Jobs for a crossdresser?

[Lima Bean]

Hi! My name is John im 19 years old and I live on the east end of Long Island. I cross-dress as much as possible but its not exactly acceptable where I live unless you go into east hampton. Im tired of living like this and I need a change. i NEED to dress up every day without being worried about being beat up. I believe if it feels good do it.

I am almost at my goal of $10,000 saved up, and move into New York City

But my mother says it will be an issue because it will be hard to find someone who will hire me. I dont exactly have a field but I have retail & restaurant experience.

I just need a change in my life. I need to be around gay people & transgendered people. I need to make friends that are like me. I need to get out to the clubs and get into the scene that ive been dying for.

I made this thread to find out what issues others faced in New York City when trying to find a job. How hard will it be? Should I not dress up to look for a job? Im not exactly passable, I dont try to be. Im just anti-establishment and anti-status quo. I do what I want. It doesn't bother me if I dont look like a girl physically

[BeckiB]

LB you can test the waters by looking for work now where you want to live. There are a lot of resources to find work so you don't have to be in NY to check it out. I know that $10,000.00 sounds like a lot but you will be suprised how fast you can burn thru it. I would try to find work before I go.

I am sure there are a lot of girls on here that can help you with great places to live where you would feel more like you fit in.

Good luck and have fun

[vikki2020]

I can't tell you anything about the job market in NY city, but I wouldn't go on any interviews while dressed, even if you pass 99.9 %.I agree that you should try to have a job lined up before you make the move.Job= real life,and you will have plenty of free time to do as you want.Good luck.

[Yvettegrl]

I am almost at my goal of $10,000 saved up, and move into New York City But my mother says it will be an issue because it will be hard to find someone who will hire me. I dont exactly have a field but I have retail & restaurant experience.

A little perspective here. I have two sons just a little older than you, though (to my knowlege) they're not CD. When they were your age they thought they knew what they wanted and expected it to come to them in an instant.

Teen years are a time of introspection and change. You're trying to find your place in the world. Unfortunately you haven't been out in the world long enough to have much perspective on your life as a whole. Like, "where do I want to be in five years?"

Life is a continuing project and so requires some planning and patience. You've done very well to have saved your money. That required planning and patience. What to do next?

Instead of "getting a job" you might want to plan a career. Are you still living at home? If so, that provides a great opportunity to get some education or training while not having to support yourself. Focus your energy on finding a field that would allow you to best pursue the life you dream of. Many schools only require a year or two.

It's clear how much you want to get out into the world and live your life. Be patient and invest some time in your future. Make a plan. The life you live will be better for it.

Regards,

Yvette

[Melanie R]

Here is an idea for you. My wife today surprised me by telling me that I may want to as Melanie follow the example of our adopted neice and be a weekend flower girl. She said I could dress up in my nightclub glitzy outfits and sell roses in several night clubs in our city. Apparently the neice from 9 PM to 2 AM nets around $200 on a typical night between Thursday and Saturday. I may investigate.

[AlisonWood]

The only up side - a lot of organizations are always looking for diversity...some will gravitate towards diversity in an affirmative action sense - it might not get you a job - but if you are transgendered and otherwise qualified - with some organizations, it might help. Out TG's are a small minority indeed.

[Kate Jennings]

I'm on Long Island and I get what you are saying.

Why not think about working at a Transgender themed place? The restaurant Lipps, a tg salon, a crossdresser bar....you can be you and earn a good dollar.

[Jodi]

LB, What are you trained to do? If you have no specific training for the workforce, I would recommend that you focus and put your emphasis on acquiring skills for the workforce. If you have no specific training, pumping gas and washing dishes for minimum wage is what you can expect.

In case you haven't figured it out, you can't live in an alley in NYC on minimum wage.

Go back to school now!!!

Jodi

[JoAnne Wheeler]

Yes, $ 10,000 actually will not go very far - life is hard for us GIRLS - remember that

JoAnne Wheeler

[wendiwoman]

I can't talk specifically about NYC, as I live in San Francisco. But I do know that locally, both MAC cosmetics and Bare Escentuals employ obviously transgender people (MTF). In addition, I know I've been in locally owned boutiques and have seen TG sales people (also MTF).

I am involved with the organization Transgender San Francisco, and many of our members are employed despite being obvioulsy transgender. One of my friends, an IT professional, was actually lured away by another company just a few weeks after coming out. I will admit that that was a very special case.

I think if you look to businesses that are a bit out of the mainstream, you might find employment as an openly TG girl. Consider unique clothing stores, funky restaurants, clubs, music stores, cosmetic companies, etc.

But also do keep in mind that this is a very difficult time to be looking for work. My daughter, in LA, responded to an ad placed by a restaurant looking for a cashier, and she was told that they had received 300 applications.

Good luck, and keep in touch...

Wendi

[miss_mimi107]

That's what I've been searching on for a while. It seems damn near impossible. I live in Dallas. Apparently there's next to nothing. Actually nothing here for us girls.

[deja true]

Becki and Vicki and Yvette all suggest scouting for jobs before you make the move. I agree.

Do you want to work as a girl ... or maybe as a guy who is known to be trans?

How about this?

Do you have a group of pictures of yourself that show Lima as an attractive young woman?

Take the train into the city. Go to places that you'd like to work at (the more outside places, like Wendi suggests) , as what's-his-name. Fill in the applications. Speak to the person hiring and tell them about your trans status and show them a picture or two. If they're not bothered,or indeed maybe see it as an asset, your application will remain in the queue. If they have a problem with it, you'll know right away.

Of course, your chances in places like this will prolly be determined more on your work experience and skills and references than on your trans staus, but I think that for you, it would be a lot less frustrating to get the trans thing out of the way right from the top.

But all in all, I still gotta agree with Yvette, that as a young 'un, you'd benefit from a little patience and an attempt to expand your experience and skills a bit before venturing into the maw of the great heartless city. You're not the only one looking for a place in that world. You're only one in thousands.

Be strong, John/Lima!

Good Luck!

[jenna_woods]

good luck hun, but they are right, $10,00 is not much money wen liveing on it, find a job there frist, them look for ine you canget dressed, there are a few jobs out there ffor us girls.

[Annie D]

I that Yvette made some very sound suggestions, you would be well advised to take what she said into consideration.

I also loved what Deja True suggested. I think that carrying pictures of yourself enfemme would be a sound alternative and like she said it would get your goal right out in the open up front and quickly.

People are hired based upon whether it is thought that you can do the job, not what your sexual preference might be. If sexual preference becomes a distraction and it affects your ability to perform or the ability of your coworkersto perform, then someones got to go. Additionally, if the way you would dress would detract from your ability to perform, then it is a detriment and you won't get hired.

When a supervisor or an employer spends too much time covering for missed time or the production of a department slips because of something that can be controlled by termination or not hiring you in the first place, that is their job. These are hard enough to overcome when dressed "appropriately" but if thought of as "inappropriate" then you can forget it.

[TxKimberly]

I so HATE to be the one that depresses everyone, but have you paid attention to the news on the world economy? Millions of people have lost their jobs and are out searching for new ones without success. Good people, with stellar educations and decades of experience are out searching right now and unable to find employment. In my opinion it would be insane to throw ANYTHING in to the mix that would make it harder for an employer to choose you. Unless I miss my guess, I'd bet that 90% of the TS folks here will tell you that in the best of times they probably had a hard time finding a job, and of those that did find employment, I'd wager quite a few of them are "under-employed" - not working to their education or abilities.
Were I looking for a job (a very real possibility soon) I will go to interviews with my nails clean and cut, my eye brows grown out, wearing a suit and tie and acting just as macho as I can. I wouldn't willingly expose ANYTHING that might make them hesitate to choose me.

New York City law specificially prohibits discrimination against transgender people . . .

This just means that they can't list your TG status as the reason for not hiring you. Don't kid yourself in to thinking that it wont be the cause in reality, and I wish you the very best of luck in ever proving that this was the reason you weren't hired.

[Miranda-E]

I am almost at my goal of $10,000 saved up, and move into New York City



I made this thread to find out what issues others faced in New York City when trying to find a job. How hard will it be? Should I not dress up to look for a job? Im not exactly passable, I dont try to be. Im just anti-establishment and anti-status quo. I do what I want. It doesn't bother me if I dont look like a girl physically

New York City law specificially prohibits discrimination against transgender people,

Two resources I recommend checking often are :

http://www.tjobbank.com/

http://www.gaycenter.org/nycresources


might also contact these groups directly before you move.

Oliver Staffing (212) 634-1234
350 Lexington Avenue, Suite 401 (Corner of 40th & Lexington) New York, NY 10016
jobs@oliverstaffing.com

Rainbow Staffing (212) 685-9304
295 Madison Avenue

Rainbow Roommates
124 West 60th Street #23E
New York, NY 10023
www.rainbowroommates.com
(212) 627-8612, (212) 757-2865

[gender_blender]

I'm 27 and have an electrical engineering career. I of course didn't get this position because I'm transgendered, but disclosed the fact on my clearance paperwork. I would suggest waiting until the economy picks up before making any rash decisions.

[Tracy Lynn]

Here is a job listing site I came across today

http://www.lgbtcareerlink.com/