Spring feels like it’s finally arrived — but has your next job offer?

If you’ve been slinging resumes for the past few months with no success, take these simple steps now to bring some of that spring cleaning spirit to refresh your job search. If you plant the seeds of growth now and tend to your job search diligently, the right offers will bloom for you soon. READ MORE

Which websites do US Hispanics prefer? What activities do these sites allow them to do? Does gender play a role when it comes to choosing online media? Read on for the answers to these questions, drawn from comScore’s February 2016 ranking. READ MORE AT PORTADA

Multicultural marketing has created a marketing economy based on segmenting the population by ethnicity. While ethnicity segmentation has worked for the past several decades, as I pointed out in an earlier column, that foundation is starting to crack. Our industry is experiencing a paradigm shift. As we attempt to make sense of this existential crisis of marketing models, we should consider how we segment and why. READ MORE AT MEDIAPOST

People over 50 have a hard time finding a job. I know because I am one of them. Employers assume that we’re going to retire at any time and leave them in the lurch or that we don’t know how to use a computer. In one interview, an employer said to me, “You know you have to know how to use a computer,” even though my resumé states that I have computer skills.

Older workers not only bring job experience to the workplace but also life experience. READ MORE AT NEWSDAY

There is a big reason why marketers have spent the last five years obsessed with Millennials — the numbers. Millennials total 75.4 million and have overtaken Baby Boomers as America’s largest generation. The business community is also starting to pay attention to the next generation, Gen Z. This group of people under the age of 20 is already almost as large as Millennials. Millennials and Gen Z combine to make up more than 50% of the entire U.S. population. The future is now.

The youth movement is even more dramatic in the Hispanic market. READ MORE AT MEDIAPOST

It's been nearly 10 years since this country was hit with a recession, the likes of which we hadn't seen for decades. Businesses across the country were closing their doors and unemployment soared. This bleak situation was sharply magnified among Latinos, which reported a 66 percent drop in wealth and a 13 percent unemployment rate.

Yet during this bleak period, Latino entrepreneurs created new businesses at a startling rate. READ MORE AT CNBC

Latinos, the nation’s largest minority group, comprise 17 percent of the United States population. And that number continues to rise steadily. The U.S. Census Bureau projects that by 2050 nearly one-third of the nation’s population will be Latino.

But Latinos are woefully underrepresented in many professions, particularly in healthcare. Fewer than five percent of registered nurses are Latino, according to the Office of Minority Health at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. In contrast, 8.3 percent of registered nurses are Asian Americans and about 10 percent are African-Americans.

The nursing profession certainly has made significant strides in attracting “non-traditional” hires in recent decades. Nearly 10 percent of registered nurses are male, and representation of several minority groups continues to climb because more people realize that a bachelor’s or advanced degree in nursing is a ticket into the middle, or perhaps even the upper-middle, class.

But the growth of Latinos in nursing has been slow. READ MORE AT DHEALTHCARE

Ten years ago finding a new job was a straightforward process.

These days job-hunting is complex. Few schools teach students how to find a job when they graduate.

It is absurd that a kid could spend four years in high school and four in college and never be taught the steps in a job search -- but that is the reality. READ MORE AT FORBES

Last month, Amazon quietly rolled out a Spanish-language version of Amazon.com and in turn, helped dispel the myth that because Hispanics are young and the majority are U.S. born, there is no reason to communicate with them in Spanish.

Amazon’s statement is clear: Marketing to Spanish-preferring online Hispanics makes good business sense.

As a data-driven, consumer-first company, Amazon undoubtedly assessed the Spanish-language e-commerce opportunity rigorously and likely found that there is a critical mass of highly engaged online shoppers who prefer Spanish. According to CNET... READ MORE AT MEDIAPOST

Despite new recruiting technology and systems, we will always have to interview with at least one person before we secure a job. No resume or robot can replace an in-person conversation between a candidate and a hiring manager.

After the economic recession of 2008, companies have been slower to hire and the interview process has been extended from an average of 13 to 23 days. The good news for job seekers is that the economy has rebounded and they can be more confident when it comes to negotiating their salary and obtaining a job this year. A new study by Career Arc and my company, Future Workplace, found that 63% of employers expect hiring volume to increase in 2017 compared to 2016.

The interview process isn’t just about answering several questions about your qualifications; it’s about seeing if there’s a match between you and the hiring manager. READ MORE AT FORTUNE

Neatly tucked away in just-released data provided by the Motion Picture Association of America is this revelation: While overall 2016 box office attendance remained flat, the number of Latinos going to the movies remains on the increase.

Latinos remain over-represented among frequent moviegoers relative to their overall percentage in the US population. Their attendance has been trending upward for years: from 2015 to 2016 it grew from 7.9 million to 8.3 million (its all-time high was 11.6 million, in 2013). Similarly, during 2015-2016, attendance for African-American frequent moviegoers grew from 3.8 million to 5.6 million; for Asian-American frequent moviegoers, it rose from 3.2 million to 3.9 million.

Put another way, in 2016, Hispanics comprised 18% of the US population, but over-indexed at 23% of frequent moviegoers. READ MORE AT CNN

The unemployment rates for teenagers, Hispanics and people without high school diplomas fell sharply in March, though not always for positive reasons.

The teenage jobless rate fell to 13.7 percent, the lowest level since May 2001. The drop occurred because 16- to 19-year olds found jobs, likely at entry-level employers such as restaurants, which added nearly 22,000 jobs last month.

For Hispanic and Latino workers, unemployment fell to a 10-year-low of 5.1 percent. More Hispanics began looking for jobs, and many found them. READ MORE AT STARTRIBUNE

Searching for a new job can be a full-time job, It's a thankless, tiring -- and, yes, depressing task. Searching for roles, filling out applications, networking, tailoring endless versions of your resume to each potential job, interviewing, handling rejections -- the entire process can be so overwhelming and can leave you feeling unwanted, dejected and sad.

"It's understandable; with the loss of a job, many people feel like they've lost control. And, in many cases, they've lost something that they loved, that gave them some fulfillment and purpose, and that can interfere with self-esteem and confidence. READ MORE AT CIO

Given the many critical functions that lawyers play in our democratic society, the legal profession is one of the most influential and must be as diverse as the population it serves. Our society is founded on the rule of law, including governing, legislating, advocating, prosecuting, and adjudicating functions at all levels of the public sector, as well as running corporations, law firms and nonprofit organizations in the private sector.

Under-representation of certain segments negatively affects the upward mobility and economic empowerment of such individuals and the quality and quantity of legal services available to them. It also results in a lack of diverse perspectives and promotes the passage of unfair or biased laws. READ MORE AT MIAMI HERALD

By now, we know all about the dangers of “fake news,” but there’s another form of false information, the concept of “fake trends,” that marketers should be aware of since these can have a negative impact on business strategies. We are witnessing one of them right now when it comes to Hispanic marketing.

The “fake trend” goes like this: Since the Hispanic population growth in the U.S. has been shifting from immigration-based to U.S.-born-based, the need to reach out to this segment from a marketing standpoint should also shift, and young Hispanic Millennials and Gen Zers would tend to culturally assimilate to the broader general market target. READ MORE AT FORBES

Read biographies of feature guests for the Banking and Finance Networking Forum being held Thursday, April 06 at Ronero Chicago.

Moderator

Olga Camargo, Managing Partner, Toroso Investments

Olga is Managing Partner at TOROSO Investments, LLC—a New York-based registered investment advisor firm. Olga co-heads the firm’s Midwest advisory practice and provides investment advisory and retirement plan advisory services to clients that include: high net worth individuals, business owners, public and private corporations, public sector entities, and not-for-profit entities and foundations. Olga holds the Accredited Investment Fiduciary® (AIF®) professional designation from Fiduciary 360, and is able to effectively implement a prudent investment process for all of her clients.

Olga has 18 years of financial services experience. Prior to joining TOROSO Investments, she was a Senior Vice President at Mesirow Financial co-leading an investment advisory practice where she provided culturally-relevant financial services. Before that, Olga was at JPMorgan Chase and Thomson Reuters.

Mayor Emanuel named Olga to the Board of Commissioners of the Public Building Commission. She is the Board Chair of the Hispanic Alliance for Career Enhancement or HACE; is a member of the Little Village Chamber of Commerce Board; serves on the IL State Treasurer's Hispanic Advisory Council; is a member of Metropolitan Planning Council Board of Governors; a board member of The Rotary Club of Chicago; and, a member of New America Alliance's American Latina Leadership Caucus (100 influential Latinas across sectors in the U.S.). She has served on the Metropolitan Pier & Exposition Authority Board; the Chicago Plan Commission; as treasurer for the Chicago Cook Partnership Workforce Investment Board; and, as Vice Chair for Instituto Del Progreso Latino.

Olga holds a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Arts from the University of Illinois at Chicago. Olga grew up in Chicago’s Little Village Neighborhood and lives with her husband and son in University Village—Little Italy.

Panelists

Adrian Sierra, President, Sierra Financial Group

Adrian Sierra is the Chief Executive Officer with Sierra Financial Group Ltd. (SFG). His professional experience has provided him with a wide array of knowledge in the areas of accounting, forensic accounting, litigation support, entrepreneurship, and taxation. Over the last few years, Adrian developed SFG from a start up to a 10 person firm with offices in Chicago and Miami.

He has testified as an accounting expert witness and has prepared expert reports. Adrian has conducted multiple engagements both domestic and internationally. His experience includes 10A and SEC investigations, asset misappropriations, kickbacks, vendor frauds, anti-bribery and corruption investigations as well as Foreign Corrupt Practice Act (FCPA) matters. He works with public and private multinational clients, including Fortune 100 and 500 companies. He frequently speaks on topics including anti-corruption investigations, comparative accounting, compliance, fraud awareness, and interviewing techniques to a variety of audiences.

He received a Bachelor of Science in Accountancy degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Adrian is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) licensed in Illinois, a Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE), is certified in Financial Forensics (CFF), and a Chartered Global Management Accountant (CGMA).

Martha Dominguez, Financial Representative, COUNTRY Financial

Martha Dominguez is a Financial Representative for COUNTRY Financial providing a full range of products and services from auto, home , business and life insurance to retirement planning services , investment management and annuities. She brings over 12 years of industry experience. She obtained her Associates in Theology in 2001 and studied abroad in Algeciras Spain where she was the director of an early childhood school.

She opened her first insurance business with American Family and joined the COUNTRY Financial family in 2008. Since then she has expanded her knowledge by obtaining the Financial Service Specialist (FSS) and Life Underwriting Training Council Fellow (LUTCF) designations. She was also awarded the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) 2013 Corporate Women and Achievement Award. Martha is also a board member of NAREP (National Association of Real Estate Professionals).

Nora Renteria, Risk Manager, BMO Harris Bank

Nora Renteria is a professional Operational Risk manager at BMO Harris with more than a 10 years in corporate financial. She is a TV co-host for Un Nuevo Amanecer on Telemundo. As well as an author of “Today’s Inspired Latina” and public speaker at schools and corporations. She is also an active community volunteer for several non-for-profit organizations. She has a special interest in empowering young adults by mentoring. She is on the board of directors for a non-profit organization.

Nora holds a B.A in Business Administration from Columbia College and a Leadership certificate from Hispanic Alliance for Career Enhancement (HACE). Nora has also been featured in Inc. Magazine, radio shows and Telemundo television.

Sofia Curiel, Team Lead, Northern Trust Corporation

Sofia Curiel is a Team Leader at Northern Trust in the Investment Operations Outsourcing (middle office). Managing over 50BB assets under management with oversight of cash management and reconciliations.

Previously Sofia was a Sr. Investment Manager Relationship Representative at Northern Trust in the Investment Management Liaison Group. Managing over 60BB high net worth clients. Highly focusing on the client service experience.

Sofia serves as Board Member Latin Heritage Leadership Council Business Resource Council at Northern Trust as a BRC liaison. Creating partnerships with other corporations and internal BRC’s.

She received her Bachelor of Business and Administration degree in economics, finance and international business from Loyola University at Chicago, and her Master’s in Business Administration degree from University of Notre Dame.

Sofia has focused on training and development and is an alumni of Corporate Leadership Institute CLI, Metropolitan Leadership Institute (MLI) and Mujeres De Hace. She was featured in a blog on cultivate excellence for the month of September 2016 on the first 90 days of a Team Lead role.

Time is running out to register. Don't miss out!

US Hispanics are extremely tech-savvy, especially regarding virtual reality (VR) headsets and television streaming, and significantly, they are also early adopters.

These findings are among the first results of Univision Communications Inc’s partnership with polling and market intelligence company CivicScience to provide research on Hispanic consumers and emerging trends.

The partnership applies CivicScience's data analysis platform to Univision's Hispanic audience to deliver deep, real-time insights to advertisers, brands, political organisations and investors.

Hispanics were found to be extremely tech-savvy, over-indexing as owners or intenders in categories like smart homes, virtual reality headsets, wireless in-home speakers and television streaming. READ MORE AT RAPID TV NEWS

If your goal is to find work that truly motivates and challenges you, at some point you will have to conjure up the confidence to buck convention. You’ll need to think less about brand, status, and what others think you “should” do. Instead, you will need to focus on finding a job that aligns with the person you want to become.

Conventional wisdom says we should stay with the herd, keep safe, and hedge our bets. But as someone pointed out to me in my twenties, following conventional wisdom doesn’t lead to inspiration or growth opportunities. It doesn’t dramatically change your network, expand your knowledge base, or allow you to discover what uniquely energizes you. The only way to do that is to head off on a different path. READ MORE AT FORTUNE

The gang problem has long afflicted large numbers of the nation’s youth, with 1.4 million young Americans today wearing the colors of the more than 30,000 violent gangs that peddle dope and despair nationwide.

But a Latino change agent has emerged to plant new roots for a new America. Robert Renteria is revolutionizing the way this country must work to solve its deadly drug, gang and crime problems.

Renteria, author of “From the Barrio to the Board Room,’’ “Mi Barrio,’’ and “Little Barrio,’’ demonstrates that dreams can be realized through education, determination, perseverance and hard work.

Using his life experiences in the rough East Los Angeles barrio, along with his business acumen, Renteria helps address conditions that lead to violence, delinquency, drugs and gangs while promoting education, personal pride, accomplishment and self-esteem. READ MORE AT LATINO LEADERS

A new report on the "Economic Status of Latinas" found that the number of Latina-owned businesses in California skyrocketed 111 percent since the beginning of the Great Recession in 2007. Those businesses employ more than a half million people in the state, the report from Hispanas Organized for Political Equality (HOPE) found.

"We want to see Latina business owners get the support, the contracts, the capital," HOPE executive director Helen Torres says. "If they have access to those, we see them growing their businesses and hiring more people." READ MORE AT LA WEEKLY