Walgreen's Networking Event

Walgreens will be hosting a Networking Event where latino professionals can meet and interact with their Top Executives and Hiring Managers.

Walgreens is looking to fill various positions in Marketing, IT, Engineering, Finance/Accounting, HR, Legal, Operations, Sales, Supply Chain, and Business Development.

Walgreens Corporate Office

200 Wilmot Road Deerfield, IL 60015-4681

November 18, 2010 

6:00pm - 8:30pm

For additional information please visit their website http://careers.walgreens.com/career-areas/corporate/

If you are interested in attending the Walgreens Networking event, you will need to register in advance. To register you will need to login or create a profile and check-off the box for the Walgreens event as your final step. The profile creation process takes less than 3 minutes!

How to create a profile:

1. www.haceonline.org

2. On the top right hand corner, you will see the HACE Member Login Box

3. Click on the SIGN UP TODAY icon

4. Fill out the information, upload your resume at the end of the process and check-off the box for the Walgreens event

HACE1z

 

The Emerging Latino leader

by: Marlene González

Many organizations recognize that Latinos and Latinas can contribute to corporate life in immeasurable ways. Some realize that diverse perspectives at the employee, managerial, and executive levels can bring fresh ideas, energy, and innovation.  Prior to the economic crisis of 2008, Latinos and Latinas are becoming a market force in the United States, to a projected $1.3 trillion estimated buying power by 2013. And the Latino job force was expected to grow by 30 percent to reach 27 million by 2016, whereas the non-Latino labor force was projected to grow by only 5 percent.  



However, in its Statistical Portrait of Hispanics in the United States, the Pew Hispanic Center reported that Latinos represent 7 percent of the workforce in management, business, and financial operations occupations. Indeed, certain industries have relied on Latinos to grow or competitively sustain their operations. Why haven’t Latinos and Latinas made huge strides in the corporate world? Why are the numbers still low, and what are the challenges they face? Many organizations recognize that they don’t have an adequate number of Latino leaders and they want to know what they can do to change this to their advantage.  

Why aren’t there more Latinos at the top? The reality is that the odds of making it to the top are always slim, regardless of one’s background. Certainly, it is not the lack of talented individuals; rather, the answer has more to do with business strategies and learning how to position, develop, and advance Latino leaders. Latinos are not making it to the top fast enough because of the challenges they have to overcome, including managing corporate politics, obtaining visible positions, and finding role models. Here are key challenges that you will find in my book Latinization and the Latino Leader, How to Value, Develop and Advance Professionals.  

Divided Between Two Cultures  

Latinos and Latinas spend their lives caught between two cultures, two identities, and in some cases, two languages. Home is where their hearts and minds were formed; work is where they aspire to be leaders. Identity issues become more complex when you take into account differences among first, second, or third generation Latinos. The first generation exhibits more Latino cultural traits and speaks Spanish as their primary language. The second generation frequently learns about Latino culture from their parents, but lives in a different social and business context and reality. The third and later generations possess limited knowledge of Latino culture, heritage and traditions, and transmit little of it, if any, to their children and their cultural context.    

Educational Does Not Equal C-Suite Jobs  

As we all know, education is the great social equalizer.  Latinas are demonstrably eager to be successful and advance in the workplace, and they are looking for opportunities to take a more active role in their chosen fields, seeking out companies that provide the training and support they sometimes feel is lacking in the workplace. As part of their efforts to increase opportunities, Latinas are making an effort to further their education, but seeing no return on their investment. The rate at which Latinas are earning college (and graduate) degrees has risen more rapidly over the past ten years than that of any other racial or ethnic group. In a recent study I conducted for the National Hispana Leadership Institute (NHLI), 40% reported having earned a master’s degree. However, half of the women holding master’s degrees stated that the minimum level of education required for their job was a bachelor’s degree. Given the high numbers of Latinas attending college and graduate school, one might wonder whether this finding suggests that Latinas have struggled to translate their advanced educations into C-Suite executive-level jobs. According to the Alliance for Board Diversity (ADB), Latinos hold less than 2 percent of the 5,500 Fortune 500 board seats, despite comprising 15 percent of the nation’s population.  

Micro-inequities  

Minority and Latinos in general have made a lot of progress thanks to the Women’s Rights movement, the Civil Rights movements, the Glass Ceiling Act, the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Restoration Act, and the support of many Anglo men and women in positions of power who embraced multiculturalism and the belief that America is founded by immigrants. However, discrimination based on race, ethnicity, gender, and sexual orientation continues to be part of the fabric of American life.  

Micro-inequities is a term that’s being used for small but hurtful discrimination and forcing people to assimilate. Bosses and peers sometimes deliver the direct or indirect message that Latinos must lose their accent and blend in order to get ahead. People are quick to appraise someone’s intelligence by their appearance. For Latinos this includes not only the way they look, the color of their skin but also the way they communicate, and how truthful the message is perceived. Accent might reduce the credibility of non-native job seekers, eyewitnesses, actors, reporters, and news anchors. Foreign-born individuals like California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger overcame his accent and secured the trust of voters. Antonio Banderas won the Oscar in 2005 and Penelope Cruz in 2009; Sofi Vergara in her supporting role in the comedy, Modern Family, has been nominated for several awards, just to name a few who have overcome this negative stigma.  

A refined English accent and superior vocabulary is considered synonymous with a higher IQ, but is this the case? Perhaps it is the opposite. People from other cultures that read, write, and comprehend more than one language are more cross-culturally proficient. In July, 2010 the University of Chicago released a report about research published in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology by Shiri Lev-Ari and Boaz Keysar. The researchers found in a small study that people unconsciously doubt statements in accents that they find difficult to understand more than ones delivered in accents that are completely familiar. “Instead of perceiving the statements as more difficult to understand, they perceive them as less truthful,” the researchers said. On one hand, those whose accents are less well understood may experience more problems in communicating and therefore have less successful interactions, or avoid them completely, limiting their advancement in corporate America. HACE1z

Marlene González, Founder and president of Life Coaching Group LLC. She is a leader in the cutting edge industry of executive coaching, consulting and training. Her organization is dedicated to “developing leaders as a catalyst for corporate growth and a source of intellectual capital”™.

Identifiable Generational Difference Amongst Latino Professionals

A very interesting article was recently published entitled, "Diversity grows as majority dwindles" and was on the front cover of the June 11th issue of USA Today. The gist of the article was that minorities are now making up almost half of the births in the US. So basically we are now in a process where no specific demographic group represents a majority according to new Census estimates. This is interesting food for thought however there is an important concept missing from the article; the effect on society and the workplace created by generational differences among these diverse ethnic groups such as Latino professionals.

Today's workplace consists not just of people of varying backgrounds and ethnicities but also of a broad range of generations. These generations are defined by dates and a set of common traits they tend to share. The US workforce continues to be dominated by the Baby Boomers. Baby Boomers were born between 1946 and 1964. They were the kids of the WWII generation and now account for about 28% of the population. This generation was raised to believe they could do anything and was also perhaps the most vocal, particularly during the Vietnam War years. In terms of the work environment, they are most typically motivated by career advancement and the impact they have at work. They are also known for defining the "work to live" catchphrase and have been criticized for not being adept at balancing their family and work life.

Following the Baby Boomers generation is Generation X. People in this generation were born between 1961 and 1981. Gen X is the smallest generation in terms of numbers, making up about 16% of the US population. They are accustomed to rapid social change and are less trusting of institutions (They witnessed the failures in ethics starting with the Watergate scandal, so they tend to be a little more skeptical than other generations). They were also the first generation where both dad AND mom both began to work so they often came back home from school alone (hence the term "latch-key-kid"). Gen X'ers is also one of the most racially diverse groups with about 35% who identify as non-white or Hispanic. In a work environment they thrive with special projects and the chance to earn based on what they accomplish. They also tend to be less loyal to their employers than the Boomers.

The fastest growing and soon to be most influential group are the up-and-coming Generation Y or Millennials. This group was born after 1981 and accounts for about 25% of the population. They are not yet a majority of the US workforce. (However by 2014 there will be nearly 63 million Millennials in the workforce). Millennials have been increasingly protected by their parents and tend to be very diplomatic (Gen X'ers on the other hand are known for being less diplomatic and more direct). Because they are younger Millennials often times are looking for a good role model, hence they're a great compliment to the WWII generation who often enjoy mentoring. This group also grew up during times of economic prosperity in the US along with easy credit, so they like to spend. They also tend to be more family oriented and value balance and moderation. From a work perspective they prefer to take time off and volunteer and expect to be moved into a variety of different roles around a company. Because they grew up during the internet age they're also the most technologically savvy of the generations.

These generational traits found in the general market also hold true with regards to Latino professionals. Every year HACE has conducted a Latino professional Pulse survey which helps understand key characteristics of the close to 40,000 members. We have found that the generational differences found within the general market also apply to Latino professionals. For example our Latino Millennials, tend to be web savvy, rely mainly on job boards to search for careers, volunteer, and are seeking mentors to help guide them through their professional careers. On the opposite end of the spectrum our Baby Booming Latinos tend to rely more on their stronger networks to seek out jobs, tend to serve on boards, and are at a point in their careers where they would like to mentor younger professionals. In the middle we have our Gen X Latinos who tend to have hybrid characteristics of the Millennials and Boomers. This group, which is our most vocal, also has the highest percentage of working mothers.

Although there are several similarities in generations between Latino professionals and the general market there are some very distinct differences as well. When it comes to Latino professionals one must also take into account several key differences including level of acculturation, country of origin, and generation in the US. These added layers of distinctions provide a more complex set of scenarios for Latino professionals as they navigate through their professional careers. For example a first generation Latino who grew up in a foreign country but came to work in the US will not only have to cope with the cultural differences of the US work environment but depending on their age they will also have to learn to navigate the different generational nuances as well.

What is most important to note however is that although these differences exist, most Latino professionals have learned to promote and educate others on these key distinctions within their work or school environments and as a result have helped to add a unique value to the workforce. This is most evident with the growth of affinity/employee resource groups within businesses. These organizations not only serve to help retain and motivate Latino professionals but also assist in enriching the current diverse cultures of certain businesses as well as compliment other resource groups. At universities there are now several clubs and organizations for Latinos that help to create formal networks for students and also assist in educating and promoting the Latino culture in an academic setting. Overall, these organizations help to foster unity among the different generations of Latinos as well.

It is estimated that the majority of people in the US under the age of 5 are Latinos. With this fact in mind what type of an impact do you think this next generation is going to have on the US workforce? How will they begin to shape our work environment? What type of an influence will they have from the Millennial generation and how will they interact with Gen X as they begin to retire from the workforce? Lastly, as kids of the great recession how will the social and economic changes we're experiencing today affect their behavior as they enter the workforce in the next several years? More interesting food for thought…   HACE1z

Hispanic Professionals with MBAs Career Expo

Hispanic professionals & MBA students do not miss the NSHMBA Conf & Career Expo Oct 21-23 at McCormick Place. hace1z http://bit.ly/9cmecF

2010 Mujeres de HACE Applications Due

Latina professionals – Applications for Mujeres de HACE 2010 are due TODAY! Register, Succeed, Thrive. HACE1z http://bit.ly/9aUgq4

Register Now for Mujeres de HACE 2010

Are you a professional woman looking to thrive & succeed? Register for Mujeres de HACE 2010. Get empowered! HACE1z  http://bit.ly/9aUgq4

Applications for Latina professionals program Mujeres de HACE are due Friday. Sign up and get empowered! http://bit.ly/9aUgq4  #HACE-su~3