LGBTQIA+

Choosing to be Out in the Workplace

You may need or want to decide whether, when, and how to be out in your job search or your workplace. Again, this is a personal decision and only you know the right answers for your beliefs, situation, and values. Here are a couple of quick tips to consider as you are thinking about your decision:

• Seek out and talk to professionals you trust who have experience with the coming-out decision-making process.
• Be aware of the laws of the cities, states and countries in which you’re applying. Some interview questions and workplace behaviors are illegal. For state and federal policies related to LGBTQ people on the job, see the Lambda Legal Defense Web Site.
• Call a company’s Human Resources office from an anonymous number to discuss hypotheticals that may apply to you to get a sense where the company stands. It won’t be connected to your application and you’ll be able to decide if it is somewhere you want to apply to, interview at, or work for.

Finding Job Openings 

Most students utilize job search strategies such as online job search tools and networking, another helpful strategy is to target organizations that are known to be LGBTQ friendly and inquire about opportunities directly. Here are a couple of tips for searching the LGBTQ-friendliness of an organization:

• Look at and read the diversity statements and human resources policies posted on companies’ websites. 
• Search to see if they have any LGBTQ-friendly benefits, workplace cultures, or LGBTQ employee affiliation or resource groups. 
• Seek out organizations advertising on LGBTQ related sites. 
• Review the Human Rights Campaign Foundation Corporate Equality Index. This rates organizations based on how their policies and practices support and protect LGBTQ Individuals and families. 

Connecting with LGBTQ Professionals

In addition to the suggestions in the networking website, here are a few tips to find LGBTQ friendly connections: 

• Quorum, Twin Cities GLBT Chamber of Commerce: Member directory allows you to find professionals by industry area.
• GLBT Professional and Student Associations: View a national listing of organizations created by the Human Rights Campaign.