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In a world that seems custom-made for those with outgoing personalities, attending networking events as an introvert may seem like a nerve-wracking experience, but it doesn't have to be. Introverts can have as many professional advantages as their extroverted counterparts, even when it comes to meeting new people.

The basic definition of networking is expanding your circle of contacts and nurturing mutually beneficial relationships. Start with these five tips:

Make a plan. Prepare a few conversation-starters to get the ball rolling when meeting someone new. Ask questions such as, "How long have you been in the oil and gas industry?" or, "Where did you originally meet our host?" Asking open ended questions has the added benefit of putting the focus on the other person. Most people enjoy talking about themselves and it positions you as being interested and engaged -- both positive networking tools. READ MORE

Your network is your net worth. It is a source of knowledge, job opportunities, potential business partnerships, future hires and so much more. Networking won’t only help you find your next job, but it will help you improve within your current position. In short, your power is derived from and amplified by your network.

One of the world’s most successful tennis stars; a pop singer from the 90s making her comeback; the beauty director at a major national consumer magazine for teenagers; the son of a former Pennsylvania governor; executives at a major personal computing company — these are some of the people I count among my network. READ MORE

Spring is the season for cleaning up, clearing out and starting fresh. It's also a great time for job seekers to ramp up their search efforts and finally land the position of their dreams.

A new batch of college students will be graduating soon, which means that companies are seeking applicants for both entry-level jobs and the higher-level positions needed to supervise those new employees. If you want to compete, it's important to make sure your résumé is current when it comes to both personal information and style. READ MORE

Square, the payments processing start-up, is looking for new users for its credit card device among the US’s growing Latino community.

The company, co-founded by Twitter’s Jack Dorsey, is today unveiling Spanish language support and software in hopes of tapping into the purchasing power of America’s more than 50m Latinos.

US consumer goods and media companies have long wisened up to the purchasing power of the country’s Spanish-speaking population, but tech start-ups have not tended to target that demographic. READ MORE

In some regards, UC Berkeley Ph.D. student Anastasia Chavez’s story should be commonplace: After graduating from college, the first in her family to get a college degree, Chavez went for her master’s degree at the behest of a “pretty amazing mentor” while marrying and starting a family.
Epitomizing the uniqueness of her story and ubiquitous problem facing universities across the country is the fact that this Latina student arrived at UC Berkeley’s math department among 161 Ph.D. students, 30 of which were women and six Chicano/Latino. READ MORE

A conference can be a great place to strike up a new business relationship, but it can also be stressful to walk into a room full of strangers and make meaningful connections.

That’s why it’s important to understand some key principals of networking before showing up for an event armed only with business cards, a firm handshake and a smile. READ MORE

The Hispanic market will represent $1.5 trillion in purchasing power by 2015 and 30% of the U.S. population by 2050. Business leaders who are contemplating how to reach such an enormous market segment, especially through their digital presence, often ask me the same question: “Do we really need Spanish, or can we get by with just English?”

A study from the Pew Hispanic Center shows that 82% of Latino adults in the U.S. speak Spanish, and 95% believe it’s important for future generations to continue to do so. Likewise, the National Hispanic Consumer Study found that advertising in Spanish can boost both advertising effectiveness and customer loyalty. READ MORE

The economy is now picking up, it’s official. So why is it that work is still grim? You are shouldering the burden of the last redundancy programme or the recruitment freeze, everything you do is scrutinised critically, and budgets are still tight.

Time to get a new job. Here aThe economy is now picking up, it’s official. So why is it that work is still grim? You are shouldering the burden of the last redundancy programme or the recruitment freeze, everything you do is scrutinised critically, and budgets are still tight.

Time to get a new job. Here are a few tips to help put a smile back on your face. READ MORE

Researchers at NYU’s College of Nursing recently released a study analyzing Latina women in America and their likelihood to develop prediabetes and diabetes.

Professors Shiela Strauss, Sherry Deren and Mary Rosedale conducted the study by analyzing data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. The professors, with the help of others, examined the proportion of women from different racial groups who experienced high glucose levels that would make them susceptible to developing diabetes.

According to the study, around 5.5 million Latinas have developed elevated fasting plasma glucose levels, which leads to high blood glucose and consequently to diabetes, but several million of them are unaware that they may develop diabetes. This lack of awareness and lack of access to a healthcare provider has led to high rates of preventable morbidity. READ MORE

Negocios Now, a national award-winning publication focused on the Hispanic Business Community, announced that it will produce its first "Who's Who in Hispanic Chicago" special edition and a gala event to celebrate the Hispanic community's success in the Chicago area.

Candidates will come from a variety of industries including Business, Non-Profits, Media, Cultural & Education, Government and Corporate. Nominations will come from community members based on criteria that have been established for each category. Nominations can be made on the Negocios Now website at http://www.negociosnow.com/whoiswho . The deadline for submissions is March 31, 2014, when the selection committee will begin considering nominations. READ MORE

Don’t leave a job interview wondering where you stand with the hiring manager. There are techniques you can use to professionally close an interview so the hiring manager will know that you want the job, and, so you’ll be able to leave knowing the next steps in the hiring process.
After I videotaped “Rebecca” (name changed) during a practice interview, we sat down and watched how she had done. When it was over, I turned to her and asked, “Did you get the job?”

Rebecca raised one eyebrow. “What do you mean?”

“You thanked the hiring manager at the end of the interview, shook hands, and then left. But did you get the job?” I asked. “What I mean by that is, do you know how the hiring manager felt about your qualifications for the job?”  READ MORE

“Remember that your legal status does not matter. If your children are citizens, they can use public services like MediCal without affecting your residency process.”

“Instead of junk food, choose a healthy meal from your country. Eat cactus, chia seed or verdolagas to take advantage of all their benefits.”

“Nobody wants to get involved in problems, but if a friend’s husband hits her, tell her there is a way out. Give her the Marjaree Mason Center number, 559-237-4706.”

Every few days, text messages like these pop up on the phones of more than 1,000 women in Fresno County, in California’s Central Valley. The messages come in Spanish, alternately offering referrals for affordable healthcare and domestic violence services, legal tips and affirmations. Any resource offered via text has been vetted by a team of women behind the project, called Únete Latina, to confirm that providers there speak Spanish and won’t ask for a Social Security number. READ MORE

At this point, it’s really not a question of whether or not Hispanic consumers utilize mobile technology more than their non-Hispanic counterparts. As recognized "trendsetters," Hispanic consumers are clearly outpacing non-Hispanics in their adoption of mobile, social and online sources for shopping, especially at the local level, according to a recent BIA/Kelsey study.

But, what is valuable to advertisers are these questions: To what degree? and For what purposes? Hispanic consumers use mobile technology and how that information can help advertisers create content that will capture their attention.

In a recent nationwide study of mobile phone use by Hispanics vs. non-Hispanics, we asked participants to shed a little light on how they used their mobile phones and the results were as expected: READ MORE

More women are job-hunting than ever. If you're one of them, you'll want to know these winning tactics!

Anyone out there interviewing for a job anytime soon—or hoping to? If so, consider this reassuring truth: As someone who's met with hundreds of applicants over the years, I can tell you that the person sitting across from you doesn't want to see you fail—she wants to see you succeed. (Then she can stop interviewing and get back to work!) So what shows me exactly how awesome you are? These six things:

You've done your homework.
Unless I call you out of the blue on a Tuesday afternoon and tell you I want to see you in 10 minutes (which I would never do—you need a half hour to find a dress!), there's no excuse, in this digital age, for not walking into my or any prospective boss's office well-versed in what the company's up to. Google, sniff around, call friends. Your interviewer lives and breathes her company; when you're in her office, you should too. READ MORE

Networking events are a common occurrence in today’s business regardless of industry. Some business professionals look forward to these events while others have great anxiety about being forced to talk to a room full of strangers. Here are a few tips to make it a good experience.

Know your purpose. Start by asking yourself a few questions. Why are you attending this event and what do you hope to gain? Do you have a specific goal for the type or number of people you plan to meet? How can this networking meeting help you in your business or career? It is important to remember that the primary purpose of networking should be to build relationships first and business sales second. Having this mindset will help you come across as helpful, friendly and resourceful rather than the pushy sales guy.

Know your audience. Make sure you know who is hosting and something about them (company or person) as well as the purpose of the event. Confirm the dress code – whether business attire or otherwise. READ MORE

These are troubling times for the worker. According to Gallup, only 42% of U.S. adults work full time, which the polling firm defines as Americans 18 or older working more than 30 hours per week.

If you've been laid off recently and want to get right back on the job track, you're going to need a plan.

We'll get to that job search blueprint in a moment. The first move to make, experts say, is to not blame your previous employer for your predicament, and to keep things positive.

"People lose their jobs for many reasons," says Kathy Harris, a managing partner at Harris Allied, a New York City executive recruiting firm. "Maybe their company has decided to outsource or sell a division; it's purely a financial decision; or the nature of the work or business has changed. Even in cases when you're fired for poor performance, it's important to leave that embarrassment at the door and put the past behind you so you can look forward." READ MORE

The Hispanic community is growing at a fast pace. Hispanics are getting embedded into mainstream culture and emerging as a powerhouse of economic influence.

Hispanics are playing an important role in U.S. business success. As of today, they are the second-largest consumer market, and it is estimated that their purchasing power will increase 50 percent by 2015 to $1.5 trillion.

Despite the misconception about this powerful group, Hispanics are the largest immigrant group that exhibits culture sustainability. They even have different product consumption patterns compared to mainstream culture. They are not buying in the same ways as the total market. As a matter of fact, their technology and media use do not mirror the general market due to culture, language, perceptions and ownership dynamics. READ MORE

How do you build genuine business relationships – the kind that will lead to long-term friendships, personal growth, and (just maybe) sales for your company? Mike Muhney, who co-invented ACT!, an early and prominent contact management software system, has thought a lot about that question, which he explored in his book Who’s In Your Orbit?: Beyond Facebook – Creating Relationships That Matter. Here are four tips he shared with me about building authentic business relationships that can pay dividends later.

Notice what’s on the walls. Muhney’s first relationship-building lesson came early in his career, when he was an IBM salesman in northern Indiana. One Friday afternoon, he dropped in on a CEO, who told him, “Mike, I’d like to talk with you, but I’m literally getting ready to... READ MORE

Angela Barba was the first in her immediate family to graduate from high school. And when the time came for her son Robert to follow in her footsteps, she says, she found herself overwhelmed.

"I had no idea how I was going to get him into college," she says.

Angela, who had completed a two-year degree herself, says she wanted her son to be the first in the family to complete a four-year program. But she couldn't really offer any advice or guidance as to what schools to attend or how to apply for scholarships.

"I wish I could say that I helped Robert along with this information," Angela says. "But I had no idea how to even go get it." READ MORE

Through a special arrangement, what follows is an excerpt of an article from WayfinD, a quarterly e-magazine filled with insights, trends and predictions from the retail and foodservice experts at WD Partners.

In the recent shopper study, "Amazon Can't Do That — Consumer Desire and the Store of the Future," a key finding was Hispanic consumers' strong preference for community-driven environments and emotionally satisfying in-store experiences.

As the Hispanic population expands from 17 percent of the country's total in 2012 to a projected 31 percent by 2060, such insights will be crucial for retailers to attract and gain the loyalty of Hispanic shoppers.

Four key ideas to consider... READ MORE