Your Journey Part 4: Moving forward 

• Your Journey
• Part 1: Get Connected
• Part 2: Apply Well
• Part 3: On the Job
• Part 4: Moving Forward

• Resources
• Services
• Acknowledgments
• Citation
• Download as PDF

Whether you’re thinking about your future career, looking for work, or are currently employed, this guide addresses issues that frequently concern trans and nonbinary people as they consider their options, apply for work, and navigate the workplace.

One of the main purposes of this career guide is to stimulate your own reflection on what’s important to you and help you to clarify what you want. For many career-related questions, there isn’t always just one answer or approach. We hope this guide helps you find the answers that work for you.

We encourage trans and nonbinary students and recent grads to access career services on U of T’s three campuses and engage in networking to help identify next steps. We also want to remind you that there are legal protections for trans and nonbinary people in Ontario, and this guide offers tips and strategies for dealing with discrimination and transphobia that may still persist in some workplaces.

We hope you feel more optimistic about the career exploration and job search process — it can be challenging, but you are not alone. We are here to support you. Reach out to your friends, your community, and your campus resources for help. Having read this guide, you’ve already taken an important step in your career journey. You have many valuable skills and experiences that could benefit a variety of workplaces, and we hope this guide helps you achieve success.

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Resources

• Career and Co-Curricular Learning Network
  clnx.utoronto.ca
• Resume and Cover Letter Toolkit
  uoft.me/resumetoolkit
• Ontario Human Rights Code
  ontario.ca/laws/statute/90h19
• Ontario Human Rights Commission
  ohrc.on.ca

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Services

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Acknowledgments

This guide was written by cisgender University of Toronto staff from career centres at the Scarborough, Mississauga and St. George campuses, and the Sexual & Gender Diversity Office. The authors acknowledge that they do not share the same lived experiences as trans and nonbinary people. An important part of the writing process was to ensure ongoing consultation with trans and nonbinary communities. This included focus groups with trans and nonbinary students, alumni, staff, and faculty (one in 2018, two in 2019), as well as one-on-one correspondence and conversations. Our thanks to everyone who contributed to this document — they are named below.

Among the many people and offices involved in bringing the guide to fruition, a special thanks goes to Career Exploration & Education, and specifically Sania Hameed and Mary Stefanidis, who along with David Pereira from the Sexual & Gender Diversity Office, initiated and managed this project.

Special thanks to Beena Mistry for illustrations in the guide and to Sabrina Lin and Mahfam Nikoo for layout and design.

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References

1. LinkedIn. (n.d.). Settings for Profile Photo Visibility. https://www.linkedin.com/help/linkedin/answer/31/settings-for-profile-photo-visibility
2. Human Rights Campaign Foundation. (2020, January 21). Corporate Equality Index 2020: Rating Workplaces on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer Equality. https://assets2.hrc.org/files/assets/resources/CEI-2020.pdf
3. Fosbrook, Bretton, Sarah Kaplan and Jade Pichette (2020), “Transitioning Employers: A survey of policies and practices for trans inclusive workplaces,” a joint report from the Institute for Gender and the Economy and Pride at Work Canada.

Guide Citation

Pereira, David, Sania Hameed, Mary Stefanidis and Allison Burgess (2020). “Your Journey: A Career Guide for Trans and Nonbinary Students,” a joint publication from Career Exploration & Education and the Sexual & Gender Diversity Office. Toronto, ON: University of Toronto.