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Hispanic women tend to exercise less and fret less about their weight than white women, and their heart disease risks are also lower, a new study suggests.

Examining data from female employees of a Miami-based health system, researchers theorized that a more upbeat attitude among Hispanic women might contribute to their better cardiovascular health.
Hispanic women logged more favorable results in 10 of 12 heart conditions and risk factors—such as high blood pressure or cholesterol—than non-Hispanic women, according to the research, published April 29 in the journal Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes.

"Obviously, this group has something that is set apart," said study author Emir Veledar, a biostatistician at Baptist Health South Florida in Miami. READ MORE AT MEDICAL PRESS

Confidence could be a bad thing, but getting fired could be good for your career.

When it comes to career advice, sometimes it seems like we’ve heard it all: Ask the right questions at the end of an interview, fine-tune your social media presence, and so on. But every now and then, we’re lucky enough to run into a piece of advice that’s totally fresh, and that has the potential to change the whole game.

Today, we’re talking about those kinds of tips—less talked-about wisdom nuggets that might at first seem unconventional, but which actually hold the potential to be more helpful than the hackneyed advice we’re all so used to hearing again and again. READ MORE AT FORTUNE

Hispanics and Latinos now make up the largest ethnic minority in the U.S. By 2050 they will constitute a third of the country’s population, according to census figures and their impact in business continues to grow. Latinos today account for more than 70,000 of the country’s CEOs and the number of Hispanic entrepreneurs has tripled over the past twenty years – surging from around 557,000 in 1992 to over two million in 2012, according to a report by the Partnership for a New American Economy.

Together, they brought in an estimated $486 billion in revenue, says the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. READ MORE AT FORBES

If you’ve been looking for a job for a while, you might start feeling a bit disillusioned with the whole process and are looking for ways you can boost your chances of landing that dream job.

This is where networking can come in and help. Sometimes, it’s not what you know, but who you know, and networking is a great way of discovering positions that might have not been advertised publicly.

But how can you make networking really work for your job hunt? Well, these tips should help you make the most of your contacts and build some new ones!

1) Existing Contacts

When you’re job hunting, you should view everyone you know as a potential lead or someone that could help. READ MORE AT BUSINESS2COMMUNITY

With a growing Hispanic population in the U.S. and Texas, what are the most effective ways to reach this market? Public relations executive Rosalynn Vasquez offers tips on increasing your messaging and PR efforts to reach the Hispanic audience.

Vasquez is manager of Hispanic public relations for The Power Group, the Dallas-based public relations agency.

Business, then culture

Companies must first understand and engage in meaningful conversations about their business, challenges and overall industry. Every company is different and has a unique set of goals, target audiences and messaging. Once that is established, you can create a plan to be culturally relevant as a complement to the overall business objectives. READ MORE AT DALLAS MORNING NEWS

Whether you are still in college or have recently landed an entry-level position in your field, you have probably been told that you need a mentor, an experienced, powerful person in your industry who can guide you throughout your career.

Some professors often describe mentorship in a traditional, if rigid, way. You meet someone at an event, you get their card, a day or two later you send them an email and set up a coffee date. At said coffee date, you wow them with your smarts and experience. Soon, they’re introducing you to their other powerful friends and you’re zipping up the corporate ladder/masthead/tenure track.

But how do you find a mentor? How do you convince an important figure in your industry to invest a significant amount of their already limited time in you?

Here is some expert advice from a few women who know a thing or two about networking and mentorship. READ MORE AT MADAME NOIRE

Most Hispanics in the United States think higher education is affordable despite soaring tuition costs and an ever-expanding student debt bubble.

According to a new Gallup-Lumina Foundation study, 51 percent of Hispanics think “education beyond high school is affordable to anyone in this country who needs it.”

Just 19 percent of blacks and 17 percent of whites feel the same.

So why are Hispanics way more optimistic than their white and black peers about the affordability of postsecondary education?

“This is a population of folks who are very hungry for education and see it as a pathway to a better life,” Brandon Busteed, the Gallup lead on the study and executive director of Gallup Education, told... READ MORE AT FUSION

U.S. Hispanic customer visits to restaurants are outpacing the demographic group’s population growth, according to a new report by The NPD Group.

In 2014, Hispanics’ per capita visits to quick-service restaurants and other foodservice outlets increased by 4 percent, compared with a 1-percent decline in visits by non-Hispanics, according to the Port Washington, N.Y.-based research firm’s “CREST Hispanic” report.

NPD said that while the average U.S. Hispanic consumer visits quick-service restaurants more than the average non-Hispanic consumer, the demographic group’s use of full-service restaurants was less than non-Hispanics. Their per capita visits to full-service restaurants decreased by 7 percent compared with non-Hispanics, who reduced visits by 1 percent last year, the Crest report said. READ MORE AT NATION'S RESTAURANT NEWS

Building your personal brand will strengthen your relationship skills and add to your personal and professional network. When trying to build your personal brand, keep in mind that you want to be known as a problem solver, an outstanding team member, and a friendly professional.

Developing a personal brand is critical to building networks. A personal network is an excellent source of information and ideas about events, trends, opportunities, and industry news. Follow the personal branding tips below, and you will build lasting relationships with internal and external contacts that are mutually beneficial.

Five Personal Branding Tips

1. First Impression: Since humans are very visual beings, first impressions are the most lasting and critical to building your personal brand. Dress appropriately for the occasion, present a firm handshake, smile, and use appropriate eye contact. READ MORE AT FRANCHISE WORKS

Many college graduates and people who want to change careers have a difficult time getting the job they want because they lack experience. But companies often hire people who already have the experience, leaving a host of smart and driven workers out of the loop.

Here are 8 tips on how break free from this vicious cycle.

1. Determine specifically what you want to do
When you need the money, you need to take whatever you can get -- but this doesn’t mean you have to stop looking for a better job. Determine what your skill sets and talents are and write down three jobs you'd like to have. READ MORE AT ENTREPRENEUR

If you step into a Macy’s these days, you may notice that some of the mannequins in the women’s department don’t look like most of the others. They’re a little smaller on the bottom and bigger on the top, and their legs are just a bit shorter.

How these figures took their place on the retail floor says a lot about the way in which Macy’s has promoted diversity among its own workforce—and how, in turn, its employees are driving the company in new directions. READ MORE AT FORTUNE

Read biographies of discussion panelists for the 2015 Healthcare Networking Forum to take place Tuesday, April 21 at Vertigo Sky Lounge, rooftop lounge of the Dana Hotel & Spa Chicago.

Discussion Panelists

Dr. Elizabeth Florez, PhD/RN, Professor of Nursing, DePaul University, Illinois Hispanic Nurses Association

Dr. Elizabeth Florez is currently an Assistant Professor at DePaul University’s School of Nursing. Prior to her academic appointment, Dr. Florez was a registered nurse for five years in a level-one surgical-trauma intensive care unit. She then went on to earn her PhD in Nursing Science from the University of Illinois at Chicago, College of Nursing. Dr. Florez’s dissertation research explored the perceptions of risk of an acute myocardial infarction and likelihood of action in response to heart attack symptoms among Mexican Americans at risk for cardiovascular disease. Her research continues to focus on health disparities for minority populations.

Beyond her academic work, Dr. Florez is an active volunteer for many organizations committed to improving the health of Latinos such as the Illinois Hispanic Nurses Association, the American Heart Association and Catholic Charities. In 2014 she was awarded the AHA Multicultural Initiative Champion Award and on April 7th she received the LaRaza Mujeres Destacadas 2015 Leadership Award in the field of health in recognition of her outstanding vision and community support.

Through her nursing background, research agenda, and community engagement, Dr. Florez has demonstrated her deep commitment to continue the fight to help minimize the health disparities that exist for racial/ethnic minorities and underserved communities.

Jose Muñoz, Chief Marketing Officer, Get Covered Illinois

As Chief Marketing Officer for Get Covered Illinois (GCI), Jose is responsible for leading marketing, advertising and public relations strategy for the State of Illinois’ Health Insurance Marketplace. His over 15 years of healthcare, marketing and public relations experience in the non-profit, corporate and government sectors, has been a key driver the behind the successful rollout of Illinois’ health insurance marketplace. The integrated marketing campaign he spearheaded has been recognized nationally for its creativity and effectiveness at reaching consumers by the White House, Advertising Age, PR Week, the Multicultural Health Marketing Conference, and others. So far this initiative has helped nearly one millions Illinoisans gain access to healthcare under the Affordable Care Act.

Prior to joining Get Covered Illinois, Jose spent 12 years working for Seguin Services Inc. overseeing various programs and advocating for the rights of children and adults with developmental disabilities in the state of Illinois. In 2007 he joined Aetna Health Insurance to help develop their local Targeted Growth Markets initiative (NC TGM), a national strategy to grow Aetna's membership in multicultural markets. While at Aetna he led the development of several business strategies, programs, products and services to improve access to health care and reduce health inequalities in under-served communities.

In 2010, Jose was appointed to serve as Deputy Commissioner for the Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH). While at CDPH, Jose helped the City advance several innovative public health strategies including the development of Chicago’s first comprehensive public health agenda, Healthy Chicago, an aggressive multi-pronged strategy with a vision of making Chicago the healthiest city in America. In 2012 Jose joined New Futuro to develop and lead the launch of national Public Relations and Marketing initiative, which helped millions of Latino students in LA, Houston, New York, Miami and Chicago find the tools and resources they needed to get into college. Jose worked with New Futuro until he joined the State of Illinois in October of 2013.

The son of Mexican immigrants and a native of Chicago, Jose was the first in his family to obtain a degree from an institution of higher learning. He graduated summa cum laude, with a 4.0 GPA, from Chicago State University’s College of Business with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration.

Dr. Suzana Flores, Clinical Psychologist, Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago, Author - “Facehooked”

Dr. Suzana E. Flores is a clinical psychologist, Amazon best selling author of 'Facehooked: How Facebook Affects Our Emotions, Relationships, and Lives.' (Reputation Books) and aspiring television/radio psychologist.

As a national social-media expert and commentator, Dr. Flores has appeared on national and international newscasts, podcasts, radio and talk shows including Al Jazeera - The Stream, "Leiberman Live" on The Howard Stern Show, PBS, WCIU Channel - "The U," National Public Radio (NPR), "Just Jenny" Sirius XM Channel, WGN Radio Chicago, The ManCow Show, Univision Television News, Charlotte News WSOC-TV, and radio broadcasts out of Germany, U.K. and Canada.

Dr. Flores has been quoted in The Chicago Tribune, The Huffington Post, ABC.com, CBS.com, Esquire.com, Everyday Health Magazine, Mashable.com, Dame Magazine, The Nation Magazine, SheKnows.com, Vegas Seven Magazine, New Parent Magazine, Hispanic Health & Beauty Magazine, La Raza Newspaper, Newlyweds.com, Upwave.com, Mujeres Sin Censura, and Moms.me.

In her hometown of Chicago, Dr. Flores has earned a Masters in Counseling from Loyola University and a Doctorate degree in clinical psychology from Illinois School of Professional Psychology. Her new book, Facehooked, is an exploration of the psychological effect of Facebook, and social-media networks, on the way we think, communicate, interact and understand ourselves and others.

Time is running out to register. Tickets will not be sold at the door. Register today!

With the number of jobs and employee salary expectations predicted to increase in the United States this year, 2015 may prove to be a beneficial time for job seekers and employers alike.

According to CareerBuilder’s annual job forecast, more than one-third of employers expect to add full-time, regular employees over the course of this year. In addition, Insperity’s recent survey of small businesses found that 50 percent plan to add new employees, up from 31 percent in October.

All of these factors point to a potentially strong 2015 for individuals exploring new job opportunities. READ MORE AT THE BUSINESS JOURNALS

The Graduating Latino series is looking at both the obstacles and successes of Latino families navigating the education system in the Miami Valley. But recent research from the Pew Research Center finds the story of Latinos and education in the U.S. is a rapidly changing one: in 2012, the percentage of Hispanic high school graduates who went on to college exceeded that of their white counterparts.

In other words, if they do graduate from high school, Latino kids are now more likely to go on to college than white kids.

Mark Hugo Lopez from Pew talked to us about why that is... READ MORE AT 91.3WYSO

At the age of 42, my mom went back to school to obtain her college degree. I still remember sitting around the dinner table with my mom and six siblings doing our homework at the same time. After raising seven children and instilling in us the value of education, my mom returned to school to become a bilingual education teacher.

It takes a lot of courage to do something like that -- to return back to school later in life. It's that courage of our mothers and grandmothers that makes the Latino community strong and moves it forward.

By 2050, 30 percent of the country will be Hispanic. With over 50 million Latinos in this country, we are poised to become a political powerhouse. READ MORE AT HUFFINGTON POST

There's prepared, and then there's really prepared. And when you're going on a job interview, you need to turn it up a notch in the preparedness department. Why? Because when we're prepared, we feel relaxed, capable and confident. Exactly how you want to feel when you go for an important job interview.

According to Lindsey Pollak, millennial workplace expert and author of Becoming the Boss: New Rules For the Next Generation of Leaders, "Cultivating confidence is key. When you're prepared, you're expressing your best self." We asked Pollak her advice for millennials on how to go from good to great (maybe even excellent!) on their next interview. Here are three important strategies she shared with... READ MORE AT AOL JOBS

As multicultural leaders gather for the 11th Annual New Mainstream Business Summit, America’s cultural landscape is looking increasingly diverse.

America’s increased cultural diversity is highlighted through the 2015 American Marketscape Datastream report, an annual study of new mainstream population growth, buying power and targeted industry best practices for Hispanic, African American and Asian American consumers. Published by Geoscape, the report is the leading analysis of America’s multicultural community, comprised of Geoscape’s proprietary demographic and economic estimates and projections for the years 2015 and 2020. READ MORE AT YAHOO FINANCE

From soccer to football, baseball, boxing and basketball, Hispanics represent a huge opportunity for the sports industry.

According to a Nielsen report, 94 percent of Hispanic males are sport fans, and 56 percent consider themselves avid fans. This translates into bigger audiences and a huge opportunity to increase ticket sales.

Although they think they’re making an effort, some sport teams and their sponsors still are struggling to connect with the rapidly growing Hispanic market. READ MORE AT ORLANDO BUSINESS JOURNAL

What do you do when you’re looking for a new job opportunity? Besides checking the job boards for postings, you often reach out to your network to see if anyone is looking to hire. It’s one of the things the career center at any university will tell you — network, network, network. Your fellow alums, former bosses and friends of friends will be more willing to offer a position if a mutual contact recommends you and vouches for your skills.

The idea of having a network to share information and use as a resource is important as a real estate agent. Not just for finding clients in the near term, but also developing a group of trusted service providers who ultimately can fuel business growth. According to NAR, referrals account for more than 21 percent of all real estate activity. READ MORE AT INMAN

The racial wealth gap in the United States is stark.

The median white household has $111,145 in wealth holdings, compared to $7,113 for the median black household and $8,348 for the median Latino household, according to a recent study called The Racial Wealth Gap: Why Policy Matters.

The report outlines how homeownership, education and the labor market have all contributed to the wealth gap GPS -3.37%, with blacks and Hispanics being less able to buy homes, build wealth with them, buy homes in good school districts, access higher education and so on. (To read more in-depth how these factors all contribute to the racial wealth gap, see the related article.) READ MORE AT FORBES