Also read: Hispanic Heritage Month, recruitment, interview, Latina, immigration, Latino market

Setting career goals, understanding corporate culture or establishing a group of allies is always challenging for young women in the beginning of their careers. But what unique challenges and opportunities does culture add to the mix? We asked three influential Latinas to share their best advice for other Latinas.

Know Thy Self

While there is much to be learned from work experience and time spent observing corporate culture, many skills can be acquired simply by listening to yourself and examining your desires for your professional future.

Linda Jimenez, staff vice president of inclusion and work force mobilization for WellPoint, No. 44 in The 2009 DiversityInc Top 50 Companies for Diversity^®, advises young women to set their goals and look ahead before they even start. "Have an idea in place," she says. "Give your destination a purpose so that you know where you're going. Find out what your ambition is, what you aspire to be and what you need to accomplish that goal."

She continues, "There's a favorite quote from Peter Drucker that I like to give my mentees or protégés: 'The best way to predict your future is to create it.' So I always tell people, sit back and ask yourself, 'Where do I want to be 5 years, 10 years, 15 years down the road?' And then chart your path."

However, Jimenez also stresses being flexible when setting goals. She started out as an attorney specializing in labor and employment law, but with each turn of life, such as her decision to have a family, she adjusted her future plans, "You may have a little bump along the way, but how you address your path along the way is very important. When you hit a fork in the road, you really have to think about [whether] you want to take that chance, take that intelligent risk and leap of faith."

Ara Shepard, associate director of diversity and organizational development for Altria Client Services, emphasizes how the beliefs you hold outside the office can affect how you function and eventually succeed in your career. "Know your personal standards and values and align yourself with people/organizations that you feel support those values every day. Remember, people deduce your values and standards by listening to what you say and, more importantly, watching your actions."

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Use Your Culture as a Strength

Your bilingualism and biculturalism have more far-reaching effects than you think. Aside from having valuable language skills, your heritage is a good representation of our nation's growing population. "Being bilingual increases your employability and value, and that is an additional skill that sets you apart from many others," says Jimenez. "In addition, a Latina's cultural background can definitely be seen as a strength and a competitive edge. Corporate America needs individuals who not only look like our Latino consumers but also understand their history, traditions and practices, as well as those who speak and understand the language."

However, Jimenez warns Latinas to stray from one cultural tendency she perceives as a potential drawback: modesty. "We are generally not encouraged to be boastful or engage in self promotion," she says. "But in today's corporate environment, humility, while admirable, isn't always the best plan. Latinas need to learn how to communicate their accomplishments and market themselves appropriately and not be afraid to step up and be heard."

The Office

Once you've entered the work force or a new job, it's important to take note of your surroundings: the office culture, the energy of coworkers and pinpointing those individuals who will help you succeed.

Jimenez believes in finding what she likes to call your "dream team."

"Always have a support team," she says. "These are going to be people who believe in you, who are willing to mentor and coach you along the way. People you trust and who will give you honest, candid, straightforward feedback on your behavior, performance, attitude--all the way down to the way you dress and the way you present yourself."

But she also agrees in aggressively pursuing mentors on all levels, not just those in your immediate environment. When she moved into the diversity field, she made a bold move and picked up the phone to call Roosevelt Thomas, a leader in diversity. She says, "I wanted to make sure as I developed this diversity plan that I did it right." To this day, they still have a growing relationship.

Early in her career, Alma Morales Riojas, president and CEO of MANA--a nonprofit advocacy organization that empowers Latinas through leadership development--was told she was too friendly and smiled too much. But Riojas didn't give in to the pressure to develop a stern game face. "I figured one of the things that was really important was to have a positive attitude," she says. "But it was the idea that the smile really projected that positive attitude. And I find that in the long run people will want to work with somebody who has a positive attitude."

Shepard advises that you stay aware and in touch with all of those whose paths you cross in your career. Maintaining those relationships can make or break your future. "Learn to navigate relationships at all levels. The ability to relate effectively to a variety of people up, down, sideways, inside and outside of your organization is important. I often hear from less-experienced individuals how difficult it is to deal with corporate politics," she says. "View corporate politics as part of organizational life--it's alive and real everywhere you go. So try to adjust to that reality and find those persons who will take the time to help you learn to develop influencing skills and patience as you go along the way."

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