Seize Your Superpower
People who identify within LGBTQ communities often navigate their career development alongside sexual or gender identity development. Despite changes in LGBTQ policy and rights, however, many people feel uncomfortable coming out at work and encounter obstacles in the workforce.
Career Services is dedicated to helping you find employment and graduate school opportunities that empower you to be yourself and move our workforce forward. Use this page to begin reviewing how “out” you want to be in the job search and in the workplace, including intentional decisions about your resume, cover letter, interview, and more.
Key Campus Resources @ UCSB
Discover Options: LGBTQ Students
For complete information on assessing yourself, choosing majors, and exploring careers, review our starter tips to Discover Options in all careers as well as the specialized tips on this page.
Key Career Resources and Opportunities
As a member of the LGBTQ community, the process of self-discovery may be deeply influential in your gender or sexual identity development, as well as in how you approach your career. There are a number of resources and opportunities available to support this process during your studies at UCSB:
- The UCSB Resource Center for Sexual and Gender Diversity (RCSGD) provides an Out List of members and supporters of the LGBTQ community at UCSB. The list is intended to serve as a reference for those looking for community and support in various campus departments, as well as a visual indicator of the community's presence.
- The Department of Feminist Studies offers a minor, called Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ) Studies, which examines the many facets to the lives of individuals of these demographics, including their cultures, histories, languages, politics, literacies, economics, and experiences in a heterosexual normative society.
- The Human Rights Campaign has curated a list of LGBTQ Professional and Student Associations, organized by industry. Participating in any associations can allow you to learn about the support available within your industry.
- Out for Undergrad (O4U) offers a series of professional conferences to support LGBTQ students in the pursuit of various fields, including business, engineering, marketing, and technology.
Did You Know?
According to the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) survey, the main reasons why LGBTQ workers do not report negative, targeted commentary are because they do not think anything will be done about it, and they do not want to hurt relationships with coworkers.
The survey also found that 53% of LGBTQ workers report hearing jokes about lesbian or gay people in their workplace, 31% of LGBTQ workers report unhappiness or depression, and 20% of LGBTQ workers report they have been told by coworkers to dress in a more feminine or masculine manner.
Source: https://www.hrc.org/resources/a-workplace-divided-understanding-the-climate-for-lgbtq-workers-nationwide
As you move forward, Career Services is here to support your career development as a UCSB student.
