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Navigating the job market can be challenging, particularly for individuals from underrepresented communities. Whether you identify as a person of color, a member of the LGBTQ+ community, a person with a disability, or any other marginalized group, we're here to provide you with the tools and information you need to succeed. 

Remember, your identity is an asset, and diversity in the workplace brings unique perspectives and innovation. Leverage the resources available to you, stay persistent, and never lose sight of your worth and potential. We believe in your ability to achieve your career goals, and we're here to support you every step of the way. 

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Students of Color

Career Development & Education values the multitude of perspectives and stories that students of color bring to our campus.  Your experiences add great value to our university and community and we want to help you think about and articulate how your unique perspective can benefit any academic department, organization, company, or employer.  Your prior experiences have given you skills and values that any hiring manager or committee would find attractive. Regardless of your field of interest or what types of past experience you have, our coaches and workshops can help you write and talk about your experiences in a way that will broaden your opportunities. We also want to talk to you about how you can find meaningful opportunities that align with your values and interests while you are a student at UW Tacoma. Our coaches can point you in the right direction when it comes to research, internships, student jobs, volunteer opportunities, and more!

 

Resources 

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Undocumented Students

UW Tacoma Career Development & Education provides advising to all students regardless of immigration status. Students without documents are welcome to make an appointment and attend all of our events and workshops. You can trust that all information is kept confidential. 

Career Suggestions for Undocumented and DACA Students 

Gain Experiences: Participate in internships, mentorships, career site visits, volunteering opportunities, and student clubs to learn more about what you’re interested in and build career skills. We provide strategies for finding formal internship and informal shadowing opportunities. LinkedIn Learning is an on-demand video learning platform to help you develop and enhance skills. It’s a free resource for all UW students. You can create Learning Paths of Collections on LinkedIn Learning in various topics. 

Build a Network: Use your existing network and gain connections. This network can include friends, relatives, faculty, staff and University of Washington Tacoma alumni. Use the LinkedIn alumni search tool to connect with alumni in fields of interest to learn more about opportunities in those areas. More than 80% of jobs are found through networking and it can be helpful to talk with working professionals who may have stories similar to your own. You can also build a network by connecting nationally with other undocumented students through groups like UndocuUndergrads National Network and UndocuBlack Network. 

 

Grad School: Many grad school programs offer funding to help with cost through scholarships, research positions, or teaching assistantships. Check out the website My (Un)Documented Life for tips on how to apply to graduate school and a list of scholarships open to undocumented students. 

Disclosing Your Status: Knowing when, how, or if to disclose your DACA or undocumented status can be challenging and varies with every opportunity and organization. As a general recommendation, DACA recipients do not need to disclose their DACA status to current or potential employers. It is the employer’s responsibility to verify your work authorization status when appropriate, and it is your responsibility that your work permit remains valid. Also, as a student, you are protected under the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) which means faculty and staff cannot share any information about you with people outside of the UW. We encourage you to talk with trusted advisers, mentors, or a career coach to discuss the nuances of this conversation and to develop an appropriate plan. 

DACA and Undocumented Student Resources 

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Students with Disabilities

As a student with a disability there are important factors for you to consider as you search for internships or employment, or apply to graduate school. You may have questions about your rights, disclosure, accommodations, and which laws apply to you. Here are some resources to guide you in your career search: 

General Resources

  • College Resources for Students with Disabilities includes tips and resources to help students transition from college to career and reviews of several technologies and advocacy groups available to students with various disabilities, including ADD, autism, and more. 

  • The Division of Vocational Rehabilitation’s mission is to assist individuals with disabilities to secure, maintain, advance in or regain employment. They provide counseling, employment, and assessment services for those who face substantial barriers in finding sustained employment. 

  • Do-It at UW Seattle promotes the inclusion and participation of individuals with disabilities in challenging academic programs and careers. 

  • Enable America is a nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing employment among the 56 million Americans with disabilities. 

  •  Job Accommodation Network (JAN). Trusted consultants offer one-on-one guidance on workplace accommodations, the ADA and related legislation, and self-employment and entrepreneurship options for people with disabilities. 

  • Lime Connect: is a global not-for-profit organization that's rebranding disability through achievement. They attract, prepare, and connect high potential university students and professionals, including veterans, who happen to have disabilities, with scholarships, internships, The Lime Connect Fellowship Program, and full time careers with their corporate partners. 

  • The National Clearinghouse on Disability and Exchange (NCDE) helps persons with disabilities interested in studying, teaching, conducting research, interning, or volunteering abroad to find exchange programs and any disability-related accommodation and accessibility information needed to make the international experience a success. 

  • Recruit Disability is an informational platform regarding Job Seekers with disabilities and the programs that support them. You can browse popular job categories, check different salaries, upload your resume and set up job alerts that fit your professional criteria. 

  • Think Beyond the Label was created to inform, connect and communicate with all stakeholders in the disability and employment communities. They provide interview and resume strategies as well as promote better employment outcomes for people with disabilities. 

  • ADA National Network 

Career Search Resources

  • Workforce Recruitment Program for College Students with Disabilities connects federal and private-sector employers nationwide with highly motivated college students and recent graduates with disabilities who are eager to demonstrate their abilities in the workplace through summer or permanent jobs. 

  •  Ability Jobs was the first and largest employment website for job seekers with disabilities. They are the only employment site where all postings are from employers specifically seeking to hire people with disabilities. You can search through thousands of jobs as well as post your resume anonymously for free. 

  • Chronically Capable helps jobseekers with chronic illnesses and disabilities find flexible jobs. They work with organizations to gather flexible and remote work opportunities from various industries. Their platform has full-time, part-time and contract roles from leading companies across the world. 

  • Gettinghired.com is a website that empowers job seekers with disabilities to find employment by removing barriers and connecting them to employment and career resources. 

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LGBTQIA+ Students

As an individual who is queer, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, non-binary, et al., you may have questions or concerns about how to approach various aspects of your job, internship or volunteer search. 

Frequent career-related questions 

  • Should I come "out" on the job/internship/volunteer site? 
  • Should I highlight experiences with LGBTQIA+ organizations on my application materials? 
  • Are there LGBTQIA+ friendly organizations/employers? 
  • What should I say or not say in an interview? 

Unfortunately, many of these questions do not have one-size-fits-all answers. It is up to the individual to assess their situation and comfort level regarding how open they are about their sexual orientation. 

UW Tacoma Career Development provides a safe place for students to share their career related concerns and questions while assisting you in your application processes.  Below are some resources that you may find useful. We encourage you to make an appointment as you start your job and internship search. 

  • Human Rights Campaign has resources on everything from coming out to addressing workplace discrimination, including a list of professional and student organizations. 
  • OUT For Work is a nonprofit dedicated to educating, preparing, and empowering LGBTQ college students and their allies for the workplace. Includes a career library of information and conferences for students and alumni. 
  • Out Professionals is a networking organization helping LGBTQ individuals connect to advance their careers. Resources include a directory of businesses, women's network, LGBT events and links, and volunteer opportunities. 
  • National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce is the business voice of the LGBT community. 

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International Students

We understand that international students navigate many transitions in coming to UW Tacoma. We are here to be a resource in helping international students understand and navigate available opportunities.  Topics we can help international students with include preparing for career fairs, finding internships, and finding on-campus work and jobs in the United States, home country, or abroad.  

International Student Services (ISS) has great information on the types of employment opportunities available to international students. 

 

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General Diversity-Related Resources