Author: Phillip Vélez

Communication Professional and Writer/Blogger
Posted in Networking

Bronx Entrepreneurs and Business Network

Posted on by Phillip Vélez

This past week I attended an event sponsored by the Bronx Entrepreneurs and Business Network (BEBN), a networking group for, by and about Bronx entrepreneurs and businesses. The group is headed by Clarisel Gonzalez, a multimedia journalist, social media strategist, blogger, and social entrepreneur.

The event was hosted by the Bronx Women’s Business Resource Center and Monroe College. The guest speaker was Nilda Perez, CEO of Aspire4Life.com, who made a presentation about “Building Your Business Mindset.”

The presentation was informative and inspirational. It help me really look at the possibility of jump starting an entrepreneurial venture. The session highlighted the pros and cons of running your own business, pinpointing the rewarding aspects of taking a risk to enrich your professional life. There would be great challenges along the way, however the BEBN provides me with an opportunity to connect with like-minded people and learn from their experiences and share my expertise.

It was great to be in the company of others striving for self-determination and success. At the event the BEBN debuted its new logo, created by CodeNYC, and Inca Kola refreshments were provided by the NYC LGBT Chamber of Commerce.

If you are a business owner or hope to be one someday, and a resident of the Bronx, check out BEBN and become a member.

Posted in Communication, Social Media

Social Networking for a Job

Posted on by Phillip Vélez

According to About.com, at least 60 percent – some report even higher statistics – of all jobs are found by networking. In a slow job market, finding employment via the traditional manner could be quite ineffective. I know firsthand. I have been looking for a mid-career communication position for quite a long time. Since January of this year I have been searching for an entry-level paralegal position. However both searches thus far have come up empty.

So, I have decided to finally use my social network to get the word out. If you know of any possible employment positions in my chosen fields or know people in the communication or legal industries, please pass along any leads. I can be found on LinkedIn or you can just forward the link to my professional blog, which also serves as my résumé online, to any potential employers.

I will continue to do my part and am confident the right job will come up eventually, but if you can help spread the word I would really appreciate the valued assistance. Thanks in advance for your effort.

Posted in Consulting

Changing Careers

Posted on by Phillip Vélez

Changing careers is much more common than people may think. In today’s uncertain economic climate, many are going back to the drawing board of life and asking themselves, “What do I want to do now?” There are many reasons someone may want to change careers, including unhappiness in their present position, lack of promotional opportunities, obsolete job skills, or just the need for new midlife challenges.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that by the time a person reaches the age of 44, he or she has had between 11 and 15 careers. I’m personally going through a career change myself, moving from the field of communication to the paralegal profession. So far, it’s quite exciting and new and I look forward to finally getting started in my current career.

Changing careers isn’t easy and it takes a great deal of thought, planning, and determination. But it can be done, and has been since the beginning of time. Vincent Van Gogh, the impressionist painter, was a schoolmaster, student priest missionary and art dealer before he became a painter. You don’t have to go that far back to find successful career changers. Joy Behar, co-host of The View, was a high school English teacher before becoming a comedian, and U.S. Senator Al Franken was a comedy writer and performer before joining Congress.

So, if you’ve been considering changing careers, do some research, follow your heart, and go for it!

Posted in Blogging, Social Media

Blogging with a Smartphone

Posted on by Phillip Vélez

About a year ago I bought my first smartphone. As a huge Mac guy, I chose the iPhone 3GS. I thought as a blogger and member of Latinos in Social Media, I should invest in a smartphone to be able to blog in real-time, tweet regularly, and actively participate in location-based social networking.

Since then, I have used my smartphone to post pictures on my blog and videos on Facebook and YouTube, and helped promote restaurants and other businesses via Foursquare and Yelp. With a smartphone, I now have the capability of posting a blog entry while attending an event with the use of the WordPress and BlogPress mobile applications. I can also record audio and video interviews and instantly conduct Internet research when needed. The geo-positioning apps also help me get to where I need to go.

I’ll most likely upgrade next year to the latest iPhone, however I am open to considering other smartphones. I can definitely see myself owning an Andriod HTC EVO 4G or the new Samsung Epic 4G from Sprint.

The smartphone market still has a great deal of room for growth. According to a graphic published in Mashable, 83 percent of Americans use mobile phones, however only 25 percent of these phones are smartphones.

If you are a blogger or active in social media and do not own a smartphone yet, seriously think about it. Prices are still high, but I think in the long run the investment will be well worth it.