Today I’ve been invited to participate in a blogtalk discussion about the current reality of the work/life situation in Latino families. I would like to invite you all to join me if you are a Latino(a) or if your business has a Hispanic target and/or Latino(a) employees.

This discussion is part of a “Wake Up” series organized by Fem2.0 where different work/life realities are being discussed every day for two weeks.  Mine will take place at 1:00 PM today and you can join us by clicking here:

Why is this important? Mainly because the Latino workforce has been affected the most du ring the recession.  Read more in this excellent article written by Jose E. Cruz and Jackie Hayes at State University: Workforce Development and its impact on Latinos in New York State

As a consequence, the Latino workforce is changing face.  Now many “Latinas are bringing home the bacon” (which is the title of today’s episode).  But as Herman Guaracao, the CEO of Al Dia News told me “No solo de Bacon vive el hombre” (Man does not live on “bacon” alone). So we must find a proper work-family balance.

Finally I would like to share my two cents for those who are still looking for work.  Social media can be a great tool.  3 out of every 4 Americans uses social media in some form or another, as does 2/3 of the world’s population. That’s a big audience and if you are willing to put yourself out there, you can really make a splash! However, there is more to promoting yourself on social media than simply posting “I need a job”.  Here is how you can sell yourself:

Step One: Connect

Chances are you have a list of places you would love to work. See if they are on Twitter or Facebook and then follow them. Often, when a company is looking to hire, they will put out feelers before actually posting a job and if they are active in social media, you’ll be the first to hear about it. Don’t just follow the company . . . look at the main players and follow them.

Instead of just jumping in and asking for a job, build relationships. After all, who would you consider hiring to mow your lawn, the kid next door who hangs out at your place every Saturday or the perfect stranger who shows up on your doorstep? Take the time to get to know people before you ask them if there are any openings in their company.

Step Two: Show Them What You Can Do

Even if you are the best qualified applicant for the job, you have virtually no chance of getting it if you can’t prove that. By letting potential employers know that you are indeed an expert in your field, you’ll get ahead of the competition.

This can be done in several ways. First of all, you should make your knowledge known on social media sites by interacting with others in the same field and linking to interesting and relevant articles. On Twitter, re-tweet people who make good points about your profession.

A blog can also be useful for showcasing your talent. If it doesn’t come across that well in writing, start making videos and getting them up on YouTube, then have friends bookmark them, tweet them.  The same applies to inserting pictures in your blog to show you “in action”. You’ll soon realize that your blog places you on top of the competition who only have a resume to share. And speaking of resumes, don’t forget to add your blog link to your resume, business cards, personal website, twitter account and everywhere.  You’ll be surprised how employers prefer to look at a blog before they move on to read the 70th resume on their pile.

Step Three: Ask for the Job

Once you have established yourself as someone who is confident and knowledgeable, it’s time to move in for the kill. By this point, you should have established relationships on social media sites with several potential employers. Now is the time to start asking them for work.

When you do this, make sure it’s a personal message, don’t just send out a mass mailing. You’re far more likely to net a job if you target the specific person you are asking to hire you.

Selling yourself on social media might be a little frightening at first, but the truth is, it is very similar to networking face to face. Play your cards right and you could have a new job sooner than you think.

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