December is a busy month. You’re trying to tie up loose ends as the year winds down, scrambling to find gifts for family and friends, attending a variety of holiday events, and gearing up for the start of another year. It can be easy to think that, just as you’re super busy, employers are too. Hitting pause on your job search can seem logical; you’ll get started again after January 1.

However, keeping your job search moving forward during the holidays can actually pay off. The end of the year can actually be a great time to land a new job because employers are trying to fill any lingering job openings and start off the new year with a full team. READ MORE AT BUSINESS2COMMUNITY

As the U.S. faces a need for more Latino lawyers, there’s a nationally renowned local university that can help prepare young Latinos for a career in the world of law.

According to a report from NBC News (link is external) earlier this year, Hispanics represent 18 percent of the U.S. population but comprise only 4 percent of the nation’s lawyers. For Latinas, specifically, the numbers are even more concerning, as they represent less than 2 percent of lawyers in the country.

“It is a huge problem, and it has been a problem for a long time,” Erica V. Mason, President of the Hispanic National Bar Association, said in the NBC report. “Every single aspect of society is impacted in meaningful ways by attorneys, including lawmakers, politicians, judges, prosecutors, public defenders, and in-house corporate attorneys who make policies that companies follow.”

Any young Latino who aspires to be a solution to this problem within the legal profession should be aware of the Penn Law Pre-College Summer Academy (link is external) at the University of Pennsylvania, a program designed for high school juniors and seniors considering a law career. READ MORE AT ALL DIA DAILY

Hispanic-Americans are less likely to seek health screenings or preventive care compared with their black and white peers, according to a new survey that provides a detailed and ongoing assessment of the Hispanic community’s attitudes toward health care.

The Healthy Americas Survey, released Tuesday by the National Alliance for Hispanic Health and the University of Southern California, shows that 68 percent of blacks are vigilant about getting health screenings and checkups, compared with 60 percent of whites and 55 percent of Hispanics. READ MORE AT LAWNDALE NEWS

We’ve all been there. There’s a company holiday party you’d rather not attend – or maybe your next door neighbors are throwing an event that you just can’t avoid. Whatever the occasion, these parties can be draining during the holidays. This is especially true for those of us who are introverts, or who have other commitments such as children or a demanding job. It can feel like there’s just no room for another to do on the list.

But, if you’re planning to be on the job market next year, holiday parties can truly be the perfect place to kick off your search. READ MORE AT DESOTO-TIMES TRIBUNE

The technology sector is the vanguard of innovation, but it still looks like a good ol’ boys network.

Not only is it made up overwhelmingly of white men, but the percentage of tech workers who are black decreased in recent years, while the portion of women in the industry was stagnant and the level of Hispanic workers was nearly flat.

A new report by Washington’s chief watchdog says federal agencies can help change that by doing more to diversify the technology sector. READ MORE AT THE WASHINGTON POST

As in most cultures, shopping and gift-giving are important parts of the holiday season for many Hispanics. According to recent research by ThinkNow Retail, 33 percent of Hispanics say they will be spending more this holiday season than they did last year, compared to 30 percent across all markets. Some other interesting findings from the study include:

–About 41 percent of Hispanics plan to pay for most of their holiday purchases with a debit card, higher than any other market. Cash and credit tie for second among Hispanics at 24 percent each.

–Smartphones will be the most commonly used device for making online holiday purchases among Hispanics. About 62 percent of Hispanics will use a smartphone, compared to 50 percent across all markets. READ MORE AT CUINSIGHT

Doing business in Latin America can be a slow and complicated process.

The most recent report from Doing Business makes that evident, as the World Bank publication revealed its ranking of the difficulty of working in various countries. Only one country in Latin America placed within the top 50.

Mexico scored 77.27 out of 100 points, putting it at the 49 spot overall. Other countries, such as Chile, Peru and Colombia, placed in the top 60, while Costa Rica came in at 61. READ MORE AT PANAMPOST

Latino Americans are starting businesses at three times the rate of the general population thus playing an important role in driving US economic vibrancy through their outsized contribution to new business creation. However, Latino-owned businesses (LOBs) fail to scale in size and revenue at the same rate of other businesses, presenting an opportunity gap of $1.38 trillion for the US economy.

In order to address the untapped potential of LOBs and its cascading effect on the wider economy through unrealized economic growth, the Aspen Institute Latinos and Society Program released the report Unleashing Latino-owned Business Potential. READ MORE AT CISION

Hispanic women are rapidly becoming an economic and social powerhouse in the United States, with rising rates of entrepreneurship, educational attainment and delayed marriage, according to a recently released Nielsen report. These advances are emerging as the relatively young Latina population is undergoing dramatic growth: 37% between 2005 and 2015, with 77% of that growth coming from U.S.-born Latinas.

This largely bi-cultural group will exert a strong influence on both Hispanic and mainstream American culture into the 21st century, as brands exponentially magnify their market for ethnic products. READ MORE AT MEDIAPOST

According to a recent LinkedIn survey, 85 percent of people find their next job through some form of networking. With the holidays approaching, I find myself once again thinking about the role that friends and family can play for someone who is looking to make a career change.

I always advise my clients looking for a job to broaden their network and spend a lot of time talking with others about what they do and gather their perspectives on opportunities. Who better – or less intimidating – to start with than the friends and family you will be talking with at various holidays gatherings? READ MORE AT THE DENVER POST

When the Pixar writer and director Lee Unkrich received the green light in 2011 to develop his follow-up to “Toy Story 3,” the best picture nominee that made his career, his initial excitement dissolved into fear.

Mr. Unkrich, 50, hadn’t caught sophomore jitters. He knew his idea for a new animated film, which eventually became “Coco,” arriving in theaters in the United States on Wednesday, had the same potential for dazzling visuals and emotional catharsis that distinguished “Toy Story 3” and other hits from the Disney-owned studio.

His anxiety was personal. READ MORE AT THE NEW YORK TIMES

Trying to find a job that pays over $100,000? You'll need to start planning early, according to a new list of high-paying jobs compiled by job search engine Indeed.

Indeed's list of 20 jobs that pay over $100,000 is dominated by jobs in the health and tech industry. The top six highest paying jobs all fall in the medical field, with neurologists coming in as the highest paying jobs and psychiatrists following closely behind. READ MORE AT USA TODAY

In the era of Donald Trump, it doesn’t take much to see political undertones in just about everything. Including the new Disney-Pixar film, "Coco."

Built around the Mexican holiday, Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, the movie is about Miguel, a 12-year-old boy from rural Mexico who dreams of becoming a guitarist. In Miguel’s pursuit, he crosses over into the Land of the Dead, where he interacts with his ancestors, famous musicians and magical creatures.

"Coco" has been an instant hit since opening in Mexico on Oct. 27. It has raked in more than $43 million — the highest-grossing movie of all time in Mexico. The film opens in the US on Nov. 22. READ MORE AT PRI

The past decade has seen a dramatic increase in the number of Hispanic pet owners in the United States. Between 2007 and 2016 the number of Latinos with pets in their homes skyrocketed from 11.4 million to 20.4 million as the pet ownership rate among Hispanics grew from 40% to 55%.

Pet ownership has become a marker of increasing acculturation within the Latino population. The vast majority of the 20.3 million Latino pet owners in the United States are either U.S.-born or are bilingual or English-dominant foreign-born Latinos. As acculturated Hispanics continue to make up a larger and larger share of the rapidly expanding Hispanic population in the United States, the number of Hispanic pet owners will continue to grow exponentially. READ MORE AT GlobeNewsWire

Marketing in Spanish in the U.S. may not seem like an innovation from our purview in 2017, but when the first recognized full service Hispanic advertising agency in the United States opened up in 1962 it was a paradigm-shifting marketing event. It was one of the first times national brands and companies marketed their goods and services in the U.S. using a language other than English. READ MORE AT MEDIAPOST

Even if you avoid networking all year, it’s inevitable during the holiday season that you will find yourself at a networking event – your company party, your kids’ school events, the year-end celebration for a professional group you’re involved with. Networking this time of year is also beneficial as people tend to be more festive and therefore friendlier, and even companies are likely to be more receptive as they shift their focus to needs and goals for next year. READ MORE AT FORBES

The sweet smell of freshly baked cakes filled the room, as a half-dozen workers did their part to make more.

One mixed ingredients, while another filled round pans with batter. As the cakes emerged from ovens, four more layered on fruit and frosting. 

On an average weekday, the team at Suspiros Cakes goes through 200 pounds of flour and 50 pounds of eggs to make between 80 and 90 cakes. Those quantities almost double on weekends.

The gourmet cake franchise has become a household name in northern Mexico over the past 14 years, expanding to over 260 locations there. READ MORE AT AZ CENTRAL

Too many job seekers put their job searches on hold at this time of year, and that's a shame. December is a great time to job hunt!

Here are ten reasons why.

1. Budgets

Hiring is based on budgets. Budgets are approved for a given fiscal year. December 31 is the most common fiscal year-end. Job opening budgeted for 2017 but unfilled may not be approved again for 2018. Managers have an incentive to fill their job openings before 12/31/17! READ MORE AT FORBES

The latest announcement by this company is about its $2 million investment into a program that will see it offer grants to the Chicago non-profit organizations. Through its recent statement, the bank outlined that it remained committed to creating economic opportunities in Chicago’s West and South sides. It outlined that the grants were part of a $40 million commitment.

About six non-profit organizations are set to benefit from the more than $2 million. These organizations have over the years remained committed to assisting all the minor business in the distressed neighborhoods, as well as the minority entrepreneurs and women. Among the list of recipients are Blue1647, Illinois Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Foundation, Sunshine Enterprises, World Business Chicago and Women’s Business Development Center. READ MORE AT MARKET EXCLUSIVE

Code2040, a San Francisco nonprofit working to increase diversity in the technology industry, has raised $5.6 million to fuel a major expansion as it navigates a tense political climate.

The new funding from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation and others comes as diversity advocates face a sharp backlash over their efforts to bring groups of people long marginalized by the tech industry into companies that remain largely white and Asian male.

The broadsides against diversity began after last year's election of President Trump that brought attacks on initiatives that prioritized women and people of color and heated up with the firing in August of a Google employee who blasted the company's diversity policies. READ MORE AT USA TODAY