job interview, need advice!

[Emjay]

So, yeah I could use some advice...

I applied for a job over a year ago and never heard anything back from them, so I wrote it off and forgot about it...  They called yesterday to schedule an interview...   So yeah, yay!  Good news right?  It's a good job, good pay and benefits and much more growth potential than my current job. 

My only thing is.....  I'm getting closer and closer to coming out at work...  Almost three months into HRT and things are starting to change!   

I'm not thrilled at the prospects of coming out at my current job but I don't think I would have trouble with keeping my job there either just due to the reputation I have already built within the company.  The new job is a supervisors position as well, which I don't have now...  and in a factory... 

I'm going to the interview and stuff and we'll see if I even get an offer but I'm thinking I need to be up front and come out to them before accepting any job there...  I'm just trying to figure out when and how.  Probably after a job offer, if it happens, but before accepting anything?

I just don't want to quit a good job for another one only to get fired.....

Sorry, I hope I'm not being too scatterbrained here, I'm kind of in a fog just from being called for an interview!  I'd love to hear anyone's opinion on this.  Thanks!

[JayneS]

Hi hun,

The company I work for has a gender equality policy and that includes Trans, it maybe worth trying to find if they have anything similar? The other option is to be up front with them, and also convince them that your transition will in no way affect your performance in the role, indeed it would assist as you are clear thinking, logical and methodical as any woman is!! (Well i am most of the time ). Then again you could always go for the brazen approach and go as you, if you are comfortable enough with that, and from your pic you look gorgeous baby. And if they blow you off for being you , then ,well, in my mind they are not a company worth working for.

love and hugs

Jayne xxx

[Emjay]

Thank you Jayne, I did do some digging around on their website and the company's diversity statement is actually MUCH stronger than my current employer.  Not a big surprise since my current employer is really pretty crappy unless you're a completely straight, white cis male.  They have a diversity statement, but from being there it really only feels like lip service.

This new company also has several organizations within itself, including a gay and lesbian alliance which also includes transgender people!  Sooooooo this may be a win all the way around.   

My interview isn't for a little over a week so I have some time to think about it and decide what to do.  I'm feeling cautiously optimistic though...  I hope it works out, if not no big deal but it would be pretty awesome!

Oh, and wow thank you for the compliment!  I can't tell you how much I appreciate that! 

[JayneS]

You are welcome hun. Yes it sounds like you are onto a winner here. Go for it and knock em dead baby!!! 


Love and Hugs

Jayne xxxxx

[Misha]

Indeed the job sounds great. Best of luck and I hope it works out :-) .

When I signed my contract last March it pleased me to see in the policies a note about gender identity. And when I started to resolve my comming-out our head of HR managed to dig up extended version where there's a note like:

Employees are encouraged to dress with the gender they identify with as long as it conforms to dress code.

And the same was also noted for rest rooms. There was also a note about US LGBT group but that's some distance away. Not to mention I'm not really a social person :-) .

I work in a bank which at that time had 140K employees so I'm hardly the first transsexual in the company. I'm still the first one in our Prague office though :-) .

[Emjay]

Thank you Misha, I hope so too!

Wow, that's amazing that your company actually goes so far as to mention gender identity expression!  This company that I'm interviewing for doesn't have quite that many employees but there are several thousand worldwide so I'm sure I won't be the first one here either, which is comforting.  My current employer does have one transwoman working there but from what I understand they have pretty much hidden her away though I'm not completely sure on that.  Just what I've heard...

[Rachel]

If I understand, the question is should I disclose now or after I am hired pertinent after probation?

I agree, you are pretty and wouldn't it be a dream come true to be hired as the real you?

Then again your gender your privacy and if you are not ready then be private until you can come out. It would be great to come out and be hired with no pressure because you already have a job.

[Emjay]

Yes, that's pretty much my dilemma.  Do I disclose before I really feel that I'm ready to be full time or wait.

My plan with my current job is to wait until I reach more of a "male-fail" stage, meaning closer to being done with electrolysis, HRT has really started taking hold (currently not quite 3 months), my own hair has grown back out (it's about halfway there and unfortunately wearing a wig really isn't practical in the line of work I do). etc etc etc...  My current timeframe is sometime within the next six months to a year.

But with a new job, that's not a lot of time to build a reputation.  So would it be better to just go for full disclosure right out of the gate and see what happens?

I agree, it would be great to just come out and be hired anyway and that's what I feel like I really should do.  Even if I'm not full time when I start at least they will know my intentions and it can't be used against me later.

And thank you for the compliment, really...  that means a lot