Career Exploration and Development

Resources for LGBTQIA+ Students

Career Exploration and Development (CED) is committed to assisting all students in their professional endeavors and exploration, and can provide information and guidance specific to the experiences and needs of LGBTQIA+ students, including identifying inclusive employers in various industries, and providing advice on being out as an applicant and in the workplace.

In addition to the CED’s online resources, the following links may be particularly helpful.

National LGBTQ Taskforce 
National organization committed to advocacy for LGBTQ rights and community. Includes fact sheets and reports on wages and nondiscriminatory laws.
Human Rights Campaign 
Information on workplace and corporate attitudes and policies surrounding sexual orientation. Includes links to information about employee groups, organizations and companies that offer benefits to domestic partners.
Lambda Legal 
National organization committed to achieving full recognition of the civil rights of lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, transgender people and everyone living with HIV through impact litigation, education and public policy work.
Out and Equal Workplace Advocates 
National organization devoted to the LGBTQIA+ community in the workplace.
American Civil Liberties Union LGBT Project 
The LGBT Project fights discrimination and moves public opinion on LGBT rights through the courts, legislatures and public education across five issue areas.
Transgender Law Center 
A civil rights organization advocating for transgender communities.
National Center for Lesbian Rights 
A national legal organization committed to advancing the civil and human rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people and their families through litigation, public policy advocacy, and public education.
Pride at Work 
AFL-CIO group that seeks to integrate LGBT concerns into the larger labor movement.
Federal Globe 
LGBT organization that represents the interests of federal employees.
National Center for Transgender Equality 
Dedicated to advancing the equality of transgender people through advocacy, collaboration, and empowerment.

National Organization of Gay and Lesbian Scientists and Technical Professionals
NOGLSTP empowers lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer individuals in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics by providing education, advocacy, professional development, networking, and peer support.
National Lesbian and Gay Journalists 
NLGJA is an organization of journalists, media professionals, educators and students working from within the news industry to foster fair and accurate coverage of LGBT issues.
Gay & Lesbian Medical Association 
A national organization committed to ensuring health equity for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer (LGBTQ) and all sexual and gender minority (SGM) individuals, and equality for LGBTQ/SGM health professionals in their work and learning environments.
LGBTQ Professional and Student Associations 
Compiled by HRC, a listing of LGBTQ professional and student associations, broken down by industry.
National Gay Pilot Association 
The largest organization of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender aviation professionals and enthusiasts from around the world.
Rainbow Round Table of the American Library Association 
A group committed to serving the information needs of the LGBTQIA+ professional library community, and the LGBTQIA+ information and access needs of individuals at large.
Out in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics 
A 501(c)(3) non-profit professional association for LGBTQ+ people in the STEM community. With over 100 student chapters at colleges/universities and professional chapters in cities across the United States and abroad, oSTEM is the largest chapter-based organization focused on LGBTQ+ people in STEM.
The LGBTQ+ Bar 
A national association of lawyers, judges and other legal professionals, law students, activists, and affiliated lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender legal organizations. The LGBTQ+ Bar promotes justice in and through the legal profession for the LGBTQ+ community in all its diversity.
Consortium of Higher Education LGBT Resource Professionals 
A member-based organization working towards the liberation of LGBTQ people in higher education.
Metro Atlanta Association of Professionals 
A network of professionals whose mission is to create an inclusive environment for the Metro Atlanta LGBTQ+ community that allows for professional development through networking, high-quality events, training, mentoring and education.
Lesbians Who Tech & Allies 
A community of LGBTQ women, non-binary and trans individuals in and around tech.

OUT for Work 
OFW functions as a complementary component in the total educational experience of LGBT students, primarily in the development, evaluation, initiation, and implementation of career plans and opportunities.
CenterLink 
The Community of LGBT centers with resources and job board.
LGBT in Higher Ed 
An online job board for LGBT-friendly opportunities in higher education.
Equality Forum 
Researches FORTUNE 500 companies who specifically include sexual orientation in their workplace policies.
Corporate Equality Index 
Provides an in-depth analysis and rating of large U.S. employers pertinent to LGBT employees.
Coming Out at Work (Human Rights Campaign) [website no longer available]
An article by HRC discussing the considerations and benefits of coming out to an employer.
Out Professionals 
The leading nonprofit networking organization for LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer/Questioning) professionals in the USA.
Pride at Work 
A nonprofit organization that represents LGBTQ union members and their allies.
Career Exploration’s Career Resources for LGBTQ 
Includes a list of professional associations by industry, scholarships, and educational resources.

Victory Fund 
Electing LGBT leaders to change America's politics.
The Pipeline Project [website no longer available]
People of color leadership, advancement & program development strategies for the LGBT movement.
Trans Tech Social Enterprises 
Empower, education, and employ those facing barriers in education and in the work place, as well as to reduce instances of discrimination, with a concentration on trans and gender non conforming individuals.
Gays and Lesbians in Foreign Affairs Agencies (GLIFAA) 
GLIFAA works to secure fair treatment of LGBT colleagues in the US and overseas. For Foreign Service, Civil Service, contract or other employees, we act to break down barriers resulting from prejudice, misunderstanding or apathy within our institutions.
Gay Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) 
GLSEN works to ensure every student, in every school, are valued and treated with respect, regardless of their sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression. We believe that all students deserve a safe and affirming school environment where they can learn and grow.
MassEquality 
MassEquality is the leading statewide grassroots advocacy org working to ensure that everyone across Massachusetts can thrive from cradle to grave without discrimination and oppression based on sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression.
Equal Rights Washington 
Using the lessons learned from the challenges and triumphs of the past, ERW will lead in the social and legal growth of the LGBTQ community including ending forced conversion practices against kids and teens; bolstering trans healthcare access; building understanding around the intersections of race, gender, and sexuality; and combating bullying in schools
Equality California 
Equality California is California's premier statewide lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender civil rights organization focused on creating a fair and just society.
National LGBT Chamber of Commerce 
The "business voice of the LGBT community" and the only national advocacy organization dedicated to expanding economic opportunities for the LGBT business community.