Resume Writing Tips for LGBTQ Students

When putting together your resume, there are always certain elements that can interest or put off your potential employee. While most people want and strive for equality for everyone, there will always be situations in which this will not apply. Certain jobs and fields of work are a lot more restrictive when it comes to LGBTQ+ people. Working around this issue is your best way of landing the job of your dreams.

Knowing how much to share is always tricky, especially if you’re a student and new to the business world. Being flexible and staying true to who you are and what you believe in is always important. Apart from that, though, you might need to present yourself in a certain way in order to land a particular job. If that is the case, here are some helpful resume tips to help you out as a member of the LGBTQ community.

1. Choose the jobs you apply to wisely
First and foremost, before you start writing a resume, you need to know what jobs you want to apply for. Depending on your field of studies, you might have a lot of different options. As a result, you will be able to apply to work for many different businesses. Since you will have the option to choose, you should start by making sure the company fits certain criteria.

Certain fields tend to be a lot less accepting when it comes to LGBTQ individuals. While you might be able to apply for such jobs in the future, you should start with a job that will help you grow. Working in a non-inclusive environment can make improving your skills and mindset very difficult.

This is exactly why you should choose the jobs you apply to wisely. Thankfully, there are plenty of online resources to help you come in contact with employers that lead inclusive companies. Not only will this increase your chances of employment, but it will also make writing your resume much easier.

2. Focus on your key skills
One of the things every student should focus on while writing their resume is the things they are good at doing. Your strengths and the skills you possess are the things that will help you stand out when it comes to any job application. This simple strategy will help you feel more empowered and allow you to see the value in your resume.

When someone goes through your resume, they will want to see which skills you possess that will make you good at the job. In most cases, this is the only thing that will go through the mind of your potential employer. This is a great opportunity for you to include your working experience, certificates, and other documents and titles you have earned.

These are some elements that will help you stand out from the crowd. You need to keep in mind that you are applying for a job because you are qualified to do it. When someone sees that you are hardworking and committed to learning and improving yourself, they will most likely not give much thought to anything else.

3. Include your volunteer experience
Volunteering is something very important in our day and time, and most companies want to hire employees that have experience in volunteering. Working for free for any organization shows commitment and ethics that are not easy to find. This is why many student organizations put together projects to help students gain more working experience while they study.

If you have such experience, it is always important to include it in your resume. One thing many LGBTQ students have in common is volunteering for LGBTQ and other organizations that accept diversity. While this is an amazing thing to do for yourself and your community, it might make you wonder how an employer would perceive it.

In most cases, people will focus on the fact that you volunteered instead of the job that you did and the company you worked for. If this is something that worries you, though, there is a simple solution. You can mention the company you volunteered at with an acronym without having to go into detail. This is a simple yet effective method to avoid being asked questions when you don’t want to go into details.

4. Proofread and edit your content
No matter your personal information and preferences, a well-written resume will always help you be taken seriously. Something that many people forget to do is proofread their resume before applying for a job. Simple grammar and spelling errors might not seem like a big issue to you. In reality, they can very well determine whether you will get a job or not.

The best thing you can do is to treat your resume writing process just like you would your college paper writing. If you did not want to hand in a paper full of errors, you wouldn’t want to have a resume full of typos. Using tools such as GetGoodGrade.com Grammarly and Hemmingway Editor can easily help you fix this issue for free and with very little effort.

This will help you seem a lot more professional in the eyes of the person reading your resume. Since your resume will paint the first impression they will have of you, you need to make it look good. This will increase your chances of getting an interview and being treated with respect.

Land the job you have always dreamt of
While we might not live in an ideal world, there are always ways to improve our reality. There will always be people who won’t accept others for certain things they can’t understand. Your hard work and determination will always whine through and when you are given a chance, make sure to give it your all. Showing people that you can stand up for yourself and work hard will be much more important than anything else.

Lastly, you should always remember you have the chance to choose your workplace. While you might not get the first job you apply for, there are many great and inclusive companies out there. You do not have to settle for one that will make you feel uncomfortable for who you are.