Top 3 Benefits of volunteering for Hispanotech

Have you tried Online Dating sites back home? Well, let me tell you that meeting people in Canada is not as easy as meeting people in your hometown; Mainly because as Hispanics, referrals are a substantial factor in making a choice over services: “My cousin told me she found her boyfriend at _____” or  “Maria told me that Luisa met her husband using ____.” In Canada, without family and friend’s opinion, your best approach is online research.

In December 2018, when I moved to Canada, I knew Facebook would be the path to meet people, make some friends, and socialize with new groups. My concern was to meet colleagues who can talk about a career in the Canadian landscape and at the same time, understand the cultural Hispanic angle. My research led me to Hispanotech, and I have to say not only online. I remembered attending interviews at different corporations looking for Spanish speaker professionals, and when I asked them which was a competitive professional network in Ontario to join, their first response was: Hispanotech.

I visited their website and clicked on the Membership tab, where they also offered volunteering opportunities. Laura, their volunteer coordinator, responded me back with an invitation for a first event at the Metro Hall, my first Spanish professional event at one of the postmodern buildings in Toronto, I felt excited. When I saw they were actively looking for volunteers in marketing, I raised my hand and rolled up my sleeves; I was ready to prove my capabilities and help them developed their annual goals.

As a volunteer, I earned benefits and privileges:

– Network, professionals at Hispanotech have been a few years in the market, they wear the Canadian experience on a Hispanic skin. No one better to assess your career, understanding where you are coming from.

– Events, as attendee and volunteer I participated in professional and social gatherings at Google, Side Walk Labs, PWC & EY. The exposure to lectures on multiple industries and experienced professionals gives visibility to my professional goals in Canada.

– People, this is one of the best benefits. Laura, Carlos, and Gabriel have made my Hispanotech volunteering something “placentero“, a pleasant experience, by recognizing and encouraging my talents.

– The cherry on the top is the mix of the above in a casual context: You make smart friends, attend sweet pubs, and have fun!

In the end, I realized Hispanotech is the platform to draw the best of my skills, experience, capabilities, and knowledge. It is on me to make the best out of this opportunity. All summarizes on playing your best self because you never know who is watching. Stay active, smart, and productive: Nothing compares to the rewards of self-satisfaction.