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Hispanic executives made up just 4 percent of new directors at U.S. companies last year, the lowest since 2011 and a fraction of the 17 percent of the U.S. population that the group represents, according to a report by executive recruiter Heidrick & Struggles.

The annual study also found that 54 percent of 399 incoming directors at U.S. companies are either current of former chief executive officers. With Hispanics making up just 2 percent of CEOs at S&P 500 companies, that doesn’t bode well for increased diversity, the firm said. The number of boardroom appointments in 2015 was at a seven-year high. READ MORE AT BLOOMBERG

You're standing face-to-face with a professional in your industry who can help you advance your career. This is your chance to wow this person with a strong handshake, bright smile and direct eye contact, followed by a witty comment that initiates a loud fit of laughter.

However, you can't communicate well or make a good first impression when your mouth is dry, your palms are sweaty, your thoughts are scattered and you're blanking on that pitch you prepared.

Here's the good news: These nervous feelings and anxious thoughts are completely normal (and, in fact, very common), and there are ways to overcome them. Before you know it, you'll be shaking hands and expanding your network with ease and confidence. READ MORE AT MASHABLE

College graduation is right around the corner, and according to the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), an anticipated 1.87 million students will be graduating with a bachelor’s degree this spring. Many will begin their first real job search, and while NACE says employers expect to hire 5.2% more new graduates from the Class of 2016 than they hired from the Class of 2015, that doesn’t mean they’re guaranteed a job. READ MORE AT FORBES

There’s a saying to get ahead ‘It’s not what you know but who you know‘ and when building a new business ‘It’s how many people get to know you‘. Recently the term ‘white privilege‘ has been bandied about more than ever. It refers to many things but clearly to opportunities one has to achieve success through family, wealth, contacts and connections, built up over years and generations. It can matter who your family is; their business; what schools you went to; and what neighborhood you grew up in. These can all help achieve success in life.

Some believe using connections to get ahead is cheating. Others think connections are only something those with ‘privilege‘ have. Reality is we all have the ability to make connections and build networks. READ MORE AT HUFFINGTON POST

In just a few decades, Miami has been transformed from a sleepy Southern city into an energetic Hispanic metropolis. How?

Ask Americans about Hispanic migration to the United States. For many of them, the first image that will come to mind will be one of impoverished migrants walking across the Arizona desert to enter the country illegally.

But alongside the millions of undocumented men and women who have arrived with little money or formal education in recent decades from Mexico and other Latin American countries, the US has also received a smaller but significant inflow of more affluent migrants from south of the border, many of them choosing to live in Miami. READ MORE AT BBC NEWS

As a young actress, Rita Moreno looked up to Elizabeth Taylor — although that was somewhat out of necessity. There were no Latina actresses available for her to admire.

"It's kind of heartbreaking when I talk about it now, I still get very moved by the lack of opportunities that were available to myself and to the very few others who were Hispanic young actresses," Moreno said.

It wasn't until she was cast as Anita in 1961's "West Side Story" — a role for which she would win the Academy Award for best supporting actress — that Moreno found true inspiration.

"I mean, I was playing a Latina, but I was playing a Latina of substance and self-respect. She became my role model because I didn't have one, ever," Moreno said. READ MORE AT JOURNAL SENTINEL

As the reality of graduation begins to settle in for college seniors, finding the perfect entry-level job should be a top priority. For the class of 2016, fortunately, the job market seems more promising than ever. With employers planning to hire 11 percent more college graduates this year for U.S. jobs than last year, the likelihood of finding a suiting profession seems high.

To assist you during your job search, we've come up with some of the most important tips and pieces of advice to help you land the job of your dreams. READ MORE AT AOL

Thanks to both income growth and population growth, Hispanics of all ages in the U.S. will drive consumer spending beyond millennials’ influence by 2020, according to a research report from Morgan Stanley analysts, MarketWatch reports.

Retail spending by Hispanic-Americans will rise by 1.6 percentage points by 2020, more than millennial spending growth of 0.6 percentage points and spending growth by 65-years-old-plus whites of 0.4 percentage points, according to the report. READ MORE AT RETAIL DIVE

The Hispanic population is the fastest-growing demographic groups in the country. Today, Hispanic students make up nearly one-quarter of all public school enrollments. By 2036, they are projected to make up one-third of the nation’s 3 to 17 year olds.

As the progression toward becoming a country that is “majority-minority” continues, Hispanic students will increasingly be a presence in K-12 and postsecondary classrooms. Their success also is inextricably tied to the economic health and prosperity of the nation. READ MORE AT DIVERSE ISSUES IN HIGHER EDUCATION

I never heard of the term “networking” when I was in high school or college. This may be because the teachers (and possibly our parents) wanted us to spend less time going to parties and more time studying so we could get into a good college or graduate school. Since I opted to go law school, my college guidance counselors told me to focus solely on doing well on the LSAT (and to try and change the subject whenever my GPA came up). READ MORE AT ABOVE THE LAW

Regardless of their employer, parental status, or income level, the majority of workers will experience a work-life conflict at some point in their lives.

Whether it is to be at home for an emergency household repair, pick up a sick child from school, or simply recover from their own illness, most workers need access to scheduling flexibility and paid leave. Despite the nearly universal need for such policies, Latino working men and women—as well as lower- and middle-income workers and workers with jobs in the service industry—are often unable to earn paid sick days, secure fair and flexible scheduling, or have access to any paid leave. READ MORE AT CENTER FOR AMERICAN PROGRESS

Everyone keeps talking about millennials and their shopping habits.

But that doesn't mean they will be the only influential consumers in America's near-term future.

A Morgan Stanley team led by Paula Campbell Roberts argues that two other demographic groups will also be key drivers of future consumption trends in the US: Hispanics of all ages and whites over 65.

The team writes that in the next five years the proportion of Americans who identify as Hispanic or Latino will increase by a "whopping" 1.6 percentage points and that of people over 65 will increase by 0.9 of a percentage point. Meanwhile, millennials' share of the population will increase by only 0.6 of a percentage point. Moreover, 52% of the US's population growth will be driven by the Hispanic population. READ MORE AT BUSINESS INSIDER

It’s common knowledge that networking is a necessary skill in business. But there is a lot of mystique and ambiguity in how to go from a handshake to a cultivated, valuable, professional connection.

The key is this: People need to feel like they are genuinely important and valued by you before they will view you as important and valuable to them.

The difference between the guy they shook hands with at the event and later forgot about and the girl they shook hands with at that same event who later became a great business connection is one thing: genuine care and support. READ MORE AT FORTUNE

The National Hispanic Caucus of State Legislators (NHCSL) concluded a successful two-day Energy & Environment Summit, which was held in Washington, DC, that brought together dozens of state legislators, federal government officials, industry experts, and advocates, among others to discuss the many ways in which energy issues impact Latino communities across the country. Panel discussions focused on a variety of specific topics ranging from the EPA's Clean Power Plan and the interrelation between energy and Clean Water Act to Weighing the Costs of Energy Diversity, the Grid, and Consumer Protection and Innovation and the Workforce, and other relevant topics. Most panelists agreed that the nation's 54 million Latinos have a crucial role to play in shaping energy and environmental policies.

The keynote speech for the event was delivered by former Interior Secretary Ken Salazar. Secretary Salazar spoke about the need to diversify the energy workforce, emphasizing that in 10 years, more than 50% of electricity workers will retire and therefore Latinos have a crucial role to play in making sure the industry looks like America. READ MORE AT PRNEWSWIRE

Hispanics tend to over-index when it comes to smartphone usage, with levels well above the national average. Alas, there’s another area of smartphone usage where they’re also well above the national average, and it’s putting them in danger.

More than three-quarters of Hispanics, 83 percent, said they use their smartphones while they’re driving, according to a study from AT&T, well above the national average of 71 percent across all demographics.

About half of Hispanics said they use social media sites and apps on their smartphones while they drive, while 28 percent take selfies or photos and 68 percent send text messages. READ MORE AT MEDIALIFE MAGAZINE

The Partnership for a New American Economy and the Latino Donor Collaborative’s new report, “Better Business: How Hispanic Entrepreneurs Are Beating Expectations and Bolstering the U.S. Economy,” shows how the number of Hispanic entrepreneurs in America has grown exponentially over the past two decades, powering the economy during the recent recession. Hispanic immigrants in particular are now more likely to be entrepreneurs than the average member of the U.S. population overall.

Key findings of the report include: READ MORE AT NEW AMERICAN ECONOMY

U.S. Hispanics are more prone to smartphone distracted driving than the general population, according to AT&T* It Can Wait research. 83% of Hispanics admit to using their smartphones behind the wheel. That compares with 71% of Americans as a whole.

Half of U.S. Hispanics admit they use their smartphones to social network while driving. More than a quarter (28%) snap selfies or take photos. And nearly 7 in 10 (68%) text.

In response, AT&T created a campaign in Spanish, Puede Esperar. It includes: READ MORE AT PR NEWSWIRE

Building a valuable network is all about establishing fruitful connections that can provide you with valuable career advice and problem-solving tips—and vice versa.

However, like all good relationships, they need due care and attention. So where to start?

Trim the tree
The main reason people struggle to generate fruitful connections is they simply have too many. READ MORE AT FORTUNE

If self-driving cars were available for purchase today, the most likely buyers would be young, liberal, and Hispanic, according to a Fortune-Morning Consult poll.

The online national poll of 2,001 registered voters, which was conducted last month by Washington, D.C.-based polling firm Morning Consult, pitched questions aimed at assessing awareness and interest in self-driving cars. The poll asked consumers about how much they had seen, read, or heard about self-driving cars—and if they would ride in or buy one.

For instance, Hispanics are far more willing and interested in owning a car that could drive on its own, according to poll data. About 41% of Hispanic respondents said they would consider buying a self-driving car compared to just 25% of white and 29% of African American respondents. READ MORE AT FORTUNE

"I had my goals clear when I came to this country," said Cruz, who moved to North Jersey from the Dominican Republic five years ago and works as an area manager at a parking company. "I always had my dream to buy my own house."

Last year, that dream became a reality for Cruz when he purchased a two-family home in Garfield, where he now lives with his wife, daughter and parents. As Cruz put it, it was an investment; instead of spending his income on rent, which he did for years, he put his money in ownership.

Rise as others fall

Home buyers like Cruz helped drive the Hispanic homeownership rate last year, when for the first time in 10 years the rate rose while overall homeownership rates decreased. That’s according to the 2015 State of Hispanic Homeownership Report conducted by the Hispanic Wealth Project and National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals. READ MORE AT NORTHJERSEY.COM