How do you guys feel about this? For me, all of my jobs have been as a female...so I hate to give up all my job experience, but at the same time, I hate the idea of having to disclose my trans status right away...at least where I live now in the Deep South.  Thoughts?

You live in the south too, my condolences. I'm not sure what advice to give though. If your female name were "Jenny" and you presented as "James" the interviewer would probably want to know who "Jenny" is unless you have already switched your legal name. If you have changed your legal name you may be able to use your past employment history and still not have them know you are trans. The kicker is though that here in NC many job applications ask "Have you ever been known by any other names?" This question would out you also. You may need to make peace with disclosing being trans at work. Of course others here with more experience may have better advice for you.

I wouldn't disclose unless someone asks; if they do just be upfront and honest, but otherwise your identity is nobody's business but your own, and you have the right to your privacy.

I worry too, I live in bama, but I own my own business, so it's a little different for me, but one of the things that held me back earlier was being in hrt and getting work. I am a verified welder and worked on rough neck type jobs. Gritty chiseled manly jobs,ugh. Boiler makers millwrights stuff like that. So I had to hide the inner me, had to my while life anyway. What got me out is I decided to buy my own semi truck and truck drive, thier is not a whole lot of interaction, and I spend a lot of time with my lonesome. What kinda of work do you do? Ever thought of getting a trade? Welding, plumbing,electrical? Even truck driving. You can make a lot of money in any of those fields, but truck driving can lead to being your own boss within a year if your smart about it. For instancif you start in the right company as a company driver(we all have to do that in truck driving) and it sucks for about six months, you can bring home 1500 per week pretty easy. Save your money and in 6 months but your own rig. That's what I did, I paid 9 grand for a frieghtliner century class truck, it has a big sleeper and it's a 99 year model. You can buy an older truck for pretty cheap that will get the job done, it makes just as much money as a new truck that cost 100000 bucks. And I been doing that for two years, I make really good money, and I will be able to pay for transition pretty easy, plus no one can fire you bc they don't like you or are phobic about lgbt. They need 300000 new drivers in trucking per month and only 6000 graduate per month, and 75% drop out of truck driving when they realize it's not for them. So frieght is paying great and with a good company you can start making real good money fast. We'll within a couple of months. Sorry for the long explanation but I would love to see my brothers and sisters make good money and not have to deal with as much as we do. Truck driving has made me financially independent and I know it's a hard job to be gone a lot but once you get your own rig you pretty much do what you want, vacation when you want, don't have to ask permission to do so like on a job. Anyway I'm not trying to Bragg I left that mentality behind when I figured out I was trans, I just want to help as many as I can. It's not easy, but it's so worth it. What kinda of jobs do you look for now? What are you interested in? What ever it is even if you don't like the thought of driving a big truck it can get you the means to get where you want to be. Good luck and spending on where you live I could possibly get you a job. I have connections with Pepsi, buffalo rock, and several other businesses, truck driving is great for networking. Any way good luck with your job search.

I wonder about this too, I'm struggling to find a job and I plan to transition this October.

Is it absolutely necessary for you to state your trans status in the job interview?
Everyone needs a job in this world.
What is their point of view on trans people  by any and all firms you wish to apply to. Find this out before you apply.

Remember you don't want people to needlessly know about you.

There's no need to unless it will come up in a background check etc. As far as previous jobs, I have never had a potential employer contact the past employer. They can typically verify employment with background checks.

I'm going through the hiring process right now, although not as Kate just yet.  My experience is that they always let me know before they contact references.  And some of the applications even asked if I was known as a different name for previous employers.  If they're checking your references, you're a final candidate, and a job offer could be coming soon.

My suggestion is to go through the interview process as yourself.  If they let you know they're going to call previous employers, just be honest and say that at those jobs you were known as "former name."  Let them put 2 and 2 together.  Most HR people are pretty forward-thinking and they definitely know about anti-discrimination laws.

One more bit of advice I read somewhere else that I think is really important.  If hired, you don't necessarily need to disclose your status to your manager or co-workers.  But it's a good idea to let HR know about it.  Tell them you don't feel a need to tell anyone else, but you want it to be in your employee file.  That way if someone finds out and makes a big deal about it, you didn't try to hide it from the company.

These are all great pieces of advice. As for my name, I am going to be changing it legally soon, but at all of my old jobs (and my current) I'm known as female. So I guess my concern is when they call my references. I've never had an employer inform me before they contact my old employers. And what if they don't ask if I've gone by another name? I guess I'm just over analyzing it. But right now the point is moot anyway. TN will not let you change the gender on your birth certificate for any reason, and will only let you change your drivers license post-op. Surgery is still a little ways away for me. So, what to do when you present as male and then have to hand them ID with a big F on it? Or do they even look at that...

Oh, and just an FYI, right now I'm a network technician for a small ISP, but I plan on going back to school and looking at other options.

WRT the ID-people will sometimes notice it, but one thing about being transgender that a lot of people don't realize until later on: Most people can tell, and most of them don't care.  Just do what you're going to do, and if someone asks a question answer it honestly and move it...you might be overthinking things just a little!