January is National Mentoring Month, and I can’t think of a better time to feature this amazing jefa! I connected with Giovanna “Gigi” on TikTok last year and have been following her journey ever since. Her commitment to the first-gen community is inspiring and exactly what this community needs! Keep reading to learn more about Gigi and her journey to becoming The First Gen Mentor. What inspired you to start The First Gen Mentor? I joined Tik Tok for fun as a distraction from the pandemic in 2020. Since I had free time, I decided to see what it was…
Earlier this year I was unhappy with my job situation. I knew I had the power to do something about it, but I felt overwhelmed with the thought of networking, applying and interviewing for jobs, and ultimately leaving the company. Then one day, a good friend sternly said to me, “It looks like you have to practice what you preach and go scroll through your posts.” Ouch. But he was right! I had lost my way and felt as if…
When I was younger, people always described me as a social butterfly. I was that kid who frequently got in trouble for talking too much or distracting others in class. (Anyone else?) Rather than spending my time reading textbooks, I socialized. Unfortunately, I grew up thinking my disposition for social interactions was a negative trait, and I didn’t realize its importance until almost a decade into my career. After many years, I’m now proud of my social butterfly designation, and…
A few years back, I participated in a high-visibility diversity project sponsored by one of the employee resource groups during Hispanic Heritage Month. It was an opportunity to contribute my photographic talents and highlight Latino employees at the company. I flew to corporate headquarters in Omaha to present the photography exhibit, which included giving a brief speech about the inspiration behind the photographs. The project was a success, and it was well-received—or so I thought. When I returned to Los…
Last week I wrote about the emotional roller coaster my current career change has been. So I took a week off to decompress, reflect on my past accomplishments, and look forward to what’s ahead. I’m glad I decided to take a much-needed break because now I’m in a better place and ready to start my new role this week. Not only did I take the week off, but I also changed my environment and scenery. I left the hustle and…
Last week, I became a statistic. I can now proudly say I’m a participant of The Great Resignation, and I couldn’t be more excited! I had been thinking about leaving my job for a while, but my comfort zone kept whispering sweet nothings in my ear, so I stayed put. (That pesky comfort zone can wreak havoc on your career goals if you let it!) After quarantine, I decided that it was time to move on after nine years in…
I don’t know if anyone else feels this way, but I’m fascinated with how the world of work is evolving. It has been changing for quite some time, but the pandemic certainly accelerated the shift. If you’ve been paying attention to the news, you know the changes aren’t stopping any time soon. Last night, I had a conversation with a friend who hadn’t been keeping up to speed on workforce trends, and did I have an earful for him! I…
Last week, two of my friends (who also happen to be coworkers, but friends first and foremost) made the exciting announcement that they are leaving their respective jobs. One is moving to San Francisco and the other to Seattle, and I’m super excited for both! Their respective phone calls got me thinking about what is happening in the workforce. If you haven’t already heard, there is a HUGE shift taking place. Economists have coined this change The Great Resignation, and…
How often do you compliment yourself? I know that might sound like a weird thing to do, but hear me out… I like to think of myself as a confident person, but lately I’ve had moments of self-doubt. Out of nowhere, I’ll start to doubt my skills, my abilities, my successes—for no reason at all. These moments of vulnerability are short-lived but intense. And as frustrating as they can be, I remind myself that these feelings are normal with a…
In my mid-twenties, I was a project manager for a small company that partnered with hospitals to provide follow-up services. Once the sales team secured the contract, I traveled to the location of the medical facility and managed the onboarding process. I would love to tell you that I went to exciting and adventurous places, but that was not the case. My projects were in places like Grand Forks, North Dakota; Van Buren, AR; North Platte, NE. While at each…
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