Latinos@Work

Latinos And The Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service: How Are You Participating?

"Everybody can be great, because everybody can serve . . .” ~ Martin Luther King, Jr.

On Monday, January 16, 2012, our nation celebrates the 26^th anniversary of the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday with a “Day of Service” and to encourage ongoing action throughout the year.

Dr. King had a strong history of reaching out to and collaborating with the Latino community. He publicly and privately supported the efforts of the National Farm Workers Association (today’s United Farm Workers of America), as well as, many other Hispanic movements.

Hundreds of Latino organizations are reciprocating by supporting this national initiative. “Dr. King has inspired people from around the world to advocate for equal opportunity. Honoring his legacy through service pays tribute to his dream,” said National Council of La Raza (NCLR) President and CEO Janet Murguía.

What are your plans for today and participating in our evolving generation of service?

Below are a few links to help you find some great projects that need volunteers in your area:

MLKDay.gov 

Servir.gov 

NationalService.gov 

National Council of La Raza community affiliates

In January,1992, César Chávez wrote Lessons of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. -- “My friends, today we honor a giant among men: today we honor the reverend Martin Luther King, Jr.…If we fail to learn that each and every person can make a difference, then we will have betrayed Dr. King's life's work. The reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. had more than just a dream, he had the love and the faith to act.

Posted by Murray A. Mann and Rose Mary Bombela-Tobias

Principals, Global Diversity Solutions Group LLC and MulticulturalResumes.com

Authors, Barron’s The Complete Job Search Guide for Latinos

Also at http://twitter.com/LatinosAtWork

Contact: Murray@GlobalDiversitySolutions.com or rmb@GlobalDiversitySolutions.com

Honoring our Latino Heroes on Veterans Day

 
Millions of Latinos have and continue serve with distinction in the U.S. military, yet their significant contributions and sacrifices are relatively unknown. Their heroism helped forge this nation and preserved our freedom.

Latinos have received awards for valor and bravery far in excess to their proportion of the population. Forty-three Latinos have won our nation’s highest award, the Congressional Medal of Honor.

Major initiatives are underway to ensure that the proud legacy of Latino military service be accurately preserved and woven into our national consciousness. We will continue this discussion in future posts.

Below are two articles to begin our conversation.

A Tribute to the Forgotten Force by Jim Estrada

U.S. Latino Patriots: From the American Revolution to Afghanistan, An Overview by Refugio I. Rochin and Lionel Fernandez 

This Veterans Day, as we commemorate all U.S. men and women in the military and many who have died in military service to this country let's be sure to remember the Latinos among them and thank them for their service.

Posted by Murray A. Mann and Rose Mary Bombela-Tobias

Principals, Global Diversity Solutions Group LLC and MulticulturalResumes.com

Authors, Barron’s The Complete Job Search Guide for Latinos

Also at http://twitter.com/LatinosAtWork

Contact: murray@GlobalDiversitySolutions.com or rmb@GlobalDiversitySolutions.com

On July 4th Declare Your Career Independence

 

Tu Eres El Arquitecto De Tu Propio Destino -

You Are The Architect Of Your Own Destiny

  

 

July 4 is a perfect time to declare your career independence. 

Yasmin Davidds, international best-selling author and empowerment  specialist, often expresses the following quotation in her presentations:

“Personal power comes from within and when you embrace it, you feel as though there is nothing in the world that you cannot handle. It helps you recognize that everything in your life is a choice, and it reinforces the truth that you have complete control over each and every one of those choices. While we may not have control over the events that occur in our lives, we have control over how we react to these events. You, alone, are in control of your destiny.”

How does this apply to your career? As we stated in our post, Tweve Characteristics of Latino Career Success:

• Trust that you are the most important person in your career.

• Embrace your personal power to fuel your career power.

• Activate your career power so you can be proactive in your job search, manage the process and to respond well, rather than react, to the events you cannot control.

 

                                ¡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
Also at http://twitter.com/LatinosAtWork   

 

Remembering our Latino Heroes on Memorial Day

Millions of Latinos have served with distinction in the U.S. military, yet their significant contributions and sacrifices are relatively unknown. Their heroism helped forge this nation and preserved our freedom.

Latinos have received awards for valor and bravery far in excess to their proportion of the population. Forty-three Latinos have won our nation’s highest award, the Congressional Medal of Honor.

Major initiatives are underway to ensure that the proud legacy of Latino military service be accurately preserved and woven into our national consciousness. We will continue this discussion in future posts.

 Below are two articles to begin our conversation.

A Tribute to the Forgotten Force by Jim Estrada

U.S. Latino Patriots: From the American Revolution to Afghanistan, An Overview by Refugio I. Rochin and Lionel Fernandez 

This Memorial Day, as we commemorate all U.S. men and women who have died in military service to this country let's be sure to remember the Latinos among them and thank them for their service.

 

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

Also at http://twitter.com/LatinosAtWork

Contact: murray@GlobalDiversitySolutions.com or rmb@GlobalDiversitySolutions.com

Twelve Characteristics of Latino Career Success

In the course of writing Barron's The Complete Job Search Guide for Latinos, we interviewed several successful Latinos from all walks of life and asked for opinions on a variety of topics, including the characteristics needed for success. We compiled their answers, added our own experiences, and created twelve factors for a successful career -- a career that successfully coexists with a fulfilled life, uses your talents and skills to their full potential, and maximizes your opportunities and growth.

 

 You are the Architect of Your Own Destiny                        Tu Eres El Arquitecto De Tu Propio Destino

• Life and career success can only be defined by you for you.
• Taking the time to develop your definition of success is essential to achieving career satisfaction.

 

The following are twelve characteristics you should master if you want to achieve career success:

 

Know Yourself

• Evaluate your interests, values, knowledge, skills, abilities, contributions, accomplishments, uniqueness and worthiness.
• Understand your cultural programming, if any, and how to transform those gifts into career assets.
• Embrace your attributes, family history and culture.
• Craft your combined attributes into a foundation to launch or grow your career.

 

Develop a Goal that Inspires You

• Develop a vision of what you want to accomplish in life and your career.
• Arouse your passion and desire to be successful at whatever you do.
• Allow your goals to be courageous to drive your career forward. Your objectives should not be self-limiting.
• Make sure your goals, no matter how large or small, contribute value to others.

 

Believe in Your Personal Power

• Trust that you are the most important person in your career.
• Embrace your personal power to fuel your career power.
• Activate your career power so you can be proactive in your job search, manage the process and to respond well, rather than react, to the events you cannot control.
• Learn to adapt and transform any self-limiting cultural programming into power centers.

 

Learn to Dance in Both Worlds

• Recognize that adapting to an employer's workplace culture is neither selling out nor changing your cultural identity.
• Build a cultural bridge that crosses from one environment to the other that we can walk on and help others to cross.
• Know your culture and share it gently.

 

Create Opportunities and be Prepared to Take Advantage of Them

Latinos And The Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service: How Are You Participating?

                          

"Everybody can be great, because everybody can serve . . .” ~ Martin Luther King, Jr.

On Monday, January 17, 2011, our nation celebrates the 25^th anniversary of the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday with a “Day of Service” and to encourage ongoing action throughout the year.

Dr. King had a strong history of reaching out to and collaborating with the Latino community. He publicly and privately supported the efforts of the National Farm Workers Association (today’s United Farm Workers of America), as well as, many other Hispanic movements.

Hundreds of Latino organizations are reciprocating by supporting this national initiative. “Dr. King has inspired people from around the world to advocate for equal opportunity. Honoring his legacy through service pays tribute to his dream,” said National Council of La Raza (NCLR) President and CEO Janet Murguía.

What are your plans for today and participating in our evolving generation of service?

Below are a few links to help you find some great projects that need volunteers in your area:

MLKDay.gov 

Servir.gov 

NationalService.gov 

National Council of La Raza community affiliates

In January,1992, César Chávez wrote Lessons of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. -- “My friends, today we honor a giant among men: today we honor the reverend Martin Luther King, Jr.…If we fail to learn that each and every person can make a difference, then we will have betrayed Dr. King's life's work. The reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. had more than just a dream, he had the love and the faith to act.

Build a Strong Career Board of Advisors (Career Compadres) Step-By-Step During National Mentoring Month

National studies confirm that individuals who have mentors are significantly more successful in their careers than those who do not. Mentoring is beneficial for everyone and at all levels of the career continuum. The research shows that having a strong core of advisors and mentors is even more crucial for Latino careerists.

Do you have good mentors?

Do you know and fulfill your responsibilities as a mentee?

Are you a good mentor to someone?

Click on the links below to access a step-by-step guide to build effective mentor relationships.

Please share your recommendations and your success stories with our readers.

Career Compadres Series: The Critical Role of Mentors in Latino Career Success - Part I

Career Compadres Series-Part 2 Career Mentor Checklist

Mentors are Critical for Career Success: A Roadmap For Employers, Career Coaches and Individuals

                    ¡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

Also at http://twitter.com/LatinosAtWork

Contact: Murray@GlobalDiversitySolutions.com or RoseMary@GlobalDiversitySolutions.com

 

Career Resolutions Latinos Can Keep In 2011 - Part 2

In Career Resolutions Latino's Can Keep In 2011 - Part 1, we discussed that 2011 is the Year of the Latino Professional and "Easy Resolutions Latinos Can Keep." In 30 days, will you know where your resolutions are? Below are some additional recommendations that be helpful for keeping yours.

Career Resolutions that have Worked for Other Latino Professionals

Want to take your career to the next level? Consider these:

• Create a career portfolio (physical and / or electronic) to record contributions, special projects, and career accomplishments, no matter how small they may seem. Check out the free tools at VisualCV.com or iHispano.com.

• Evolve your personal career brand every day. Your daily "to do" list should include an activity that builds or reinforces your professional reputation. For example, it might be the way you greet your colleagues, the manner in which you execute a major project, or the fact that you followed up with an important contact. Read In Today’s Economy, Building a Strong Personal Brand is Key to Latino Job Search and Career Success - Part I and Checklist for Developing Your Personal Career Brand: Part 2
• Communicate with at least one older and one newer person in your network each week. Rekindle relationships with people from your past. Commit yourself to expanding your personal network of career contacts. At the very least, your name will stay on their radar. Staying in touch can be as simple as wishing someone a happy new year or sending a birthday card. Read Latino-Specific Job Search Communications: Reach Out and Touch Someone
• Begin or expand your "Career Board of Directors". Studies show that mentors, coaches, champions, experts, and colleagues are vital to your professional advancement. Read up on how to make the most of mentor-mentee relationships: The Critical Role of Mentors in Latino Career Success and My Career Mentor Checklist.
• Join your company's Latino or diversity employee resource group or affinity group. These in-house networks can help you adeptly navigate the workplace culture. To learn more, read: Hispanic Employee Networks / Affinity Groups.
• Give back to the community. Helping Latino colleagues or those coming up behind you opens up even more opportunities for other Latinos. Giving back adds to your own value and helps build your personal career brand.

The Anti-Resolutions

It is also time to resolve to not do some things that could inadvertently damage your career:

Career Resolutions Latinos Can Keep In 2011 - Part 1

For Immediate Release (for those who have not figured it out yet): 2011 has been designated as the Year of the Latino Professional. Prominent players that contributed to this selection include:

• Employers must be competitive locally and/or globally and have set significant goals for Latino recruitment, retention, and upward mobility.
• Colleges and Universities are evolving programs to address the needs of Latino students, alumni, and the companies that employ us.
• Mainstream and Latino Professional Organizations for launching more major initiatives to improve our professional growth and career advancement.
• YOU who is dedicated to your professional evolution

In the spirit of the New Year and the Year (decade or millennium) of the Latino Professional, we encourage you make career resolutions that are a combination of those that challenge you to grow, some that are easily achievable, and an anti-resolution or two. Successful resolutions are founded in results-driven S.M.A.R.T. goals which are:

Specific

Measurable

Action Oriented

Realistic

Time-Constrained

The 2010 Resolution that will Rock Your World: MY CAREER IS JOB #1

This is a big, life-changing resolution. It requires that you take an active role in your career awareness on a day-to-day basis. When the "career management mentality" becomes second nature to you, you'll not only achieve your goals but will become a better, more effective and more valuable asset to your employers.

To develop S.M.A.R.T. goals and make your career a priority:

• Internalize the mantra "tu eres el arquitecto de tu propio destino - you are the master of your own destiny." Read Twelve Characteristics of Latino Career Success and Latin@Work's other job search and career management aricles.
• Take a project management approach to your career and adopt the mindset that YOU are the client or assignment. Write out your plan, assess your options, analyze your resources, and focus on activities that will help you achieve your goals.
• Define career success on your own terms.
• "Envision" your career -- one, five, ten, and 20 years out. Visualize in detail the work you do, your physical surroundings, the people in your professional circle, and the feelings you have at this stage of your career.

To be successful in your career, you must be willing to invest in yourself and take a proactive approach to career development and management. Like anything that is worthwhile, it will take action, persistence, and time. The steps to achieving your MY CAREER IS JOB #1 resolution will be discussed in detail in our next article.

Easy Resolutions that Latino Professionals Can Keep

Put the following items on your "to do" list: 

ABC's John Quiñones Asked Me, “Why Did I Do It?” Here’s My Answer

 

A few days ago, I was honored to receive the National Society of Hispanic MBA’s (NSHMBA) 2010 Brillante Award for Entrepreneurial Excellence from award winning journalist and host of ABC’s “What Would You Do?”, John Quiñones .

Quiñones asked me the following question - Murray, you have done....and continue to do so much for others....you told me earlier that the following quote from Cesar Chavez has directed your life,

“We cannot seek achievement for ourselves and forget about progress and prosperity for our community... Our ambitions must be broad enough to include the aspirations and needs of others, for their sakes and for our own.”

Can you tell us how?

My response: Cesar Chavez and Delores Huerta were both heroes and role models when I was as teenager. At that time our community mentors put us through a rigorous process to develop a personal mission statement. Mine was to enable people and organizations to follow their own path.  It still is today.

I learned from my parents and career compadres that we

• Must take ownership of our careers  
• Excel in work we are passionate about
• Tell truth to power while building cultural bridges
• Give back to the community

What does this look like?

In our practice or for corporations: It means engaging all stakeholders to forge diversity partnerships and build inclusive workplaces.

In our community: The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) gave birth to the American G.I. Forum, SER Jobs for Progress and the Mexican American Legal Defense Fund (MALDEF). NSHMBA’s work in building a pipeline from Education for Success through the goal of achieving full Latino leadership on boards of directors.

And on a personal level: honoring those who came before me and supporting those who follow.

I am humbled that there are former students, interns and mentees from over 30 years here tonight who have become corporate, educational and community leaders and have established their own foundations, built programs, or are individually contributing to our community.

In the spirit of the Brillante Awards I ask all of you to become llamas brillantes, bright flames….Find Your Voice and Inspire Others to Find Theirs

Mil gracias.

                                     ¡BUENA SUERTE!

Murray

Murray A. Mann