid creating systems in which employees believe the only route to advancement is convincing leadership that every success belongs exclusively to them.

The business case is significant. Gallup estimates that replacing a leader or manager can cost approximately 200% of that employee's salary, while replacing technical employees can cost about 80% and frontline employees roughly 40%. Gallup and Workhuman also found that employees receiving high-quality recognition were substantially less likely to leave. Fair attribution, therefore, is not merely a courtesy. It is part of talent retention.

Protect Your Work Without Becoming Territorial

The danger after experiencing credit theft is becoming so protective that collaboration stops altogether. That response is understandable, but it can ultimately damage your own reputation and effectiveness.

The better strategy is documented generosity. Continue sharing ideas. Continue helping colleagues. Continue collaborating across departments. But make those contributions visible through professional communication and clear project ownership.

Your goal should not be to win every argument over who deserves the most praise. It should be to create a professional record strong enough that your work speaks for itself. Visibility, documentation and measurable results are more durable than office politics.

Credit stealing succeeds most easily when contributions are invisible. Make yours visible without losing the collaborative values that made you successful in the first place.

Sources

• Asana. (2026). How work about work gets in the way of real work. Asana.

• Bistricky, S. L., et al. (2024). Self-other balance in context: A quiet ego may be meaningful and adaptive in Latinx/Hispanic cultures and work settings. Psychological Reports, 127.

• FlexJobs. (2026). Workplace Culture Report: 65% say stealing credit is #1 workplace ick. FlexJobs.

• Gallup. (2022). Are you playing favorites with employee recognition? Gallup.

• Gallup. (2022). Level the playing field for development with fair recognition. Gallup.

• Gallup. (2026). Employee engagement remains flat as AI adoption accelerates. Gallup.

• Gallup. (2026). State of the Global Workplace: 2026 regional and country data. Gallup.

• Gallup & Workhuman. (2024). Recognition and retention: New evidence of recognition's long-term impact. Gallup and Workhuman.

• LinkedIn. (2021). Dismantling barriers to career advancement for Latinos. LinkedIn.

• Resume Now. (2025). Dirty Moves in the Workplace Report: Survey reveals widespread workplace culture of blame-shifting. Resume Now.

• Salvador, C. E., et al. (2026). Self-enhancement in Latin America: Is it linked to interdependence? Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 52(6), 1432–1443.

• Zweig, D., Damp, A., & Scott, K. A. (2025). It's mine but you took it: Knowledge theft as a barrier to organizational knowledge management efforts. Journal of Knowledge Management, 29(6), 1835–1856.

• Zweig, D., Scott, K. A., Damp, A., & Paquin, T. (2026). Mitigating the toxic experience of knowledge theft: An exploration of interventions. Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, 99(1).

A plastic cup filled with cold brew, ice and perhaps a splash of oat milk has somehow become the latest symbol of generational warfare in the workplace. The question sounds almost absurdly simple: Is it appropriate to bring an iced coffee into a job interview? Yet a viral debate that erupted after recruiter Caitlin Wehniainen advised candidates, particularly Gen Z applicants, to finish their coffee before walking into an interview has generated hundreds of thousands of views and commentary across the business media. What looks like an argument about caffeine is actually a much larger conversation about professionalism, first impressions and the unwritten rules that continue to shape who gets hired.

The safest answer for job seekers is also the least exciting: leave the iced coffee outside. Not because drinking coffee says anything meaningful about your ability to perform a job, but because a job interview is one of those rare situations where eliminating unnecessary variables works to your advantage. If you have spent hours tailoring a résumé, researching a company and preparing answers, there is little reason to introduce a $7 beverage as another factor for someone to judge.

That calculation matters in a labor market where candidates cannot necessarily afford to squander an interview. The Federal Reserve Bank of New York reported that unemployment among recent college graduates remained around 5.6% through the second quarter of 2026, while approximately 42% were underemployed, meaning they were working in jobs that typically do not require a college degree. The National Association of Colleges and Employers initially projected only a 1.6% increase in hiring for the Class of 2026, although its spring update improved that forecast to 5.6%. In other words, opportunities exist, but competition remains real, particularly for professionals trying to establish themselves early in their careers.

The Coffee Is Not Really The Problem

The argument against bringing iced coffee to an interview is not that coffee is inherently unprofessional. Millions of executives, recruiters and hiring managers walk into their offices every morning carrying coffee. The distinction is context. An employee arriving at work and an applicant arriving for a 45-minute evaluation are operating under different circumstances. One already belongs in the workplace; the other is attempting to demonstrate how they would represent themselves within it.

That is essentially the argument Wehniainen made when the debate went viral. From her perspective as a recruiter with 16 years of experience, arriving with an iced coffee can make an interview appear to be another stop during a day of errands rather than an appointment that warranted preparation. Other recruiting professionals have pushed back, arguing that beverage choice has virtually nothing to do with someone's qualifications. Both positions reveal something important: there is no universal corporate rule against iced coffee. The problem for applicants is that they generally do not know which interpretation the person sitting across the table holds.

That uncertainty makes the decision remarkably easy from a career strategy perspective. Bringing the coffee offers almost no professional advantage, while leaving it behind costs virtually nothing. You may think the interviewer should not care. You may even be right. But an interview is usually not the best moment to conduct an experiment to determine whether your future manager agrees with you.

First Impressions Are Imperfect, But They Are Powerful

Hiring managers should evaluate candidates on experience, skills, judgment and their ability to perform the job. Human beings, unfortunately, are not perfectly objective assessment machines. Research published in the Journal of Applied Psychology found that impressions developed during the initial rapport-building portion of an interview can influence how interviewers subsequently evaluate candidates' answers. Separate research examining mock interviews similarly found a strong relationship between initial impressions and later evaluations, even after controlling for job qualifications.

That does not mean an iced latte will cost someone a career. It does mean candidates should recognize how quickly seemingly irrelevant information can enter the evaluation process. Appearance, eye contact, posture, punctuality, communication style and the way someone interacts with a receptionist can all contribute to an overall impression before the substantive interview has fully begun. Indeed's interview guidance similarly identifies appearance and body language among the first things an interviewer encounters when assessing a candidate.

The coffee adds another visual and logistical element to an interaction that already contains plenty of them. There is the condensation on the cup, the possibility of a wet handshake, the rattling ice, the straw, the question of where to put the drink and the possibility of leaving a water ring on a conference table. None of these things determine whether someone can manage a budget, write software or lead a sales team. But none of them helps demonstrate those abilities either.

Gen Z Is Entering The Interview With An Existing Perception Problem

This is where the debate becomes more consequential than beverage etiquette. Younger workers are not entering interviews on a completely neutral playing field. Some hiring managers already hold negative perceptions about Gen Z professionalism, whether those perceptions are fair, exaggerated or based on limited experiences.

A 2026 ResumeTemplates.com survey found that 56% of hiring managers surveyed had encountered Gen Z candidates they considered unprepared during interviews, while 51% reported poor communication skills and 47% cited inappropriate attire. Another 41% reported encountering what they considered a general lack of professionalism, 38% cited lateness and 30% reported distraction. Perhaps most strikingly, 16% said they had witnessed a Gen Z candidate use a phone during an interview, while 11% reported candidates arriving with a parent, partner or friend.

Other ResumeTemplates.com research underscores how heavily employers say they value behavioral signals during hiring. When asked how younger candidates can demonstrate soft skills, 41% of hiring managers cited good communication, 36% cited professionalism and 27% pointed to punctuality. Half said they had interviewed Gen Z applicants who were distracted or avoided eye contact, while 49% reported encountering candidates who arrived late.

Those findings should not be interpreted as proof that an entire generation lacks professionalism. Survey responses measure employers' reported experiences and perceptions, not an objective characteristic of millions of young workers. Generational stereotypes can themselves introduce bias into hiring. But that is precisely why applicants should understand the environment they are entering. If an interviewer already carries assumptions about younger workers being overly casual, distracted or unfamiliar with traditional workplace etiquette, walking through the door sipping an iced caramel macchiato may unintentionally reinforce a stereotype before the candidate has had an opportunity to dismantle it.

Professionalism Is Changing, And That Is Part Of The Conflict

Gen Z's defense of the iced coffee also deserves consideration because workplace norms genuinely have changed. Tattoos, sneakers, visible piercings, casual clothing, remote interviews and unconventional hairstyles that might once have been considered career-limiting are increasingly ordinary in many workplaces. Even long-standing practices such as handwritten thank-you notes have largely given way to email. An employee working for a technology startup may encounter a radically different definition of professionalism than someone interviewing at an investment bank, law firm or conservative corporate headquarters.

That helps explain why the coffee debate became so heated. For many younger professionals, carrying a beverage is not a statement at all. It is simply part of everyday life. For some established managers, however, the interview remains a formal professional ritual in which candidates are expected to temporarily elevate their behavior above the everyday. Neither side is actually arguing about espresso. They are arguing about whether professionalism should be defined by traditional rituals or primarily by competence and results.

Employers also have responsibilities here. Hiring decisions should not become etiquette competitions in which candidates lose opportunities because they failed to decipher obscure cultural rules. The Society for Human Resource Management has emphasized the value of structured interviews because standardized questions and job-related criteria can reduce the influence of unconscious bias. SHRM has also noted research showing that impressions formed within the opening seconds of an interview can affect outcomes, one reason organizations should be cautious about allowing appearance, personality or other peripheral characteristics to overshadow evidence of whether someone can actually perform the job.

The Interview Goes Both Ways

There is another side to this conversation that hiring managers should not ignore: candidates are evaluating them, too. An organization that becomes excessively preoccupied with whether an applicant carried a coffee may inadvertently communicate something about its culture. A talented candidate might reasonably wonder whether a workplace obsessed with minor etiquette rules will be equally rigid about communication styles, dress codes or everyday autonomy.

Candidate experience has measurable consequences. LinkedIn Talent Solutions has reported that 83% of candidates say a negative interview experience can change their opinion of a company or role they previously liked, while 87% say a positive experience can make them reconsider an opportunity about which they initially had doubts. Earlier LinkedIn research found that 77% of professionals considered the overall interview experience very or extremely important when deciding whether to join an organization.

The smartest employers therefore will not use an iced coffee as a proxy for competence. They will evaluate preparation, communication, relevant experience, judgment and the candidate's ability to solve the problems associated with the role. At the same time, smart candidates will recognize that an interview is a temporary environment in which small details can influence perception. Both realities can be true simultaneously.

So, Should You Bring The Iced Coffee?

Probably not. Drink it beforehand, throw away the cup and walk into the interview with your résumé, portfolio or whatever materials are actually relevant to getting the job. If the interviewer offers water or coffee, accepting it is perfectly normal because the beverage has now become part of the meeting rather than something you carried in from your previous stop.

More importantly, arrive early. Silence your phone. Research the company. Understand the position. Prepare specific examples demonstrating what you have accomplished. Make eye contact, engage everyone you encounter professionally and come prepared with intelligent questions. If you are interviewing virtually, eliminate distractions, test your technology and treat the conversation with the same seriousness you would an in-person meeting. These behaviors will matter considerably more than what you ordered at Starbucks.

The larger lesson from "Coffeegate" is not that younger workers need to surrender to every traditional workplace convention, nor that experienced hiring managers need to abandon every expectation of professional etiquette. It is that interviews remain exercises in perception as well as qualification. Until hiring becomes perfectly objective, candidates must navigate both.

You can challenge workplace conventions after you understand them. You can help modernize what professionalism looks like once you are inside the organization. But when you have finally landed an interview for a job you genuinely want, there is little strategic value in making a cup of iced coffee part of your first impression.

Finish it before you walk through the door. Then make sure the interviewer remembers you, not your latte.

Sources

• Barrick, M. R., Dustin, S. L., Giluk, T. L., Stewart, G. L., Shaffer, J. A., & Swider, B. W. (2012). Candidate characteristics driving initial impressions during rapport building: Implications for employment interview validity. Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, 85(2), 330–352.

• Carpenter, J. (2026, September 24). What recruiters say: The shifting do's and don'ts of job interviews. The Washington Post.

• Indeed Editorial Team. (2026, June 16). 20 things hiring managers consider during an interview. Indeed.

• LinkedIn Talent Solutions. (2015). Global talent trends: The interview experience and its impact on candidates. LinkedIn.

• National Association of Colleges and Employers. (2025). Job Outlook 2026. NACE.

• National Association of Colleges and Employers. (2026). Job Outlook 2026: Spring update. NACE.

• Federal Reserve Bank of New York. (2026). The labor market for recent college graduates: 2026 Q2 quarterly highlights. Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

• ResumeTemplates.com. (2026). 1 in 6 hiring managers report Gen Z candidates using their phones mid-interview. ResumeTemplates.com.

• ResumeTemplates.com. (2026). 2 in 3 hiring managers are more likely to hire Gen Zers with soft skills over college degrees. ResumeTemplates.com.

• Society for Human Resource Management. (2026). Eliminating biases in hiring: Structured interviewing and AI solutions. SHRM.

• Swider, B. W., Barrick, M. R., & Harris, T. B. (2016). Initial impressions: What they are, what they are not, and how they influence structured interview outcomes. Journal of Applied Psychology, 101(5), 625–638.

• Wehniainen, C. (2026). Interview etiquette commentary regarding iced coffee and job candidates, as reported in The Washington Post, People, Fortune and other national media.