WorkFair '24: LGBTQ+ graduates - sharing their journeys

As part of the virtual WorkFair event, a compelling webinar titled 'LGBTQ+ Graduates: Sharing Their Journeys' was led by myGwork's Radam Ridwan and featured several LGBTQ+ graduates from various industries, who shared their personal experiences and insights about navigating the workplace. In partnership with Fisher Investments, the webinar explored some personal and inspiring stories.

Marta Geszczak, an Analytical Scientist in the Graduate Programme at Pfizer, discussed strategies for addressing uncomfortable questions. They suggested, “I think one way of overcoming challenges when someone asks a kind-of iffy question is to take a step back and try to take it at their level, where they don't mean it from a place of hatred, but they maybe just don't understand, or they've never encountered this before. By doing that you can actually bridge that gap with compassion.”

Mateus Dallavechia de Col, a Finance Analyst at JPMorgan Chase & Co, shared a journey of coming out in the workplace: “In the beginning, I made the choice to not be out in the workplace. But it was a constant extra energy that I had to put into making things up. And I was not truly able to connect with other people because I was not being 100% myself. So, when I started here, when I was filling out all the HR forms, one of the questions was about my sexual orientation and if I was out in the workplace, and so I answered truthfully. It was the best decision, starting fresh, not hiding anything.”

Alex DeRose, Senior Marketing Analyst at Marsh McLennan, reflected on the experience of coming out and the reactions: “When I started to come out to people or just casually slip into conversation things about myself, people couldn't care less - in the best way possible. I probably cared more than other people did, which was very relieving, but being in a new environment, I thought that it was important that I shared such a big part of my life.”

Christopher Ewen, Senior Product Manager at S&P Global, emphasized the importance of engaging in extracurricular activities and joining support groups: “Joining the extra stuff outside of your day job is really important. There's always opportunities to do extracurricular activities. But joining the LGBTQ+ employee resource group was a bit of a game changer. They hold events, and even just by turning up, you meet lots of people that have similar experiences to you. Making sure that you regularly go to the events is important because that's how you make connections.”

Frank Lynch, Portfolio Evaluation Group Manager at Fisher Investments, spoke about the integral connection between identity and professional success: “I've always felt like being a gay male was who I am, but not all that I am. I wanted to find an employer that allowed me a space where I could be my authentic self, but also succeed based off the work I was doing and my accomplishments. So, when I was choosing an employer, what I was really looking for was a company with a track record of supporting all of their employees, and who have the resources in place that I would appreciate as a member of the LGBTQ+ community.”

The webinar provided a platform for LGBTQ+ graduates to share their personal journeys and the lessons they learned along the way, affirming the significance of authenticity, support networks, and the positive impact of inclusive workplaces.