How to go about hiring a crossdresser?

[MisterEgurl]

Seeing how most employers deliberately constrain their hiring prospects by choosing very selective and specific venues to place job ads, I don't see why you couldn't do the same. Just advertise for the job with local LGBT organizations, on sites like this (is there, by any chance a Help Wanted Forum on this site? (hint)), or by word of mouth through any crossdressing contacts you may have. I find that 90% of the time smaller companies have the best luck finding the best employees by going through word of mouth and (EEEK!) networking. Sure, you'd love to have the greatest, best, doctorate educated, management ninja Forbes couldn't interview because they couldn't find him/her, but you also want someone who will mesh with the company culture and it sounds to me like the company culture is crossdressing friendly.

If I had any construction experience beyond home improvement work and tile laying, I'd be thrilled to relocate to AZ.

And I think it's time to open a Help Wanted forum here.

[MisterEgurl]

There needs to be a CD version of LinkedIn or something where we can all network professionally

I detect a demand. Whar is the supply?

[Rileyaz]

The thing that impressed me that here was a guy who knew hard work, long hours, setting tough goals and dedication. Sounds like a guy I'd want on my team. Well, the upshot was that our HR folks got the idea that every candidate had to have at least a 3.0 in order to invite them for an on-site interview. To my mind, this is what happens when you value artificial metrics over substance. See, inclusion is about considering the whole person, thinking about what good qualities they bring and not allowing their differences to count as negatives. I believe we are at our best when we allow ourselves to consider the whole person.

Remember, A students teach; B students work for C students.

[Dianne S]

Why do you want to hire a crossdresser? Are you the company owner? You can interview anyone you like and just say "By the way, I crossdress around the office. I hope that's not a problem for you."

If someone turns down the job because of that, you find someone else.

[kimdl93]

Honestly, I think its a great idea. A key thing in any business is good chemistry between the employees and a good rapport with management. Of course there may be some bites here, but there's a much larger pool. I don't personally believe there is an ideal candidate for any job...in fact, some of the best people may begin rather ill-prepared in terms of experience, but grow into their jobs.

I've found that bringing in a temp is a good way to get to know an individual's work ethic, personality and abilities. I recently kept one as a permanent employee and let another go when she proved to be a poor fit.

[tonidouglas]

wonder why the site doesn't have a jobs forum? sorry if I sound like a repeat didn't have time to read all the psots

[ReineD]

What about

4. I am an equal opportunity employer. All genders including transgender, are welcome to apply.

I'll bet my bottom dollar that every single CD or TS who reads your ad and who has experience in the construction business will apply.

[tonidouglas]

Wow I so wish had your frame of mind

There is a myth that keeps floating around and it needs exposing. Modern Society is NOT a meritocracy, yet we cling mercilessly to this notion of the Best and Brightest. B/S. From my nearly 41 years in industry, I've run across some of the Best and Brightest with whom you would NOT want to be in the same room. Oft times their social skills are non-existent and they possess about as much charisma as last week's T++D. You wouldn't want them anywhere near a well-functioning team for fear of infection.

Yes, you do want well-qualified people, but you shouldn't have to sacifice humanity and understanding for the world as it is. You shouldn't have to sacrifice humor and compassion. In short, I want someone who knows about LIFE.

Case in point:
Several years ago, I went to a job fair to recruit young engineers who had, or where just about to graduate. I talked to a guy who was about to graduate, but he was fairly old; 26 or 27 I think. Also, his grade average wasn't that high; maybe 2.7 or so out of 4.0. As I talked to him, I found out what his story was. He had gone to a vocational high school and had entered an apprentice auto mechanic's program. Eventually he became a mechanic at a car dealership. He got married and had one kid, as I remember. However, he realized that if he was ever going to get ahead, he needed to go gack to school. After some remedial work, he enrolled in a mechanical engineering program at a pretty good school in his home town. However, he continued to work fulltime at the dealership.

The thing that impressed me that here was a guy who knew hard work, long hours, setting tough goals and dedication. Sounds like a guy I'd want on my team. Well, the upshot was that our HR folks got the idea that every candidate had to have at least a 3.0 in order to invite them for an on-site interview. To my mind, this is what happens when you value artificial metrics over substance. See, inclusion is about considering the whole person, thinking about what good qualities they bring and not allowing their differences to count as negatives. I believe we are at our best when we allow ourselves to consider the whole person.

[Anacita]

Agree completely.

Crossdressing is just way too narrow a criterion.

Ana

[Leah Lynn]

Saw an ad for a pilot once that said, "LGBT encouraged to apply."

Leah

[flatlander_48]

Given that we are talking about a small business here, often it is the situation where everybody has to do everything. Since you don't have a ton of people, the people you have must be fairly versatile. I doubt that the implication was that crossdressing would assume major importance in the selection criteria. At the end of the day, what you need doing still needs to get done.

The "best and brightest" thing is pure B/S. If you were going to throw someone in a lab by themselves, then it could work. However, in the sense of putting teams together, you don't want a team of people like that. What you want is a group that complements one another, can see the larger picture and don't have issues interacting with other humans. Remember that many technical people tend towards introversion. That isn't a bad thing; it's just the way it is. However, it's something to think about and figure out how to work with it.

[giuseppina]

There is a myth that keeps floating around and it needs exposing. Modern Society is NOT a meritocracy, yet we cling mercilessly to this notion of the Best and Brightest. B/S. From my nearly 41 years in industry, I've run across some of the Best and Brightest with whom you would NOT want to be in the same room. Oft times their social skills are non-existent and they possess about as much charisma as last week's T++D. You wouldn't want them anywhere near a well-functioning team for fear of infection.

Yes, you do want well-qualified people, but you shouldn't have to sacifice humanity and understanding for the world as it is. You shouldn't have to sacrifice humor and compassion. In short, I want someone who knows about LIFE.

Case in point:
Several years ago, I went to a job fair to recruit young engineers who had, or where just about to graduate. I talked to a guy who was about to graduate, but he was fairly old; 26 or 27 I think. Also, his grade average wasn't that high; maybe 2.7 or so out of 4.0. As I talked to him, I found out what his story was. He had gone to a vocational high school and had entered an apprentice auto mechanic's program. Eventually he became a mechanic at a car dealership. He got married and had one kid, as I remember. However, he realized that if he was ever going to get ahead, he needed to go gack to school. After some remedial work, he enrolled in a mechanical engineering program at a pretty good school in his home town. However, he continued to work fulltime at the dealership.

The thing that impressed me that here was a guy who knew hard work, long hours, setting tough goals and dedication. Sounds like a guy I'd want on my team. Well, the upshot was that our HR folks got the idea that every candidate had to have at least a 3.0 in order to invite them for an on-site interview. To my mind, this is what happens when you value artificial metrics over substance. See, inclusion is about considering the whole person, thinking about what good qualities they bring and not allowing their differences to count as negatives. I believe we are at our best when we allow ourselves to consider the whole person.

Hello Flatlander,

This individual may have been a good candidate, and he may not. Allow me some perspective from someone who went through a fully accredited engineering school at approximately the same time as your candidate graduated. By fully accredited, in Canada, that means the candidate does not need any confirmatory technical examinations before licensure as a professional engineer. S/he only needs the required acceptable work (non-engineering jobs don't count) experience and completion of the professional practice examination, which is about law as it applies to the engineering profession and professional ethics. My field is electrical/electronics engineering, but I doubt there is much difference with mechanical engineering.

Lectures and labs are about 27-30 hours per week. Minimum study time including assignments, lab reports, and examination preparation doubles that. A realistic multiple is 1.5 to 2 times. We're up to about 70-80 hours weekly on the books. A full time job is normally 40 hours a week. A conscientious father in his situation might spend 10 hours a week with his child. Personal care including meals is around 7 hours a week. There are only 168 hours in a week, so he doesn't have time for more than about 4 hours per night for sleep.

At best, this individual has a work-study-life balance problem and is heading for burn-out. It's also possible HR staff thought the story doesn't ring true.

Where I went to school, almost all students spending more than a few hours a week on a part time job were kicked out for failing to meet minimum academic standards.

[Michelle.M]

Simply putting "LGBT friendly business" in the ad would likely keep most of the Neanderthals away.

Probably. Somewhere in the ad do the standard diversity line "Acme Construction is an equal opportunity workplace and does not discriminate due to religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender or gender presentation."

That last part should let anyone who dresses know that this would be a good job possibility.

[flatlander_48]

At best, this individual has a work-study-life balance problem and is heading for burn-out. It's also possible HR staff thought the story doesn't ring true.

Where I went to school, almost all students spending more than a few hours a week on a part time job were kicked out for failing to meet minimum academic standards.

No, different situation. I don't think he was full time that often. He was in his late 20's when he graduated, so I'm guessing it took him 6 or 7 years (4 year program). When I said 26 or 27, that probably wasn't right. He was MUCH older than the majority of the students. Regarding HR, it was their standing policy at that point that we not recruit anyone with less than a 3.0 of 4.0. We never offered his name as we knew it would be rejected.

Also, I worked with some guys who started college at around 40. It probably took them the better part of 10 years, but they survived it.

And by the way, my 41 years have been spent as a mechanical engineer, engineering supervisor, computer programmer, simulation analyst and quality assurance analyst and includes a PE license in my home state.

[giuseppina]

The mode of engineering education here is different. I am not aware of any accredited part time bachelor's programs in engineering in Ontario, and there may not be any in Canada. At least one program limits the time available to ten academic terms (four months each) for an eight term degree. That is, students who withdraw for more than one year or are on academic probation for more than one year are ineligible to continue. In that program, even students who take relevant courses during work terms are still required to maintain a full academic course load when on campus.

Only advanced degree programs in engineering are available here as part time, and they are disappearing due to funding cuts if they haven't already.

I agree with your view that marks don't tell the whole story. Conscientious plodders may not get the best marks, but they often have a better sense of what is practical and what their limitations are.

I was thirteen years older than most of my engineering classmates. There were a few, like me, that had mathematics or science degrees before starting engineering.

[flatlander_48]

One point: usually the programs are not specified as full time of part time. You take courses as you have time available. The problem is that often courses in a sequence are offered once a year. Sometimes you have to really do some dancing in order to not have that have a major effect on your progress. However, these days there are some programs that are structured for part-time students, but full-time employees. They put together schedules to minimize those out of sequence problems.

[Nicole Erin]

Good ideas about wording the anti-discrimination part.

Next thing though is - does the job pay decent compensation?
If it offers good pay and applicants would need decent qualifications then needing a GLBT person might be hard to find.
However, if it's some less than $10 an hour job, good luck finding someone who even speaks English.