LGBTQI+
The Hiatt Career Center supports LGBTQI+ undergraduate students and alumni to consider how intersecting identities might impact work and professional development. You may have questions about your job search that your straight and cisgender peers may not.
The OUT for Work Career Center Certification Program, designed to assess the quality, quantity and availability of career resource materials for LGBTQI+ students, certified the Hiatt Career Center as "Silver" in 2010.
Career Help
In addition to campus resources, including the Gender and Sexuality Center, Hiatt can help you explore how identity intersects with career and work. Gender identity and sexual orientation may play multiple roles in your career. Some students choose to focus on advocacy work such as working for an LGBTQI+ advocacy or community group. Others may join a LGBTQI+ affinity group for employees at their organization.
In addition to the role in your career, you may have questions about employment rights, coming out at work and getting connected to other LGBTQI+ professionals.
General Resources
Human Rights Campaign: Workplace resources, including an employer database to search for information on employment policies and practices pertaining to LBGTQ issues, and the annual Corporate Equality index, ranking employers based on their policies and practices related to the LGBT community.
Employer Affinity Groups are a popular way for companies to demonstrate their inclusive workplace practices. These groups, similar to student clubs, provide an opportunity for LGBTQ individuals to collaborate and network.
Employment Rights
Gender identity and sexual orientation protections vary by city and state. There is a mixture of federal, state and local protections that can vary by type of organization (federal government/federal contractor or private company), but it is helpful to review the current protections for your area.
- GLAD: Know your rights; you can search by issues or by states.
- Lambda Legal: Overview of laws that protect you in the workplace
- MAP Project: Current state laws and locality ordinances on employment discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation
- National Center for Transgender Equality: Overview of employment rights and protections specifically for transgender workers
Out at Work
Many LGBTQI+ workers have questions about being out, coming out or transitioning in their workplace. Sexuality and identity can be revealed many ways, from initial resumes and interviews to casual workplace conversations. When and how to discuss these topics is an individual choice. Consider meeting with trusted friends, peers, mentors and staff at the Gender and Sexuality Center or Hiatt to discuss details.
Including LGBTQI-specific awards, scholarships, advocacy work or involvement in students clubs and organizations is one way to convey or disclose sexuality/identity in a resume or cover letter. You can also choose to use more generic terms, for example, referring to "student diversity group" instead of "Queer People of Color Coalition."
When to share your preferred name is also a personal choice with no right or wrong answer. Resumes and cover letters are not legal documents; you can use the name you prefer to be known by. However, employment documents for background checks, tax information and insurance paperwork should have your legal name on them.
- HRC Coming Out at Work Toolkit: Includes questions to consider and resources.
- Trans Road Map Transition at Work Resources: Provides strategies and resources for on the job transitions.
Networking
In addition to the support and network you have at Brandeis, look for resources to help connect you to other LGBTQI+ students and employees who can act as mentors and guides. Learn more about creating your own network.
- Out For Undergrad (O4U): Admitted O4U students take part in a weekend-long professional program, which partner firms in each industry help us produce and offer unique professional conferences — incredible opportunities for talented young people to meet, learn and grow.
- National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce: Promoting the LGBTQI+ community in the area of business, local events and business collaborations.
- LGBT BAR: National association for LGBTQI+ legal professionals with networking events, lecture series and a job board.
Search Resources
- LGBT Careerlink: Provides a job search database, as well as a resource library with tools for those students on the job hunt; sponsored by "Out & Equal Workplace Advocates" at outandequal.org.
- Out Professionals: Job bank and news resource for LGBTQI+ job seekers
- Out Professional Network: Job search database for LGBTQI+ job seekers
- LGBT Connect: A division of WorkplaceDiversity.com with a job bank for LGBTQI+ job seekers.
- Zippia: Workplace resources for the LGBT community, which answers questions and concerns about how to approach a professional working environment
Meet With Us
Make an appointment with us to talk about questions, including:
- How do I present my involvement with LGBTQI+ related student groups on my resume?
- If I am attending a networking event or a career fair, how should I handle questions related to my sexual identity?
- How should I dress for an interview or "professional event?"
- How can I evaluate if a future employer will provide a safe and supportive environment?
- Or just to check in with our supportive staff!