Hispanic
professional associations can play a pivotal role in maximizing career
opportunities for Latinos. Many organizations sponsor career centers, job postings,
career fairs, professional development, mentoring, networking, professional and
student chapters, scholarships, research, advocacy, profession related
resources, benefits programs, and social functions. The groups often maintain
strategic partnerships with employers that hire from their member's specialized career
fields.
A
few national organizations, like the Hispanic Alliance for Career Enhancement
(HACE), serve Latino professionals and students from all industries and often
joint venture programs with other Hispanic professional groups.
Below is a sample list of industry-specific professional associations and some steps you can take to maximize the organizations' resources:
q Association of Latino Professionals in Finance and Accounting (ALPFA)
q Hispanic National Bar Association (HNBA)
q National Association of Hispanic Federal Executives, Inc. (NAHFE)
q National Association of Hispanic Nurses (NAHN)
q National Association of Puerto Rican and Hispanic Social Workers (NAPRHSW)
q National Hispanic Sales Network (NHSN)
q National Latino Police Officers Association (NLPOA)
q National Society of Hispanic MBAs (NSHMBA)
q Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE)
A comprehensive list of Latino professional associations with background summaries, service listings and contact information will be added to the Latinos@Work blog.
Action Steps
q Review the organization’s website thoroughly for services and member benefits.
q Identify a chapter in your local area.
q Sign up for the group’s electronic newsletters, eList and mailing list (check privacy policies).
q Search current job postings and check out companies that support the association.
q Submit your resume to the organization’s resume database or job matching system. (Check privacy policies)
q Establish a networking relationship with appropriate staff contacts and members. Use the associations networking tools to initiate contacts with members.
q Participate in the organization’s message boards, forums and blogs for information gathering and networking.
q Attend onsite or online organization events, professional development activities and career fairs/conferences.
q Identify mentorships, student chapters, scholarships, and internships.
q Volunteer if you can.
¡BUENA SUERTE!
Posted by Murray A. Mann and
Rose Mary
Bombela-Tobias
Principals, Global Diversity
Solutions Group
Authors, Barron’s The
Complete Job Search Guide for Latinos
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