Career Resources for LGBTQIA+ Students

Student Posing by Pride Flag

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 and in your workplace. These decisions are personal ones; only you know the right answers and approach for your situation, values and beliefs. A few tips to help you with this decision:

  • Talk to professionals you trust, who have experience with coming-out decision-making.
  • 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 LGBTQIA+ people on the job, visit Lambda Legal.

Finding Job Openings

In addition to using our job and internship resources, a great strategy is to target organizations that are known to be LGBTQIA-friendly and inquire about opportunities directly. There are several ways to research the LGBTQIA-friendliness of an organization:

  • Review the Human Rights Campaign Foundation Corporate Equality Index which rates organizations based on how their policies and practices support and protect LGBTQ employees. 
  • Read companies' diversity statements and human resources policies on their web sites. 
  • Look to see if the organization has LGBTQIA affinity groups for employees and/or has LGBTQIA-friendly benefits and workplace cultures. 
  • Note which organizations advertise job openings on LGBTQIA-related sites. 

Connecting with LGBTQIA+ Professionals

Talking to professionals is a great way to find opportunities and learn about organizations. Meeting with local professionals can be a great way to build your network and gain advice on your job search. Search "LGBT professional associations" to find groups in your area.  Below are a few places to find LGBTQIA-friendly contacts: