9 answers
Abby
CareerVillage.org TeamStudent
Rochester, New York
20
Questions
Asked
1039 views
What is an appropriate but subtle way to indicate my non-binary identity on a resume?
I've decided on adding my pronouns (they/them) to the header, but was wondering if anyone had any other ideas!
#lgbtq #nonbinary #gender #resume #student #job-interview #interview-skills
9 answers
Shaina Woolley (they, them)
Filmmaker
1
Answer
Los Angeles, California
Updated
Shaina’s Answer
Hi Abby!
I think it is a great idea to state/imply that you are non-binary on your resume to ensure you find a job with a team that is not transphobic and ideally, with a team who is already doing the work to provide a safe, comfortable, and supportive work environment for trans people. As a non-binary person who also uses they/them pronouns, I know how important it is to be respected in the workplace, which includes that at the bare minimum everyone knows and uses my pronouns.
I think putting your pronouns next to your name is the most obvious way to indicate your gender on your resume and could be a totally sufficient way to do so!
Since you are looking for more ways, here are my ideas! If you have any past work or volunteer experience with the LGBTQIA2+ community, you could include that to show your involvement in the queer community. If you don't have any past work or volunteer experience you can add, you could add a small portion called "Interests." This section could include something like "transgender activism", "gender theory", "queer theory", "queer art" or something related to queerness or transness to further express your queer identity and how that is something that is important to you and a central part of your life. In the interests section, you could also put whatever else you are interested in, not related to gender/queerness, because I always thinks that is a nice and easy way to have a prospective employer get to know you beyond your past work experience and accolades.
I think it is a great idea to state/imply that you are non-binary on your resume to ensure you find a job with a team that is not transphobic and ideally, with a team who is already doing the work to provide a safe, comfortable, and supportive work environment for trans people. As a non-binary person who also uses they/them pronouns, I know how important it is to be respected in the workplace, which includes that at the bare minimum everyone knows and uses my pronouns.
I think putting your pronouns next to your name is the most obvious way to indicate your gender on your resume and could be a totally sufficient way to do so!
Since you are looking for more ways, here are my ideas! If you have any past work or volunteer experience with the LGBTQIA2+ community, you could include that to show your involvement in the queer community. If you don't have any past work or volunteer experience you can add, you could add a small portion called "Interests." This section could include something like "transgender activism", "gender theory", "queer theory", "queer art" or something related to queerness or transness to further express your queer identity and how that is something that is important to you and a central part of your life. In the interests section, you could also put whatever else you are interested in, not related to gender/queerness, because I always thinks that is a nice and easy way to have a prospective employer get to know you beyond your past work experience and accolades.
Thank you so much, Shaina! These are excellent ideas. It can be hard to feel seen in the professional world, especially when authenticity can so easily be suppressed under the guise of professionalism. It brings me joy to hear from a fellow non-binary person :)
Abby, Admin
This is great!
★Phillip Alvarado★
Anna Saraceno
Senior Product Designer
3
Answers
Indianapolis, Indiana
Updated
Anna’s Answer
Hi there! This is a great question, and I've polled a few of my colleagues to come up with a few pieces of advice:
- Just using "they/them" on your resume is a great start, and could be enough for a resume. I like Shaina's suggestion of adding LGBTQ-related volunteer experience to your resume if you want a little bit of extra depth/perspective, and if it's applicable to your experience.
- One possibility is adding Mx. before your name, if you feel it fits you.
- With your pronouns clearly displayed on your resume, I think the next "hurdle" would be sharing your pronouns during the interview process. Ideally anybody interviewing you will have reviewed your resume and seen your pronouns, but you can't necessarily rely on that. The most direct way to handle it is sharing your pronouns right off the bat in an interview, but that can be nerve-wracking. I've been in maybe one or two interviews in which the team by default shares pronouns, but that is rare. But if you feel confident enough in doing so, sharing pronouns at the beginning of the conversation during an interview when you're introducing yourself may be an important first step. I sometimes rehearse some of the key things I'd like to say about myself during an interview, and this may be something you want to rehearse, if it is something you plan on sharing in an interview.
- One positive about many activities being remote is that you have a display name in video chat programs. For example, if you have interviews on Zoom, you could change your display name to "Firstname Lastname (they/them)" so your pronouns display alongside your video.
- Another colleague mentioned that wearing a large sticker or pin with your preferred pronouns during an interview can be helpful as well.
I know my answers go beyond your question that centers around your resume, but I do see a resume as a precursor to an interview, and an interview as a bit more of a tricky area to navigate when it comes to sharing your preferred pronouns. I hope this has been helpful, and that you have a positive experience during your job search!
Consider getting a they/them pronoun pin or sticker to wear - https://www.etsy.com/search?q=they%2Fthem%20pronoun%20pin
Consider adding "(they/them)" in your display name in any Zoom interviews you have - https://teaching.nmc.edu/knowledgebase/changing-your-name-in-a-zoom-meeting/
Consider adding "Mx" as a gender neutral title for yourself - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gender-neutral_title
- Just using "they/them" on your resume is a great start, and could be enough for a resume. I like Shaina's suggestion of adding LGBTQ-related volunteer experience to your resume if you want a little bit of extra depth/perspective, and if it's applicable to your experience.
- One possibility is adding Mx. before your name, if you feel it fits you.
- With your pronouns clearly displayed on your resume, I think the next "hurdle" would be sharing your pronouns during the interview process. Ideally anybody interviewing you will have reviewed your resume and seen your pronouns, but you can't necessarily rely on that. The most direct way to handle it is sharing your pronouns right off the bat in an interview, but that can be nerve-wracking. I've been in maybe one or two interviews in which the team by default shares pronouns, but that is rare. But if you feel confident enough in doing so, sharing pronouns at the beginning of the conversation during an interview when you're introducing yourself may be an important first step. I sometimes rehearse some of the key things I'd like to say about myself during an interview, and this may be something you want to rehearse, if it is something you plan on sharing in an interview.
- One positive about many activities being remote is that you have a display name in video chat programs. For example, if you have interviews on Zoom, you could change your display name to "Firstname Lastname (they/them)" so your pronouns display alongside your video.
- Another colleague mentioned that wearing a large sticker or pin with your preferred pronouns during an interview can be helpful as well.
I know my answers go beyond your question that centers around your resume, but I do see a resume as a precursor to an interview, and an interview as a bit more of a tricky area to navigate when it comes to sharing your preferred pronouns. I hope this has been helpful, and that you have a positive experience during your job search!
Anna recommends the following next steps:
Thank you for all these ideas--I hadn't thought of including a gender neutral title! I really appreciate the time you took to crowdsource this advice on the whole interview process. I'm definitely going to take all this with me as I continue down my career path. :)
Abby, Admin
Vijay Srikantapuram (he/him/they/them)
3
Answers
Bothell, Washington
Updated
Vijay’s Answer
Wow! Love this question.
I recently was let go from my job and had to start looking for a job. I was totally unprepared. One thing I was not ready to compromise was not to present myself as my total authentic self. For far too long, I had to hide who I was and it took a huge toll on how I showed up at work.
In my resume, I included (he/him/they/them) next to my name. Even when I was registering on the careers sites on different company's websites, I put my pronouns at the end of my last name.
I felt super empowered when I did this. I will call out a caveat. This may have very well worked against me. Not every one that looks are your profile can be expected to be open minded. It is very much possible that I did not get called in for an interview because of that. I did however land an amazing job at one of the best companies.
I hope this helps. Good luck and thank you for thinking about this. Takes a lot of courage.
I recently was let go from my job and had to start looking for a job. I was totally unprepared. One thing I was not ready to compromise was not to present myself as my total authentic self. For far too long, I had to hide who I was and it took a huge toll on how I showed up at work.
In my resume, I included (he/him/they/them) next to my name. Even when I was registering on the careers sites on different company's websites, I put my pronouns at the end of my last name.
I felt super empowered when I did this. I will call out a caveat. This may have very well worked against me. Not every one that looks are your profile can be expected to be open minded. It is very much possible that I did not get called in for an interview because of that. I did however land an amazing job at one of the best companies.
I hope this helps. Good luck and thank you for thinking about this. Takes a lot of courage.
I can relate so much to your experience. In my previous job I was pretty casually ridiculed by my boss for asking him to use my pronouns. Being authentic in the workplace (here at CareerVillage!) has had an incredible impact on my work and overall quality of life. It's scary to be out sometimes, but stories like these make me hopeful that we can and will succeed. Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts.
Abby, Admin
Raquel Chandler
Talent Management / Development
1
Answer
Austin, Texas
Updated
Raquel’s Answer
Hi Abby! Super proud and happy that you are asking this-- from an employer standpoint though, this shouldn't affect your application OR your culture once hired -- but that is in a perfect world. I would say if you are comfortable with your pronouns being out there (add to your LinkedIn too), definitely share those, but also at the end of the day, employers should be basing their hiring off skills and experience. Showcase those things-- as you get further in your career you will want your future employers to look at those way more than your personal preferences. I'd say, more importantly, seek out companies who outwardly share that they embrace the LGBTQ+ community (not just from a page on their website, but by their involvement and support in the community - big difference!).
Thank you so much! This is great advice
Abby, Admin
Randi Aja
Front Services Manager
2
Answers
Las Vegas, Nevada
Updated
Randi’s Answer
Hello!
It is great that you reached out with this question. It is unfortunate that this is something that would matter when it comes to employment. If it is important to you to express this about yourself, using pronouns would be a good indication on the resume or within the cover letter. Please remember that a job should not be dependent on your life style.
~Randi
It is great that you reached out with this question. It is unfortunate that this is something that would matter when it comes to employment. If it is important to you to express this about yourself, using pronouns would be a good indication on the resume or within the cover letter. Please remember that a job should not be dependent on your life style.
~Randi
I appreciate this, thank you for the advice.
Abby, Admin
Lara Nural, SHRM-CP
7
Answers
Updated
Lara’s Answer
Hi Abby,
It is incredibly important to be respected in the workplace and that entails at the bare minimum that the people you work with know and your pronouns. I think that one way you can address this is to place your pronouns right next to your name in the header of your resume and cover letter For instance, "Lara Nural (She, her, hers )".
If you get an interview, introduce yourself with your pronouns in the beginning. For instance, I could say, "My name is Lara and I use the pronouns she/her/hers." Then you can ask them for their pronouns, which will show that you didn't want to assume theirs!
I hope that this helps! Best of luck to you.
It is incredibly important to be respected in the workplace and that entails at the bare minimum that the people you work with know and your pronouns. I think that one way you can address this is to place your pronouns right next to your name in the header of your resume and cover letter For instance, "Lara Nural (She, her, hers )".
If you get an interview, introduce yourself with your pronouns in the beginning. For instance, I could say, "My name is Lara and I use the pronouns she/her/hers." Then you can ask them for their pronouns, which will show that you didn't want to assume theirs!
I hope that this helps! Best of luck to you.
I always forget to introduce myself with my pronouns so that's a great suggestion, thank you :)
Abby, Admin
Quinci Smith Slater (she/her)
Gender Studies Educator
25
Answers
Claremont, California
Updated
Quinci’s Answer
You can also for a resume add they/them included in your summary as what you prefer after you put your name when your introducing yourself on your resume summary.
Ahh yes the summary or "objective" statement is something I learned about recently. That's a great idea, thank you
Abby, Admin
Alexa Lucci
Recruiter
1
Answer
New Hyde Park, New York
Updated
Alexa’s Answer
Hey Abby!!!
As a recruiter, there are a few suggestions to indicate your non-binary identity. As others mentioned, continuing to use your pronouns both on your resume + when interviewing and introducing yourself is very helpful! Depending on the field/role you are applying to, there may be an opportunity to include a pride flag or color of the non-binary flag on your resume if it is a create or design opportunity. Continue to be proud of yourself in including it!!
As a recruiter, there are a few suggestions to indicate your non-binary identity. As others mentioned, continuing to use your pronouns both on your resume + when interviewing and introducing yourself is very helpful! Depending on the field/role you are applying to, there may be an opportunity to include a pride flag or color of the non-binary flag on your resume if it is a create or design opportunity. Continue to be proud of yourself in including it!!
James Constantine Frangos
Consultant Dietitian & Software Developer since 1972 => Nutrition Education => Health & Longevity.
3583
Answers
Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
Updated
James Constantine’s Answer
Hi Abby,
Incorporating Pronouns into Your Resume
To subtly express your non-binary identity, consider adding your pronouns (they/them) to your resume's header. This universally accepted practice not only communicates your identity to potential employers but also shows your dedication to fostering inclusivity.
Selecting an Appropriate Format
There are several ways to incorporate your pronouns into your resume. Here are a few strategies:
1. Include Pronouns in Contact Information: Alongside your name, phone number, and email address, you can add your pronouns.
2. Add Pronouns to the Summary Section: If your summary is lengthy or you want your pronouns to be more noticeable, include them in the summary or objective section of your resume. For instance:
Objective: I am a non-binary individual using they/them pronouns, seeking a challenging and rewarding position in [field] where I can apply my skills and experience. I am enthusiastic about [industry/field] and dedicated to contributing to [company’s] mission.
3. Insert Pronouns in the Education or Experience Section: You can also place your pronouns under your name in the education or experience section of your resume. For example:
Education:
Bachelor of Science in [Field], [University Name], [Graduation Date]
(They/Them)
Additional Methods to Express Your Non-Binary Identity
Beyond adding your pronouns to your resume, there are other ways to convey your non-binary identity. Here are a few suggestions:
- Use Neutral Language: Incorporate gender-neutral language like "they" instead of "he" or "she" throughout your resume. This can subtly indicate your non-binary identity.
- List Relevant Memberships or Affiliations: If you belong to a non-binary or LGBTQ+ organization, include this information on your resume to demonstrate your identity and commitment to the community.
- Include a Professional Headshot: If you decide to add a professional headshot to your resume, choose one that genuinely represents your gender identity.
- Add Personal Pronouns to Your Email Signature: If your resume includes an email signature, consider adding your personal pronouns to this section as well.
Stay blessed!
James Constantine Frangos
Incorporating Pronouns into Your Resume
To subtly express your non-binary identity, consider adding your pronouns (they/them) to your resume's header. This universally accepted practice not only communicates your identity to potential employers but also shows your dedication to fostering inclusivity.
Selecting an Appropriate Format
There are several ways to incorporate your pronouns into your resume. Here are a few strategies:
1. Include Pronouns in Contact Information: Alongside your name, phone number, and email address, you can add your pronouns.
2. Add Pronouns to the Summary Section: If your summary is lengthy or you want your pronouns to be more noticeable, include them in the summary or objective section of your resume. For instance:
Objective: I am a non-binary individual using they/them pronouns, seeking a challenging and rewarding position in [field] where I can apply my skills and experience. I am enthusiastic about [industry/field] and dedicated to contributing to [company’s] mission.
3. Insert Pronouns in the Education or Experience Section: You can also place your pronouns under your name in the education or experience section of your resume. For example:
Education:
Bachelor of Science in [Field], [University Name], [Graduation Date]
(They/Them)
Additional Methods to Express Your Non-Binary Identity
Beyond adding your pronouns to your resume, there are other ways to convey your non-binary identity. Here are a few suggestions:
- Use Neutral Language: Incorporate gender-neutral language like "they" instead of "he" or "she" throughout your resume. This can subtly indicate your non-binary identity.
- List Relevant Memberships or Affiliations: If you belong to a non-binary or LGBTQ+ organization, include this information on your resume to demonstrate your identity and commitment to the community.
- Include a Professional Headshot: If you decide to add a professional headshot to your resume, choose one that genuinely represents your gender identity.
- Add Personal Pronouns to Your Email Signature: If your resume includes an email signature, consider adding your personal pronouns to this section as well.
Stay blessed!
James Constantine Frangos
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