Rey Picón-Colón Realizes His Career Dream

Rey Picón-Colón applied for Federal jobs and internships, but only received rejection notices. He was a student at the University of Puerto Rico working on his Masters degree in Public Administration and Human Resources Management, and he knew he could be an asset. But how could he move up in the candidate list?

Determined to secure employment with the Federal government, Rey kept working toward that goal. When he discovered a CFCNCA-supported organization that helped place high achieving Hispanic students in Federal jobs and internships, his goal moved into reach.

The charity reviewed his resume and application materials and showed him how to repurpose them to meet Federal employment guidelines. The staff also helped Rey develop and grow, both personally and professionally. He soon secured an internship with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

"Working with the CFCNCA-supported charity was an outstanding experience," Rey recalls.  "They did so much more than help me to get the internship; they taught me networking skills, interviewing techniques and social nuances that helped me to bridge the cultural divide between Puerto Rico and the United States." The charity also covered his travel and housing expenses.

The following summer, Rey applied for and accepted an internship with the Office of Personnel Management (OPM). He developed an extensive network of colleagues and business contacts through his internships and graduated with honors from his master's program.  All of this experience made Rey a highly desirable candidate, and he was hired by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), rated #1 for large agencies in the 2009 Best Places to Work in the Federal Government rankings.

"Every year I give one percent of my salary to the charity that helped me to get to where I am today," Rey reports. "CFCNCA and its charities make a world of difference in peoples' lives."