Getting a job while trans

[TSJasmine]

Have any of you successfully gotten a job after transitioning? or did you already transition while working at the job you currently have? If you've gotten a job after transitioning, is it because you're exceptionally passable or is it because the place was an equals opportunities employer? Was it a career job or a minimum wage job? Give me all the detaiiilsss pleaaseee ))

[judithlynn]

Hi TSJasmine;
I am on my second transition process, albeit much slower than my first attempt (some 25 years ago). Then I was made redundant from a High powered job in the City of London and suffering at that time  with severe gender dysphoria after I had come out to my wife and she had left me. At the time, (and this was remember in the mid 80"s), my Gender therapist advised me that I should seek to be employed in a very traditional female role. As a man I was in a  high powered Sales Role in IT, but on examining my options, my therapist then suggested working in fashion retail, in a shoe shop or supermarket or Department store, or in an office environment. In the end I went to night school and took a receptionist telephonist job and then did a Secretarial course learníng Shorthand. I then did temporary secretarial work for about a year (living full time) and then landed my first permanent role as a Secretary receptionist and then was a Secretary to  another Woman in a UK Bank Headquarters. She was a Lawyer. Then the important thing that my therapist suggested was to immerse myself in with other women, socialising with them as much as possible and do a "women's only job".  I even joined some other night classes in Sewing, crochet and needlework and dressmaking. Now obviously these days this "tired mentality" has moved on. Back then though  my Gender therapist really stressed to me that I need to re-learn 30 years as being socialized as a male to now being socialised  a female. The key for her was as she put it, was to learn my "female role" in life that is people would expect me to be submissive, not outward going, demure, :girly etc; not all my previous male outward traits.
I was lucky after about 4 months on HRT, I was rarely mis gendered and always treated 100% as a woman. Mind you I was also getting a lot of Beauty treatments and Electrolysis!

Interestingly looking back this focus on jobs in a submissive more role actually helped me to transition quite successfully such that after 2 years living full time, I was only "outed quite by chance" and that in the end financial circumstances forced me to de-transition.

Mind you back then I also had a very strong network of cis girl friends that really helped me to successfully transition. Two even gave me references for my first jobs.
JudithLynn

[sam79]

Hi Jasmine. I don't know how helpful this will be, but I found a job just a few months after going full time and quitting my previous job over discrimination. I can't tell you how scared I was taking this risk of changing jobs... My experience has been that discrimination is common place, regardless of laws, so I felt that it all hinged on me passing. Apparently I passed... or found a company and interviewers who didn't mind me being trans, as I was offered the position a few days later.

Since then, it really has been great there. I've no idea if anyone suspects or has figured out my past... If they have, there's been no hint of it. And it's not something I share exactly ( although I wouldn't lie if confronted ). I do consider myself rather lucky though... especially after reading so many stories of others not so lucky. :\

[BreezyB]

Hi Jasmin,

I'm currently employed in a professional career role in IT. I'm in the process of transition and have decided I'm aiming to continue to work in my role after transition. Traditionally my role has a lot of men doing it, but there are around 20 percent females to so I figure I should have no problem working in it. It will be different though and I'll have to deal with the 'boys club' mentality but I'm building my ally's both male and female so when I live full time, I'll have a good support network at work at all levels, execs through to professionals.

Well that's what I'm hoping anyway, it could drastically fail, lol. But I doubt it.

[immortal gypsy]

Jasmine

I'm transitioning while working in a TAB agency (betting shop) in Sydney. I told him before I started working for him full time this year.  (I do have to tell him again, he is sweet but clueless). The regular punters there that new me from before still gender me as male, (working on that) yet others that come in gender me female.

We don't have a HR department, right now it is only me and the boss. (My last place had 3 staff working there), but if I did face discrimination I could probably go an complain to head office. However I have worked in this industry for awhile and built up a wide network base so I'm not too worried at this stage.

Passing to me that's what you do in exams, for my job if you can get the bets on quickly and gice everyone correct change. You're doing great and most people won't care how I look. Also we work solo and have our own bathroom in a secure area, so we don't face other problems that can come up in other occupations

[Jenna Marie]

I transitioned in place at my employer, who is equal-opportunity but was also generally cool about things.  Definitely a career job - I had to get a Master's degree to qualify.

I've been looking off and on to move on, and so far being trans hasn't been an issue, and in fact hasn't even come up; since I have a work history, recommendations, and degree under my current name [and gender], it's not a problem.

[LizMarie]

I am transitioning in place, with a company that has been very supportive. Technically I could retire in just five more years but have zero intention of doing that, not while I am healthy and in the top quintile of pay for my profession.

[Carrie Liz]

Yep!

I was fired from my original job because basically my dysphoria became un-manageable... I started being late almost every day, making mistake after mistake after mistake once I got there, and then finally snapped at a supervisor on a really bad night, and found myself out the door.

I was fired from my second job while I was in-transition, because I came out to the manager and told her that I was planning on going full-time, and less than 2 weeks later I found myself out the door for absolutely no reason. (Pretty blatant discrimination there.)

I spent the next 5 months unemployed, newly post-transition, trying and failing to apply for numerous jobs. I didn't have ANY work history under my new name, all of my references were under my male name (which meant that I was immediately forced to out myself to every single place I applied against my will,) and I'd been fired from two jobs in a row. Needless to say, I was pretty scared that I was never going to find another job again. But then, I did. Not only that, but it was still in my same field. And once I started, I was accepted by everyone, have not had a SINGLE gender-related issue ever since starting, and as of yesterday, I cleared my 90-day probationary hire period and I'm officially permanently employed again. Plus I'm now actually making even more money than I was making before I was fired from my first job. Things really do work out if you keep working at it, stay positive, and believe that you really do have the skills necessary to do the jobs you're applying for.

Stay positive!

[LuCyFuRs]

I'm really unsure how to come out at this point. I am waiting to get a psychologist to get started with HRT and have small benefits until my probationary period. I have been outted a few years ago working in a mine underground and was met with some violent threats which ultimately escilated to me getting let go without any questions. My current employer is supposedly LGBT friendly especially with full benefit insurance so I may wait a bit after HRT to come out to my boss. I'm doing a guys type of work but there are some girls working the same job too and we all have to wear the same uniforms so I don't really think it would be an issue. Girls aren't supposed to wear a ton of makeup and nail polish anyways. I plan on putting in my 30 months then immediately transferring into a desk/IT area. I want to get into Fiber Optics/ Networking. I have also considered saving a ton of money and moving to a more LGBT friendlier state within the company if I can transfer. I'm not worried about work place discrimination we are all UNION backed and I pay my Union dues. You will be fine! Don't let negativity damper your mood! And good luck!!!

Jenn

[liz]

It's not a problem unless they are asking ID pieces. In Quebec(Canada) for exemple there is the "public health insurance" and your employer has to take a copy of it in case of emergency, so it's pretty hard to hide it. I know that when I had a job in the Maine (USA) I never had to give any paper at all only a form to fill and they didn't even confirmed the informations on it.

The way you look will alter a lot but well some employers will still refuse obese or feminine boy the job (with another reason of course). So it's pretty hard to know before you tried. Some place will be easier like customer services, drug stores, pretty much all phones jobs and highly demanding restaurants (where I live it's McDonald restaurants, they lack so much employees that they hire anyone without questions).

[Nala]

I began transitioning midway through university, and all the work I had was stuff connected to my university, which I don't really think counts, as my employers were always people who already knew me well. But as far as post-graduation work goes, I currently work as a waitress for minimum wage, and I have a full-time teaching position lined up next year. Both were jobs I found post-transition, and my gender identity didn't get in the way of my being accepted for either. I do have the sneaking suspicion that my employers in both cases aren't actually aware that I'm trans, though, and just see me as a woman. So I couldn't say for certain whether I would have had as much luck had I been more identifiably transgender.

[JennX]

I've had 3 different jobs post-transition. Be the best worker you can, and focus on your professional experience and education. Minimum wage jobs are not anyone's idea of a good job IMHO. If you're not in school or have not graduated from college, I'd recommend that first, as well as picking a major that will bring in a paycheck upon graduation. Employers don't want to hear about your personal life, including transitioning. I've never shared that with any of my employers. Honestly, they don't care nor do they want to hear about it. They are more interested in what you bring to the table, what sort of employee you will be, and what you will do for the company in question.

Yes, I do "pass"... but more importantly I feel my success in the professional world has to do with my work ethic, educational achievements, and work experience. You don't have to be a super-model to have a successful business career. Discrimination exists everywhere. Success is better defined on how well you deal with it, and adapt to an ever changing and challenging world.

[TSJasmine]

You've all been very helpful !  Thankyou so much.