Identity At Work

Supporting Your Identities

The Career Design Center is committed to providing services to students and alumni with diverse identities. This space is intended to provide resources to help you navigate your career journey as your true self. For additional support with specific questions that you may have, please contact our office to connect with a Career Coach.

Highlight Your Background

Your background has given you a set of experiences and a perspective that can benefit any organization. Reflect on how your point of view could benefit an employer, and highlight those benefits when applying for a job or internship. Here are some examples of how you might discuss your identity in the job or internship search process if you choose to do so:

• Resume: Highlight academic and professional connections you have with identity and affinity groups (for example, being a member of a professional organization or club for LGBTQ+ students).
• Cover letter: Identify as a student of color in your cover letter and discuss how identity is an important asset in the job you are applying for.
• Interview: Ask you interviewer about the organization's commitment to diversity and inclusion or explain your desire to work for an organization that values diversity.

Researching an Organization's Commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB)

• Reflect: What do I need to thrive in an organization? Let your response guide your research.
• Review the organization's brand: How do they represent themselves via websites, social platforms, informational brochures, company presentations, company visitations, job descriptions, networking events, interviews for internships or full - time positions, and internship experiences?
• Connect with employees: Conduct informational interviews and use review websites like Glassdoor to learn about current or former employees' experience with an organization.
• Ask questions: Use interviews or other interactions with the organization to assess their DEI priority and commitment. Below is a list of possible questions. When asking these questions, you can be more specific about your identity any place it says "diverse group" or keep the question more general.​​​​​​

DEI - Focused Questions

• How important is diversity to your organization?
• What does your organization do to make sure that diverse employees feel included socially and professionally?
• Would you say that your organization has a diverse employee base? What about the leadership team?
• What kind of benefits does your organization offer for diverse employees?
• Does you organization have a support or social group for this diverse group?
• How do you foster a communicative and safe environment for employees to discuss any issues or shortcomings?
• Is there equal pay and opportunities, regardless of gender identity, sex, religion, race, sexuality, etc.?
• What is the organization's leave policy for employees who celebrate non-Christian holidays?
• Are the offices/bathrooms/other facilities accessible to individuals with disabilities or LGBTQ+ identities?
• Does the organization sponsor or participate in activities or events that support a diverse group?
• What kind of diversity, equity, and inclusion training do employees and the executive team undergo?
• Where do you think the organization needs to improve the most with regard to diversity, equity, and inclusion?
• What goals does the organization have surrounding diversity, equity, and inclusion? How are these being met?

On Campus Resources

Diversity at Geneseo

External Resources

America's Best Employers for Diversity: Survey participants are asked to anonymously rate their organizations based on criteria such as age, gender, ethnicity, disability, and LGBTQ+ equality, as well as general diversity. Each company's diversity-related best practices were also reviewed and incorporated into the rankings.

Diversity.com: Employers recruiting job seekers from diverse ethnic cultures, lifestyles, life stages, creative persuasions, abilities, religious affiliations, and genders.

DiversityJobs: Job search database and links to articles related to diversity in the workplace.

Diversity in Ed: Fellowship Opportunities: These fellowships are looking for applicants from historically underrepresented groups. These opportunities cover all career stages and disciplines.

Equal Opportunity Publications - Magazines Page: Free digital publications offering career guidance and recruitment resources.

How to Tell If a Company Truly Values Diversity and Inclusion: Employers talk a lot about diversity and inclusion. But how do you know if companies truly value and prioritize D&I?

We recognize that resources on identity are continually evolving. If you would like to share comments or suggest new resources to help improve these identity - focused pages, please email careers@geneseo.edu. We welcome your feedback anytime!

Related pages

• Connect with a Career Coach