Job things

[Cai]

I'm going to put in my notice at the camp I'm working at. It's the wrong kind of work for me. I've started dreading going to bed at night, because that much sooner I'll have to get up and go back. I've gotten advice from friends on another forum to try and do temp work, and I've looked up some of the legal aspects of applying for work as Cai. In NC, it is still legal for them to deny me work based on my sexual identity and on my sexuality. However, I can always go to another agency if one turns me down. And if every agency in the city denies me work based on that (unlikely), I'll just go back as female (I really need to work).

I updated my resume. I actually have two versions now. One with my legal name on it, and one with Cai and my legal surname.

I'm going to start calling around to temp agencies in the next day or so. Now that I've decided to find another job and put in my notice at the camp, I'm scared. I want to go work as Cai, but I don't know whether I'll be able to get up the nerve to go through with it. It's partly having to go and out myself to a complete stranger for the interview, and partly the idea of presenting as male for an entire portion of my life. I mean, if I can do this, there'll be people out there who only know me as a guy. That's a good thing, so I don't know why it makes me so anxious. But it does.

Maybe I'm rushing this. Maybe I'm not ready to present as Cai yet. But maybe I am, and I'm letting my fear get the best of me. Because here's an opportunity to be myself in an environment with people I've never met and will never see again, and I'm afraid to do it. I was scared to do a lot of things that I've done recently, and haven't had any repercussions from them. This is big, though.

I'm not sure if I actually have a question or I'm just rambling.

[jsoto81]

heres some advice, don't follow it if you're not up for it or it's not something you're into at all.

I work for Apple, Inc. (the computer company), they're a great company to work for, really laid back and they have had support for transgendered people since 1999. and just working 30 hours a week gets you health benefits (mental, dental, eye, health, life insurance too), employee stock purchases and a retirement paln where they match what you put in (more the longer you're there).

They have 3 stores in North Carolina, I'm not sure which one is closest to you but I'd definately say check them out if you can, I've worked there for a year now and never been happier at a job before.

[noname]

If you dread going to work, it's time to quit. On my last job my wife had gone to start my car and burst in the house and exclaimed "YOUR CAR WON'T START!" I knew it was time to quit when my car breaking down made me happy.

[CaptLex]

I'm not sure if I actually have a question or I'm just rambling.
It's good to get your thoughts out in the open, it helps organize them better. I think when you get to the point where you dread going to work, then it's time to quit. Are there any LGBT organizations that could maybe point you to places of employment where they may be more tolerant of diversity? Some places actually want to fill a quota of diversity, and this may work in your favor. I hope you can find a place you like and that treats you well too. :hugs:

[Dasein9]

Cai, I've worked jobs that have made me dread going in too. It's miserable, but is a learning experience too -- learning to stand up for yourself and find something you don't loathe is learning!

Are you asking for feedback on the resume thing? If so, I have some. If not, I'll keep it to myself. :)

[John]

I've got the impresion from a couple of you're recent posts that you really don't like you're work. So yeah, no-one can blaim you for quiting.

As for presenting male for all you're work... well, only you can know when you're ready. I know that when I did it, it felf abserlutly grate, but it depends on you. You could do what I do, and have two jobs; one they call me Jhonny and the other I'm 'Miss.M*'.

[Felix]

Hun if ya that unhappy it's time to quit. Also be sure that ya ready to come out in ya work place. Some places are cool with diversity and some aren't so be careful. I think I know what ya mean about being a male full time and leaving your old life behind. Ya need to be ready and fully committed to being male before ya go down that route. Don't be hasty Hun really think this through cos if it's gonna stress ya then maybe it's not the right time. Think about how it will change your life if all is positive or mostly positive then great. When I think about myself I look at the big picture. Do I want to possibly loose things I love, could I handle the fall out if I went through with it? Is it the be all and end all? Think of everything hun all angles before ya decide on a course of action. At the end of the day as a friend said to me today only I can make the decision how far I am willing to go and that is true. Sorry if I've rambled and hope this helps xx Felix :hugs:

[Cai]

I've reduced my hours at camp, so I'm only working 4 hours a day instead of 8. Since I'm done by 2pm, I'm still going to look for another job. And if something better turns up that's all-day, I'll still quit the camp job.

Das - I worked a job I hated last summer - pharmaceutical validation. It was horrible. The only good thing was getting to live in Chicago for a summer.
I'd love any advice that you have on resumes.

Lex - That's a great idea to see if the LBGT groups around here know of a good place to work. Ironically enough, the company that I'm working for now would probably be totally cool with it, but since my sister and a number of family friends work for them at various locations, I couldn't pull it off.

Felix - I've been weighing the positive and the negative of doing this. The biggest positive is that it would make me happy. The biggest negative would be getting outed to my family.

jsoto (I'm sorry, I've forgotten the name you go by) - The closest Apple retailer that I know of is about 45 minutes away from here. I'm really only looking for a temporary job, something to fill the summer and earn some money before I go back to school in PA. So benefits and whatnot aren't at the top of my priorities. But it's a good suggestion, and I'll look into it if I have any trouble finding things.

[jsoto81]

Hey man no worries about then name, it's Ben, but yeah when you're done with school and you want something in between look um up, it's a great company to work for.