In this article, we review resources and strategies for members of the LGBTQIA+ community who are preparing for a job/internship search. Common considerations and questions that LGBTQIA+ folks have pertain to whether to be out during their job search or in the workplace, workplace inclusivity and safety, and gender-affirming healthcare benefits. Overall, it’s most important to pursue your career in the way that feels most comfortable to you. We hope that by providing you with information about job search considerations, community and networking advice, and tips for finding an affirming workplace, you become confident about navigating the professional world.
This page includes recommendations and resources for all members of the LGBTQIA+ community, including trans and non-binary individuals. For additional recommendations and resources specific to trans and non-binary individuals, visit our additional resource guide.
Considerations About Being Out
The choice of when or if you want to come out in your professional life is entirely up to you. When considering whether to include your name (if different from your legal name) or your pronouns on your resume, for example, you will want to take into consideration all the information you have gathered about an employer’s work climate as well as your own comfort with being out. We have put together ideas for how to navigate ways to either come out in the job search or choosing not to disclose. We’ve also included resources for conducting geographical research regarding employee and civil rights in individual U.S. states and territories.
Options for listing your name on resumes (if it’s different from your legal name):
- Writing only your preferred name, which is acceptable on a resume
Example: Caleb Student - Put your name in parentheses next to your legal name
Example: Katherine (Caleb) Student - Use legal name as an initial
Example: K. Caleb Student - Label your legal name
Example: Caleb Student (Legal Name: Katherine Student) - Use only legal name
Example: Katherine Student
Places where you have to list your legal name:
- Most job application portals
- Contracts
- Background check forms
- Social security documents
- Tax documents
- Insurance documents
Here are the places/methods for sharing your pronouns during the job search:
- In your resume header, alongside your contact information
- On your LinkedIn profile
- In your email signature
- In the job application portal (If available)
- Next to your pre-set Zoom & Google Meet name (Note: You won’t be able to change your Google Meet name without also changing the name on your overall Google profile)
- Verbally during introductions
- Nonverbally during introductions by using a pronoun pin
It is important to note that some research indicates that job seekers who put non-binary pronouns on their resume face bias in the hiring process.
Another way that one can choose to disclose or not disclose their identity is through sharing involvement with an LGBTQIA+ organization. This is applicable if you have worked or volunteered in a setting that is associated with the LGBTQ+ population.
A few options for how to share (or not share) this information include:
- Specifically listing your LGBTQIA+ organizational involvement and name the experiences and skills you gained on your resume.
- Generically describing the organization(s) if you don’t wish to disclose the specific organization on your resume. For example: “Completed weekly volunteer work with organization focused on diversity, civil rights, and equality” highlights the skills and experience gained rather than the specific employer.
- If you aren’t comfortable with any speculation on your identity, you might wish to completely leave out references to LGBTQIA+ organizations in your work/volunteer history.
Legal protections for members of the LGBTQIA+ community vary by U.S. state and territory. The level of protection an individual has regarding their sexual orientation may differ from the level of protection regarding their gender identity, depending on the state. These factors are helpful to be aware of as you determine whether or not you want to be out during your job search. While this information doesn’t reflect individual workplaces or people, a state’s policies can be broadly reflective of attitudes toward the LGBTQIA+ community in that region. Specific state policies will articulate whether you can be fired for your sexual orientation or gender identity in that region.
The Movement Advancement Project (MAP) Equality Maps are a helpful tool for gauging the laws and policies regarding both sexual orientation and gender identity in all 50 U.S. states, Washington DC, and five U.S. territories. These maps are updated regularly as laws and policies change.
Utilizing Professional And Local Communities for Support
As a member of the LGBTQIA+ community, one of the most important professional and social tools you have is networking. In this section, we’ll discuss both professional networking and social networking within your local community. Pursuing both types of networking can have positive impacts on your career and your overall wellbeing.
Professional networking
Have you ever had a conversation with someone about your professional goals and asked for their input or advice? If so, you’ve already networked! Networking refers to situations in which professionals exchange information in order to develop new contacts or gain insights. Networking can occur in a variety of settings and relationships. While most people picture official events such as career fairs and academic conferences when they think of networking, we encourage you to also think about how you can utilize existing and new contacts to learn more about specific job titles and companies. These contacts might include:
- Current and former classmates and professors
- Current and former supervisors and coworkers
- Alumni of your St. Kate’s major or degree program
- Your family and friends – and their family, friends, coworkers, and more
One valuable area for new contacts is other LGBTQIA+ students and professionals. Exchanging emails, setting up phone or video conversations, or attending workshops within these groups can introduce you to a variety of people who are uniquely positioned to understand and support you. These interactions can also bolster your confidence when approaching new contacts outside of these groups.
Here are some LGBTQIA+ professional networks and LinkedIn groups to consider exploring. When considering a LinkedIn group, take note of its privacy settings. A public group meets that anyone can see anything posted in that group, even if they are not a member. A private group means that posts are only accessible to members. You should choose which groups to post and interact in based on your preferences for being out in the workplace.
- Queer Career Search: This public LinkedIn group is for LGBTQ+ job seekers to review job opportunities from inclusive companies.
- Quorum: The LGBTQ+ and Allied Chamber of Commerce in Minnesota: Members of Quorum represent businesses that strive to create an inclusive business community in Minnesota. While not a job seeking group, reviewing the companies that the group members represent can provide a list of potentially inclusive workplaces in Minnesota.
- LGBTQ Introductions: This public LinkedIn group is an off-shoot of the much larger public LGBTQ Professionals Network LinkedIn group. It’s designed for job-seekers to introduce themselves, make connections, and seek industry advice.
- oSTEM: Out in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (oSTEM) is a non-profit professional association for LGBTQ+ people and allies in the STEM community.
- LGBTQ+ Professionals in Higher Education: This private LinkedIn group offers networking opportunities for higher education professionals, including both faculty and staff roles.
- LGBTQ+ professional associations by industry: The Human Rights Campaign lists several reputable national LGBTQ+ professional associations in business, education, health & medicine, government, law, science, media & literature, and more.
We highly recommend conducting informational interviews with professionals who work in roles or fields that you want to pursue. An informational interview is a conversation where you prepare questions to ask a professional in order to gain insights about their role or industry. If you’re comfortable, you can also use informational interviews to ask questions about an organization’s inclusive practices. Check out our LinkedIn Outreach Guide for tips on conducting outreach and developing questions to ask. A St. Kate’s career coach can also assist you with your networking strategies in a 1:1 appointment.
Building Your Community Outside of Work
Building meaningful relationships and engaging with your community outside of work can improve your mental health, sense of belonging, and your resilience. For LGBTQ+ individuals, these community relationships can be vital to long-term well-being, which carries over into how you perform in your professional life. Being involved in social and volunteer groups can also present you with new opportunities for networking. The more people who know you as an individual and can vouch for your positive qualities, the more professional opportunities you may have.
Here are some ideas for building your community outside of work:
- Identify queer-centered gathering spaces that host community programming. Follow them on social media to get updates on events. In Minneapolis, Queermunity is a friendly venue, cafe, and gathering space that hosts a variety of queer-centric events.
- If comfortable, identify and join your city/region’s Queer Exchange group, most likely hosted on Facebook. These groups help promote community news, community events, items for sale or trade among members, roommate searches, and job opportunities.
- Volunteer for a local organization that promotes inclusivity in your community.
- Join a hobby-centered group, such as a book club, knitting circle, or hiking group. The Meetup platform is a great place to start looking for these types of groups.
Finding an Affirming Workplace
While the networking and informational interviews we’ve discussed are invaluable for gathering information on inclusive and affirming workplaces, you also have additional resources to help you with this research. The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Corporate Equality Index presents a thorough review of corporate policies, practices, and benefits that are relevant to LGBTQ+ employees.
You can also gauge how inclusive and affirming a workplace is by reviewing any available information on the company’s benefits/healthcare policies, generally found on the company’s website. For example, if a workplace includes both spousal and domestic partner benefits, this can signal inclusion for same-gender couples. A workplace that covers gender-affirming care such as hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and gender-affirming surgery signals that it is inclusive to trans and non-binary employees.
HRC’s Guide to Entering the Workforce provides additional tips for researching LGBTQ-affirming employers.
