The First Gen Coach: Career Development for Latinas and First Gen Professionals

Have you ever felt at a crossroads between two career paths? In this special coaching call episode, I coach Angie, who is a Latina First Gen Professional, recent college grad, and is seeking guidance on her career path after graduation. Specifically, Angie is deciding between marketing and data analytics. Through this coaching call, I encourage her to identify what she is looking for from her next job and help her navigate this decision. This coaching conversation explores the importance of community support, the challenges of navigating careers during this political climate, and the need to make our jobs the one stop shop of personal fulfillment, community involvement, and financial freedom. 

Plus: We cover how to turn casual conversations into job interviews, how to apply for jobs strategically, and how to negotiate your salary confidently and effectively. 

Referenced Episodes

73. Job Hopping Every 15 Months with Janzel Manalansan

27. Why WOC Must Leave Their Low-Paying Nonprofit Jobs

84. Turning Casual Conversations into Job Interview

Resources and Links

2 Week Mini Coaching Package: https://calendly.com/thefirstgencoach/career-recharge

6-Month 1:1 Coaching: https://calendly.com/thefirstgencoach/discovery-call

Apply for On-Air Coaching: https://forms.gle/JshV6Z6TfUw6BBnk6

Download your⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠FREE Resume Guide and Template⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Follow @⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠CarlaTheFirstGenCoach⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on Instagram

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In this episode, I talk about how to use AI as your own personal career coach—especially if you're a first-generation professional navigating the job search, interviews, and career growth on your own. I share how AI can help you get clarity on your strengths, tailor your resume to job descriptions, and practice for interviews in a way that feels authentic and empowering.

If investing in career support has ever felt intimidating or out of reach, this episode will show you how tools like AI can help bridge the gap while still keeping your voice and values at the forefront.

We also kick off a new segment celebrating wins from our community (you might just hear your name!), and I share how you can work with me for more personalized support in your career growth. Whether you're job hunting, pivoting industries, or just trying to figure out your next step, this episode is for you.

Resources and Links

2 Week Mini Coaching Package: https://calendly.com/thefirstgencoach/career-recharge 

6-Month 1:1 Coaching: https://calendly.com/thefirstgencoach/discovery-call 

Download your⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠FREE Resume Guide and Template⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 

Follow @⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠CarlaTheFirstGenCoach⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on Instagram

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Have you ever wondered if you’re being underpaid compared to your coworkers or to other people in your field? In this episode, I give you the tools to answer this question. I talk about the 4 elements that determine base pay and the different tools that are available to help you navigate salary transparently. Plus, I also share a small exercise you can use to  benchmark your salary. This is a tool I use inside my 1:1 coaching program with my clients, and it’s part of what has helped them increase their confidence and negotiate an average of $30K in salary increases. You don’t want to miss out!

Resources: 

Understanding Job Leveling: Radford Levels

National Council for Nonprofits - Compensation for Nonprofit Employees

Resources and Links

2 Week Mini Coaching Package: https://calendly.com/thefirstgencoach/career-recharge 

6-Month 1:1 Coaching: https://calendly.com/thefirstgencoach/discovery-call 

Download your⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠FREE Resume Guide and Template⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 

Follow @⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠CarlaTheFirstGenCoach⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on Instagram

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this episode, I got over five critical things every first gen professional should know about the workplace. The first three are tactical and focus on the reality of how workplace systems work. The last two are mindset related and are particularly important for first generation professionals who often carry their parents’ and grandparents’ hopes and dreams in their shoulders. 

Key Takeaways: 

• Base pay is just one part of your compensation package

• Every workplace interaction can impact your career

• Guilt has no place in your career! It is safe to outgrow a job.

Plus: Why you need to learn the difference between someone you’re friendly with at work vs an actual friend you met through work. 

Referenced Episodes

Salary Negotiation Playlist

Wealth-Building & Finances

Resources and Links

Private 1:1 Coaching: https://calendly.com/thefirstgencoach/discovery-call 

Download your⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠FREE Resume Guide and Template⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 

Follow @⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠CarlaTheFirstGenCoach⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on Instagram

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

I spoke at Latinas in Tech Summit! This was such an exciting opportunity for me. Tune in to hear how it happened and how it went. After that, I explain three steps you can take to ensure that you can get more professional development opportunities paid for by your job. Remember, your professional development is part of your compensation! If you’re not getting it, you may be leaving money on the table. 

Plus: How I’ve gotten every job I’ve ever had since college to pay for me to attend conferences or receive training and you can too!

Resources and Links

Private 1:1 Coaching: https://calendly.com/thefirstgencoach/discovery-call 

Download your⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠FREE Resume Guide and Template⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 

Follow @⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠CarlaTheFirstGenCoach⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on Instagram

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this episode I interview Nikki Barua, Interim CEO of one of my FAVORITE organizations, Latinas in Tech! Nikki is a first generation immigrant and shares her journey of navigating the corporate sector, taking many career pivots, and eventually walking away at the height of her corporate career in order to pursue entrepreneurship. She talks about the power of creating your own access and community as a first generation professional, and about the power of curiosity in your career. 

We also discussed the AI revolution and why it is critical for Latinas to embrace AI. Nikki shares why she believes this is a pivotal moment in human history, and why that makes it even more important for Latinas to get started with AI today. 

SIGN UP FOR THE 4-DAY LINKEDIN CHALLENGE! Learn how to get job offers and other opportunities through LinkedIn. Challenge takes place May 19-22. 

About Today’s Guest

Nikki Barua is a serial entrepreneur, keynote speaker, bestselling author, and leading expert in helping people and organizations accelerate success.

In her 25-year career in innovation, she has helped global brands transform their culture and capabilities. Now she is on a mission to help business leaders reinvent the way they lead, live, and succeed in the age of AI.

Nikki has won numerous awards, including Entrepreneur of the Year by ACE, named as an EY North America Entrepreneurial Winning Woman, honored as one of the 21 Leaders for the 21st Century, recognized as Entrepreneur Magazine’s 100 Most Influential Women, LA Woman of Influence by The Business Journals and Women of Entrepreneurship by LA Lakers.

Stay in touch with Nikki on Instagram on LinkedIn, and via her website http://nikkibarua.com. 

Resources and Links

Private 1:1 Coaching: https://calendly.com/thefirstgencoach/discovery-call 

Download your⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠FREE Resume Guide and Template⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 

Follow @⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠CarlaTheFirstGenCoach⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on Instagram

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Hello friends, I am back! May is Mental Health Awareness Month, so this episode is all about self-care practices that can promote your mental health and wellbeing. As you know, I don’t shy away from talking about the broader social forces that can impact our daily lives and careers, and this episode is no different. I address the grim circumstances that are happening in the world, while creating space for the areas in our lives that are within our locus of control and can promote better mental health and wellbeing.

Tune in for:

• ​Ways to audit the content you consume and the mental health resources that are available to you
• ​Ways you can practice self-care that are free or low-cost, can be done solo, or can be done with loved ones
• ​The difference between comforting self-care and growth self-care

JOIN THE WAITLIST: LINKEDIN GLOW UP CHALLENGE

Resources and Links

Private 1:1 Coaching: https://calendly.com/thefirstgencoach/discovery-call

Download your⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠FREE Resume Guide and Template⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Follow @⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠CarlaTheFirstGenCoach⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on Instagram

Referenced Episodes

47. Prioritizing First Gen Mental Health with Latina Therapy Daisy Gómez

53. The Politics of Wellness with Holistic Health Coach Naihomy Jerez

76. Why Your Wellness is Essential to the Collective with Rita-Soledad Fernandez Paulino

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In this episode, I interview Rosalie Ennes, founder of Portecua Consulting and author of Build a Beautiful Business con Confianza, about her transition from corporate life to entrepreneurship. We talk about the importance of community, discuss what risk strategy is, and how we all take risks in our careers, businesses, and everyday lives.  Rosalie also shares insights from her book, Build a Beautiful Business Con Confianza, and offers practical advice on financial decisions, balancing a side hustle with full-time work, and making the leap into entrepreneurship

If you’re thinking about taking a big leap—whether in business, writing, or another passion—this episode is for you.

In our conversation, we discuss:

• Her transition from a corporate 9-to-5 job to full-time entrepreneurship

• The importance of risk strategy in business and career decisions

• The process of writing and publishing her book

• Practical advice for those looking to start a side hustle, business, or creative project

About Today’s Guest

Rosalie is a risk strategist, advisor, and founder of Portecua Consulting, a Latina-owned consulting firm that specializes in helping entrepreneurs identify and get ahead of risks so they can build beautiful businesses that are protected, optimized and well-positioned for growth and impact. Whether it’s through a consulting project, as a 1:1 advisor, via workshops, or with her upcoming book, Build a Beautiful Business con Confianza, she equips business owners with a risk lens so they can make great decisions for their businesses and become the powerhouses and changemakers they were meant to be.

Stay in touch with Rosalie on Instagram via @portecuaconsulting, on LinkedIn, and via her website: https://portecuaconsulting.cpa/ 

Resources and Links

BOOK YOUR CAREER RECHARGE MINI PACKAGE HERE: 

41. Become a Latina Millionaire by Doing the Bare Minimum

The inspiring story of the worst market timer ever

Private 1:1 Coaching: https://calendly.com/thefirstgencoach/discovery-call 

Download your⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠FREE Resume Guide and Template⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 

Follow @⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠CarlaTheFirstGenCoach⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on Instagram

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this episode, Walli Miller, a first gen Latina who retired EARLY after becoming a millionaire, breaks down the essentials of financial independence, early retirement, and becoming work optional. We discuss why workplace retirement accounts are game changers, how to navigate stock market fluctuations without stress, and the real difference between investing in the stock market and gambling. 

Here are more highlights: 

• How to evaluate a job offer based on ALL aspects of compensation, not just base pay. 

• How to get started with investing. 

• Why financial independence is NECESSARY for Women of Color

If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by investing, retirement planning, or understanding your compensation package—this episode is for you! Listen Now!

⁠BOOK YOUR CAREER RECHARGE MINI PACKAGE HERE⁠⁠

About Today’s Guest

Walli Miller is a financial coach who guides professionals to leverage their income for financial independence, making work optional. Having achieved financial independence in her 30s and retired from a 19-year career in public service, Walli is now helping other millennials create a plan to be financially free.

As a millennial who once grappled with living paycheck to paycheck, Walli shares her journey from impulsive spender to an intentional wealth builder and first-gen millionaire to inspire others to what's possible.

Stay in touch with Walli on Instagram @financially_thriving, on LinkedIn, or through her website https://financiallythriving.com/. 

Resources and Links

41. Become a Latina Millionaire by Doing the Bare Minimum

The inspiring story of the worst market timer ever

Private 1:1 Coaching: https://calendly.com/thefirstgencoach/discovery-call 

Download your⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠FREE Resume Guide and Template⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 

Follow @⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠CarlaTheFirstGenCoach⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on Instagram

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this episode, I sit down with Walli Miller, a financial coach and early retiree, to hear her inspiring journey from growing up in a low-income household in the Bronx to reaching financial independence by age 39. Walli shares how her career in public service shaped her perspective on money, why salary negotiation is a game-changer, and the emotional side of wealth—including the guilt that can come with financial success.

She also breaks down how to build wealth through investing and gives practical, actionable tips to help you take control of your finances. You won’t want to miss this one!

Sound Bites From This episode: 

• "I handed in my retirement notice at 39."

• "I felt guilty about making six figures."

• "I didn't know what to do with my money."

About Today’s Guest

Walli Miller is a financial coach who guides professionals to leverage their income for financial independence, making work optional. Having achieved financial independence in her 30s and retired from a 19-year career in public service, Walli is now helping other millennials create a plan to be financially free.

As a millennial who once grappled with living paycheck to paycheck, Walli shares her journey from impulsive spender to an intentional wealth builder and first-gen millionaire to inspire others to what's possible.

Stay in touch with Walli on Instagram @financially_thriving, on LinkedIn, or through her website https://financiallythriving.com/. 

Resources and Links

Fill out the First Gen Coach Community Survey and Enter to Win a FREE Coaching Call! https://thefirstgencoach.com/survey 

Private 1:1 Coaching:https://calendly.com/thefirstgencoach/discovery-call 

Download your⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠FREE Resume Guide and Template⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 

Follow @⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠CarlaTheFirstGenCoach⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on Instagram

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.