
25+ Ideas to Celebrate LGBTQIA+ History Month at Work
October is National LGBTQIA+ History Month—an opportunity to reflect on LGBTQIA+ rights and history and the achievements of those who have contributed to the progression of LGBTQIA+ movements around the world.
While LGBTQIA+ inclusion in the workplace should be a year-round effort, celebrating LGBTQIA+ History Month at work is a great way to engage employees and continue fostering an inclusive work environment for LGBTQIA+ staff and clients.
We sat down with some of our partner companies to learn how they support and empower their LGBTQIA+ employees to bring their full selves to work. Keep reading for some ideas to celebrate, educate, and inspire inclusivity in your workplace this LGBTQIA+ History Month.
Freddie Mac– CommUNITY at Freddie Mac
"Freddie Mac is committed to creating an inclusive environment for our diverse employees. Here are some of our efforts specific to our support for our LGBTQ+ community:
- Our Pride Business Resource Group (BRG) helps create a culture of non-discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
- We commissioned a first-of-its-kind study to research the LGBT housing experience.
- We hosted a history event highlighting the achievements of individuals in the LGBTQ+ community.
- Our Supplier Diversity Program has supported LGBTQ-owned businesses for more than 25 years.
- Our Pride BRG offers LGBTQ+ networking events, programs and keynote speakers throughout the year."
Learn more about Freddie Mac here.
CallRail– Showing Up As Your Full Self
"Our plan is to focus on 'Showing up to work as your full self". We have plans to host a training from Georgia Equality, do a round table discussion wiht LGBTQ employees here at CallRail, we will have some slack events and also a virtual financial literacy course. This will all be hosted by our Women's Circle & Rainbow Coalition ERG."
Learn more about CallRail here.
Sun Life– Networking for Members and Allies
"Sun Life Pride Network is celebrating LGBTQIA+ History Month with a multitude of events. The first features Catherine Meade, VP of Social & Community Responsibility at OLG in Toronto, Canada, on her experience of being out in her professional & sporting life. There will also be a casual networking event for members & allies to discuss what it means to come out in today's world.
Sun Life Pride creates a diverse, inclusive, and supportive workplace where members of the LGBTQIA+ community can reach their full potential, bring their true selves to work and feel proud to be Sun Life employees."
Learn more about Sun Life here.
MongoDB– Sharing Coming Out Stories
"To celebrate National Coming Out Day, MongoDB's affinity groups Queeries and The Queer Collective are organizing an external blog post and an internal panel of employees who will share coming out stories. MongoDB benefits support medical services for employees who identify as Transgender, Gender Nonconforming, or Transsexual, including hormone therapy, gender-affirming surgery, blepharoplasty, and many others. MongoDB offers 20 weeks of paid parental leave regardless of gender identity and fertility, surrogacy, and adoption benefits to all of our employees globally. In addition, MongoDB offers expanded gender options as well as pronouns in our recruiting, onboarding, and internal systems, includes gender identity as a protected category, and considers intentional misgendering and deadnaming as forms of harassment in our employee code of conduct.
Learn more about D&I at MongoDB: https://www.mongodb.com/careers/inclusion"
Learn more about MongoDB here.PagerDuty–Addressing Stereotypes and Misconceptions
"As an organization, creating a safe environment is paramount to fostering belonging. Celebrating the LBGTQ+ community must be authentic, strategic and inviting to those who are seeking to be an ally. Life Group circles, in addition to Pride Month, offer an inclusive, safe and learning opportunity for people to share their stories and address stereotypes and/or misconceptions, while celebrating the freedom to express themselves openly at work. You can't choose to be an ally; you are invited in. Life Groups allow us all to learn, celebrate and be proud of our differences."
—Roshan Kindred, Chief Diversity Officer
Learn more about PagerDuty here.
CoStar Group—Celebrating and Supporting Our Employees
"In celebration of LGBTQIA+ History Month, CoStar Group's Pride Network will host its inaugural general body meeting. Scheduled for October 11, National Coming Out Day, the meeting is essentially the "coming out" of our Pride Network. Later in the month, our employees will demonstrate our collective support for LGBTQIA+ youth by participating in Spirit Day, a day on which supporters raise awareness to the challenges faced by LGBTQIA+ youth.
These events celebrate the individuality of our employees, and their friends and families. They also underscore our commitment to a diverse workforce, equitable practices and an inclusive workplace culture."
Learn more about CoStar Group here.
Riot Games–Sharing Gay Rights History
"To celebrate LGBTQIA+ History Month, Rainbow Rioters, our LGBTQIA+ employee resource group is engaging Rioters all month long to share the history of gay rights and related civil rights movements. Coinciding with LGBTQIA+ history month is National Coming Out Day where Rioters have traditionally shared stories of their own coming out with players and the public. Our goal is to let the world know that they aren't alone in their gender identity or sexual orientation. Check out our video to hear stories of Rioters coming out, sharing their own journeys of self-discovery, and advice they have for anyone who may find themselves in a similar situation."
Learn more about Riot Games here.
Automattic–Supporting Queer Employees
"Automattic's Queeromattic ARG is a community space, resource hub, and advocacy group for LGBTQIA+ employees and allies. We're all about helping and supporting our kindred queer folks working here, providing likeminded spaces, sharing resources, and finding ways to lift queer voices however we can. Recent support activities include public-facing queer support and content from Queermatticians, posts for Pride month, and a salute for Transgender Day of Remembrance."
Learn more about Automattic here.
Waters Corporation–Providing Best-In-Class Benefits
"At Waters Corporation, we believe diversity is a statement, but inclusion is an act. That's why we celebrate the more than 120 members of our employee-led Pride Circle and embrace new additions when the time is right in their individual journeys. Waters provides gender transition guidelines, holds information sessions for allies, encourages the sharing of pronouns, ensures the availability of best-in-class benefits for LGBTQIA+employees, and upholds a Supplier Diversity Policy. We eagerly partner with qualified businesses owned by underrepresented groups, and we know that harnessing the totality of our employees' perspectives, beliefs, and backgrounds drives our performance."
Learn more about Waters Corporation here.
Smartsheet–Hosting Employee-Led Panel Discussions
"At Smartsheet, we're committed to providing an open and supportive work environment consistent with our company values. The Rainbow Collab, our LGBTQIA+ ERG, regularly hosts employee-led panel discussions and events. Our HRIS system includes 13 gender-identity options (including the option not to identify), as well as 11 pronoun options (including the option "Ask me about my pronouns"). Our standard company email signature was also updated earlier this year to automatically include employees' pronouns based on their selection in our HRIS system."
Learn more about Smartsheet here.
Relativity–Using Inclusive Language
"It's our goal from day one that LGBTQ+ employees in every department and on every team feel comfortable being their authentic selves. Some examples are that everyone is encouraged to display, use, and respectfully inform of personal pronouns. Inclusive language matters. It's on Relativians to hold each other accountable. This year we had a companywide panel discussing LGBTQ+ Representation in Media and Why It Matters. We have Slack channels and community forums dedicated to discussing LGBTQ+ topics and issues. Personally, I make it my mission to do my best to make sure everyone feels supported and proud to be both a Relativian and, most importantly, themselves."
—Ken Diedrich – Senior Software Project Manager & Co-Chair of RelPride (Relativity's LGBTQ+ community resource group)
Learn more about Relativity here.
Collins Aerospace–Raising the Progress Pride Flag
"Through many Pride ERG events, sponsorship of Out and Equal Workplace Summit, raising the Progress Pride flag at 35 sites, and visible C-suite support, Collins Aerospace continuously evolves to create an atmosphere where all employees can bring their best whole self to work. Our Gender Transition Guidelines and Gender Transition toolkit ensure that when an employee shares their intention to transition, they have the support they need from human resources and leadership. Sexual orientation, gender expression, and gender identity are all part of our anti-discrimination policy.
Our parent company, Raytheon Technologies, is proud to score 100% on HRC's Best Places to Work for LGBTQ Equality."
Learn more about Collins Aerospace here.
Helix–Holding Intimate Conversations
"At Helix, we encourage every employee to bring their full selves to work. We do this in many ways, including fostering open discussions about intersectionality and respecting each other's choices and beliefs. Recently, we hosted a month-long event, 'Intersectionality in Identities: How who we are affects how we work,' where we invited employees to attend a Journal Club, a Happy Hour and an open discussion on the topic of intersectionality. We had intimate conversations, lots of laughs and built camaraderie through both our shared adversity as well as celebrating our differences.
In a traditional workplace, there is often an expectation of being "professional" which, to someone who identifies as queer, is perceived as "gender conforming". But Helix is anything but ordinary. At Helix, our authentic self is not only encouraged, but celebrated."
- Brian Nguyen, Compliance Project Manager at Helix
Learn more about Helix here.
Moody’s–Showing Solidarity
"Moody's is committed to advancing the cause of LGBTQ+ inclusion. The recent name change for our LGBTA ERG to "Moody's Pride BRG", reflects Moody's ambition to enhance inclusivity and show solidarity with the Trans and Non-Binary community, as well as all minority groups. The mission of the BRG remains unchanged and will continue to be focused on advocating a work environment that respects, welcomes and supports lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and non-binary individuals, and enables them to perform to their fullest potential as well as continuing to promote the concept of being an ally."
Learn more about Moody's here.
JW Player–Encouraging Proper Pronoun Use
"At JW Player, we believe that diversity fosters a better workplace. In fact, it's embedded in our company culture as one of our six core values. We strive to cultivate an inclusive environment where everyone feels safe and comfortable to come to work as their most authentic selves. Since 2020, we've had an active committee dedicated to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion which organizes events, shares news and information, and works with our executive team to institute change when needed. JW Player's DEI committee has been responsible for encouraging pronoun use and communicating stories on LGBTQIA+ issues year-round. We are committed to continually educating ourselves, valuing each other's perspectives, and acting in ways that have positive impacts on the company and our wider community."
Learn more about JW Player here.
Cummins–Hosting a Lunch and Learn
"Cummins supports LGBTQ+ community:
- The first Pride Affinity group was launched in Cummins in 2005
- There are now 15 Pride Employee Resource Groups in existence globally set up to foster a safe, equal and inclusive environment to support and empower LGBTQ+ individuals
- Pride ERGs provides quarterly learning series, lunch and learn events, safe leader training and has a Pride Ally program.
- The group aims to provide a supportive, safe and caring environment for all
- Cummins received two recent honours for its support of LGBTQ+ employees and for diversity in general"
Learn more about Cummins here.
Expedia Group–Creating Community-Driven Action
"We at Expedia Group recognize that both inclusion and equity are needed to ensure employees feel safe and encouraged to bring full selves to work. In addition to our LGBTQIA+ Employee Resource Group creating community driven action, we have launched initiatives driving systemic change and equity including a Transgender and Gender-nonconfirming Inclusion Advisory Council. Members of this council advise on multiple company programs, one of which is global benefits. We have also integrated pronoun, gender identity, and preferred name options into our HR platform and company-wide applications to foster global engagement about gender diversity."
Learn more about Expedia Group here.
ServiceNow–Promoting Action About Culture Change
"At ServiceNow, we champion an inclusive workplace for all LGBTQ+ employees to be their authentic selves. With our Pride Month campaign this year, ServiceNow created dialogues to promote allyship and activate employees around key issues facing LGBTQ+ employees and the work that needs to be done. Through our Pride at Now Belonging Group, LGBTQ+ employees and allies have a safe space to be themselves at ServiceNow. Together, this group focuses on making an impact and promoting action around culture change and inclusive global practices and policies.
Learn more about our commitment to diversity and inclusion here."
Learn more about ServiceNow here.
Facebook–Advocating for an Equitable Space
"Facebook believes in the power of community and driving action to help make Facebook and the LGBTQ+ community stronger. Facebook honors and supports the LGBTQ+ community by continuing the progress of advocating for an equitable, safe, and supportive space for our LGBTQ+ team members.
In support of National Coming Out Day, Facebook's employee resource group Pride@ hosted it's 4th annual Pride@ Development Summit, a virtual event for internal employees who identify as LGBTQ+ rooted in the theme of "All of You. All of Us". Pride@ members united to learn and commit to taking bigger & greater actions to change the world for All of You and All of Us. You can learn more about Life at Facebook by clicking here."
Learn more about Facebook here.
Mural–Helping Our Community Feel Valued
"We encourage employees to bring their full selves to work by ensuring that community and belonging don't stop at the PRIDE ERG. The work continues in meetings during which we use murals to put each voice on equal footing, during pay and promotion conversations when we ensure LGBTQIA2+ people have representation, and when we train our managers to ensure each of our employees can thrive across our business. We also have mindful allies across the organization who also help members of the Community feel valued."
—Alecia Page, Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging Program Manager
Learn more about Mural here.
Capco–Fundraising for LGBTQIA+ Organizations
"Capco supports LGBTQIA+ employees and encourages them to bring their full selves to work through programming sponsored by Pride@Capco, our global affinity group for LGBTQIA+ employees and allies. Pride@Capco creates networking opportunities, hosts educational and social events, fundraises for LGBTQIA+ organizations, and coordinates a mentorship program. We also work with industry groups such as Out4Undergrad and myGwork to ensure we are engaging and recruiting from diverse communities. Through these initiatives we aim to elevate our community's careers and experiences, foster learning about different perspectives, and create a safe and brave space for everyone at Capco to be themselves at work."
Learn more about Capco here.
BlackRock–Offering Mentorship and Professional Development
"At BlackRock, we are committed to supporting our LGBTQIA+ employees to ensure that we create equitable access to opportunities, career advancement, and a culture in which everyone feels they belong. Our Employee Network, the Out & Allies Network (OUT) was founded 10+ years ago and connects the experience of the LGBTQIA+ community to our BlackRock principles by promoting a culture where employees feel comfortable sharing their stories and bringing their genuine selves to work. The network provides an opportunity for mentorship, sponsorship, professional development, and a channel for allies to learn how to help take action and demonstrate their support."
Learn more about BlackRock here.
Bumble–Hosting Internal Discussions
"At Bumble, our priority is building a company that represents the communities we serve—and ensuring each employee can bring their whole self to work. We do this through a number of initiatives, including but not limited to:
- An internal 'Buzzword' discussion series, where we host subject matter experts and industry leaders to engage in cross-cultural discussions, share varied perspectives, and foster education with our global team.
- 'Diversibees,' our intersectional employee resource group designed to share, support, and celebrate diverse conversations and build community.
- Special programming around LGBTQIA+ History Month, Pride Month, and more. When Pride events halted in 2020, we found a way to support the community through our Pride Donation Campaign. We also love to support local initiatives that our team members are passionate about, such as last month's Unite The Fight Gala in Austin, Texas."
Learn more about Bumble here.
GameChanger–Providing Unconscious Bias Training
"PRIDE month is in June but GameChanger takes pride in standing as an ally to the LGBTQIA+ community every month. Examples of how we show our allyship are:
- Supporting teammates in sharing their gender identities in both the onboarding process, in our intranet, and Slack
- Extend our various benefit opportunities to domestic partners in addition to spouses
- Offer paid parental leave to birthing and non-birthing parents as well as adoption benefits
- Utilizing software that both prevents and promotes awareness of gendered language in various company communications
- Providing unconscious bias training and other diversity and inclusion curriculum to all teammates year round"
Learn more about GameChanger here.
Uber–Sharing Diverse Experiences
"Uber has a tradition of celebrating National Coming Out Day by asking members of Pride at Uber, our LGBTQ+ network, to share their coming out stories. Telling stories is old as (queer) humanity itself, and sharing in the diverse experiences of coming out allows all employees to better understand the LGBTQ+ experience. Sometimes the stories are short, sometimes they're cinematic epics! Often they end well, and other times they're not as easy to hear. What unites these stories is what unites everyone at Uber. The belief that we're all better when we're able to be and share our authentic selves."
Learn more about Uber here.Turo–Fostering Inclusion Through Education, Discussion, and Action
"At Turo, we don't just celebrate LGBTQIA+ History Month; we advocate year-long. We have multiple Slack channels dedicated to creating a safe space to discuss LGBTQIA+ topics and diversity globally and within the Turo ecosystem. As part of our Diversity Inclusion and Belonging framework, we hold town halls and feedback sessions to evaluate what's going well and brainstorm ways to improve inclusivity on everything from recruiting and hiring to learning and growth. In addition to educational resources like Trans Allyship, we Turists actively foster inclusivity, from promoting gender-neutral alternatives to "Hey, guys!" to inviting personal pronouns during the hiring and onboarding processes."
Learn more about Turo here.
Nestlé USA–Providing Inclusive Healthcare Benefits
"Nestlé, along with the Nestlé Pride Alliance, are working to create a space where everyone can bring their most authentic self to work, on National Coming Out Day and every day. Nestlé has long been committed to policies that support LGBTQ+ employees — from equal marriage and parental benefits for same sex couples, to healthcare coverage for gender affirmative surgery. This Pride Month we announced the launch of Included Health, an addition to our existing healthcare benefits that elevates care for LGBTQ+ employees across the country, and advocated for the Equality Act through SFPA."
Learn more about Nestlé USA here.
Navigating Mid-Career Pivots and Finding a Company Where You Can Show Up Authentically
Insight from SoftwareONE’s Jeff Cannon and Chris Lecosia
SoftwareONE’s Jeff Cannon Business Development Executive US) and Christopher Lecosia (Senior Consultant) share a similar adventurous and brave spirit, which has led to a long trajectory of creative experiences for both of them. From taking care of two new puppies to backpacking across Europe — neither of them back down from a challenge.
As members of the LGBTQIA+ community, Jeff and Chris spent a large portion of their careers fighting for inclusive workplaces where they feel a sense of belonging, and opportunities to use their experiences to serve people, no matter what career stage they’re in. And they’ve both recently found that in the global provider of end-to-end software and cloud technology solutions SoftwareONE.
We sat down with Jeff and Chris to hear their stories on how they navigated mid and late career changes and their journey to finding a company where they felt valued. Keep reading to the end for four major tips on how to successfully pivot careers.
The Journey to SoftwareONE
Jeff Cannon was born in Tacoma, Washington, but considers both Texas and Georgeia his home. After graduating from college with a bachelor's degree in English and History, “I wanted to go to graduate school for history,” he explains. But upon arrival, he realized graduate school was not the right path for him, so he packed his backpack and set out for a trip through Europe instead.
This adventurous spirit led him back home to pursue exciting challenges, such as opening a hotel in Austin, working as a flight attendant in New York and Hawaii, and eventually pursuing a sales career at Dell. “I was an account executive for large university systems and large K-12 systems providing information technology to students to be able to further their education. It really fit in with my mantra around how important education is in society,” Jeff explains.”It's kind of my thing.” But after nearly 20 years at the company, he decided to look for new opportunities. “I was tired of doing the same thing all the time.” Enter SoftwareONE.
“This was an opportunity to do something completely different and take the information that I learned and use it to help build a practice that can accomplish some of the same things,” Jeff explains. He joined the company as a Business Development Executive Executive where he works to build the company’s education practice within the public sector in the United States.
SoftwareONE is a company where Jeff can thrive professionally and personally. He specifically cites the company to be people-first, which his coworker Christopher Lecosia agrees with. “SoftwareONE is a place where you can thrive as an employee, and where your creativity can flourish,” says Chris.
SoftwareONE is a leading global provider of end-to-end software and cloud technology solutions, with headquarters in Switzerland. The company itself prioritizes people as their “greatest asset” and advocates for life-work harmony. Their company’s core values are Employee Satisfaction, Customer Focused, Speed, Passionate, Integrity, Humble and Discipline, to name a few, and they ensure that they have “a welcoming – and constantly evolving – work environment for all”, no matter the racial, ethnic, religious, sexual or other preferences.
Christopher works as Senior Consultant for SoftwareONE. He entered the field of IT in 1974. “Back then it was called data processing,” he jokes. “But I kind of fell into IT consulting.” He enrolled in college as an accounting major, but quickly realized that was not the path for him. “I drove into the parking lot of this college for the first day and I got very scared,” explains Chris. “I turned around and went home and I found a job.” And he was able to pursue jobs that allowed him room to change and grow with the market. He began as a systems programer and, progressively, he scaled to managerial data processing roles at multiple software companies, including IBM. He played a key role in leading and growing software asset management programs, directing support for configuration and asset management, and serving as a senior project manager for multiple teams in his previous companies.
His successful 40+ year-long career led to the start of a well-deserved retirement. “I turned 65 last October, and I thought, ‘okay, I think I’ve had enough,’ and I decided to retire in full.” But his retirement was short-lived. “A few months before I retired, [my company] had put out an RFP to the street, which SoftwareONE responded to, and I'll never forget,” says Chris. “I was hearing them respond to me and I thought, ‘Wow, these people know what they're talking about. They're really sharp and I really believed in the value that they could bring.’” So when he was offered a position as a Senior Consultant, he didn’t think twice about coming out of retirement. “In November, a recruiter from SoftwareONE called, and I started in January of 2022.”
All-Around Authenticity
Changing jobs after working for a company long-term can be risky, especially later in your career. But both Jeff and Chris agree that the benefits of working at a company like SoftwareONE are well worth the risk. And for the first time, they’ve felt like they can show up as their full, authentic selves at work.
Jeff recalls past workplaces that, when push came to shove, “had an undercurrent of non-acceptance.” This undercurrent brought many challenges, but he credits them for his confidence today. “I have no issues whatsoever showing up originally as myself. And at SoftwareONE, everybody's been really lovely.” Even remotely, he finds ways to connect with his coworkers, and he feels like he can do so authentically.
Chris reiterates this in his own trajectory at SoftwareONE. “When I started, my Regional VP asked me for a bio. In my bio, I talked about my husband and my two dogs and how long we've been together. That got sent out to everybody in the organization. So when I onboarded, everybody already knew,” he explains. “It was the first time in 65 years that, right from the get go, there was no pretense at all as to being something different than I am. And that's how I came out at SoftwareONE. It was good to do that. I feel truly authentic.”
Advice for Mid-Career Pivoters
Both Jeff and Chris have successfully pivoted roles and companies later in their careers. They offer four tips to consider before making the jump to a new role or joining a new company.
1. Find a place that values service to the client. “Have the mindset of service,” says Chris. “ I'm a service oriented person and part of being of service is to share my experience, strengths, and hope with other people. Whether that's on a, social, spiritual, mental level, or on a professional technical level, this helps bring growth to you, and to the company you’ll work for.” Jeff shares that, “with this mindset, we see the challenges that customers face, so we're able to better articulate to customers what our value proposition is. We can help clients achieve their goals, and everything comes a lot more easily and naturally.”
2. Believe in what you have to offer. Chris and Jeff share that aligning with the company’s mission is another key aspect to consider before changing companies. “I never thought that anybody would want to hire me at 65 years old,” Chris shares. “I had been in my former job where I saw many opportunities that I thought I was perfect for, in terms of advancement, but I wasn't given those opportunities because of my age. I started to feel dried up a little bit. When I got the offer at SoftwareONE, I felt I really wanted to come back, be of service, keep my brain sharp, and do something. I do believe I have something to offer to many clients, as well as colleagues. And that's what made me make the move.”
3. Think of the experiences you bring to the table. Jeff shares how he transferred his knowledge to his new role. “I was able to take everything that I had learned about building an organization and bring it over to a company that needed that expertise specific to the United States. Being able to have the opportunity to do some of that background work and build on alliances has been, and continues to be, a great opportunity.”
4. Find a workplace that prioritizes diversity. “Each one of us brings a certain set of characteristics with us that sit well with our clients,” explains Chris. “The diversity we bring to the company — whether it be age, gender, color, educational background, intellectual capacity — all of that color makes us more relatable to our clients and our customers.” This leads to the company’s overall success.
SoftwareONE is constantly looking for dynamic employees like Chris and Jeff. Check out their company page to find out more about their roles!
Careers in Web Development: Which One's For You?
We all have our favorite websites– the ones we frequent, bookmark, and recommend to others. You might even enjoy some website features so much that you’ve found yourself wondering why they aren’t more popular. Or maybe you’ve experienced times where you were frustrated with a website and wished you could add features or even design your own!
If you’ve ever found yourself intrigued at the prospect of designing and developing your own websites, then a career as a web developer might be just for you!
As a web developer you would be responsible for coding, designing, optimizing, and maintaining websites. Today, there are over 1.7 billion websites in the world and, in turn, the demand for web developers is on the rise. In order to figure out what kind of web development work best suits you let’s start with an introduction to the three main roles in web development that you can choose from.
The Three Types of Web Development Jobs
Front-End Web Development: The Creative Side
Think of front-end development as the décor of a house. The color scheme, furniture, manicured lawns, and overall aesthetic. In terms of a website, front-end development is laser-focused on the appearance of a website and its presentation on different devices. If you’re considering a role in front-end development, it’s important to learn programming languages such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. These three languages go hand-in-hand. HTML allows you to create user interface elements, CSS helps you with stylistic elements, and JavaScript allows you to incorporate online tools and connect your website to back-end functions.
In addition to programming skills, front-end developers need to be detail oriented, creative, willing to keep up with the latest trends in web development, cyber security conscious, and geared toward user-friendly designs. The median salary for a front-end developer can reach well into the $90,000 to $100,000 range.
Back-End Web Development: The Logical Counterpart
While a house can be beautifully decorated, it’s incomplete without a solid foundation and efficient infrastructure. Similarly, a well-designed website depends on logical and functional code to power the features of that website. Back-end web development is code-heavy and focused on the specifics of how a website works. If you enjoy the analytical challenge of creating the behind-the-scenes code that powers a website, then back-end development is for you.
Since this role is more code-heavy, it’s important that you learn numerous programming languages and understand algorithms and data structures. Some languages that are essential to back-end development are Ruby, Python, SQL, and JavaScript. Back-end developers also ensure that users can successfully retrieve and access data. This requires creating and using APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) which act as messengers that relay data related requests. Additionally, developing the code for the inner workings of a website also requires back-end developers to be conscious of the user interface features designed by front-end developers and to internally mitigate potential security risks. Due to the increased technical aspect of this position, back-end developers normally earn higher salaries than front-end developers. The average median salary for this role is around $118,000 per year.
Full-Stack Web Development: A Little Bit of Everything
A full-stack developer is essentially the Jack (or Jill)-of-all-trades in web development. Full-stack developers need to be knowledgeable about both front-end and back-end roles. This does not necessarily imply that you would need to be an expert in both roles, but you should fully understand the different applications and synergies they each imply. In order to work in this position, you will need to know the programming languages used by front-end and back-end developers. In addition to these languages, full-stack developers also specialize in databases, storage, HTTP, REST, and web architecture.
Full-stack developers are often required to act as liaisons between front-end and back-end developers. Full-stack developers need to be both problem solvers and great communicators. The end goal for a full-stack developer is to ensure that the user’s experience is seamless, both on the front-end and on the back-end. In return, you can expect to earn a median salary of $100,000 – $115,000 a year for this role.
Taking the Next Step
Web development is both in-demand and lucrative! All three roles described above contribute to specific aspects of web development and the scope of each one can be customized to the industries and positions you feel best suit you. Regardless of which role you choose, all of them need a foundation in programming.
To gain the programming skills needed in each role, you can enroll in courses or learn independently. Coding bootcamps are a great way to boost your skillset quickly and efficiently.
Click here for some of our highly rated programming bootcamp options! Make sure to check out the discounts available to PowerToFly members.
How to Professionally Decline a Job Offer (with Email Templates)
So you’ve spent some time job searching, found the perfect role, aced the interview, and finally got your dream job.
Congratulations!
But what happens if accepting a job offer means having to decline another one?
We’re living in a candidate’s market, and that means it’s becoming more and more common for job seekers to receive multiple offers. The good news is that this gives the candidate the opportunity to choose their perfect position. The bad news is that the candidate will probably have to turn down an offer or two when choosing the best role.
But how do you turn down an offer, without severing ties and keeping things cordial and polite?
Keep reading for our top tips on how to professionally decline a job offer — and keep your network strong for future career opportunities!
How to Professionally Decline a Job Offer
When turning down a job offer, it’s important to maintain a healthy relationship with the hiring manager and company you interviewed with. After all, you never know where your career may lead you next, and just because you decline one position with a company doesn’t mean they won’t have a place for you in the future!
Not prioritizing relationships in your job search can be detrimental, so here are some important points to keep in mind when you decline an offer.
1. Make your decision carefully.
This may seem obvious, but, before you give your final decision, make sure that it’s the move you truly want to make.
Ask yourself: Why do you want to decline it? Why isn’t it a good fit? Weigh out the pros and cons and examine how they could affect your career in the long run. Even though they’re important, don’t just focus on immediate benefits, like salary and flexibility. Consider how this career move could affect your mental health, whether or not it will help you advance professionally in the long run, and if you would be a good fit with the company.
This is a big decision, so make sure that when you do say no, you mean it.
2. Don’t wait to give your answer.
If you’re sure the position just isn’t right for you, it’s wise to contact the recruiter or hiring manager as soon as possible. This is the most considerate and professional approach you could take when turning down a position, because the sooner they know, the sooner they can find someone else to fill the position.
Waiting too long to give your answer could push the hiring process back to the beginning. A hiring manager will appreciate an efficient answer so they can move on to the next candidate and keep the process moving forward without too much delay.
The best way to do this is to try and give them a specific day that you will contact them with your answer, or keep them apprised during your decision-making process. As soon as you’ve made your decision, it’s important to let them know. As difficult as saying no can be, the sooner you do it, the better for everyone.
3. Call before you send an email.
Most of us would probably prefer to give our answer in an email, and that’s understandable! But calling to verbally decline the offer first shows an extra bit of care. This will demonstrate that you care about the time and energy invested in you during the hiring process and are grateful that you were chosen for the position.
It’s also a great way to maintain a good relationship with the employer, because it demonstrates your professionalism and maturity, and will give you an opportunity to be specific about why you are declining. If you are unsure of what to say, write your response down before you call.
You can follow up with an email that reiterates what you said on the phone so that the recruiter or hiring manager has written proof of your response.
4. Be appreciative and humble.
The hiring process isn’t simple. It requires a lot of time and energy from multiple stakeholders, so it’s important to show your gratitude before you decline the job offer. Thank everyone who was involved and acknowledge the investment they made in interviewing you. Let them know you are honored to have been chosen and that, while you carefully considered the offer, the position just isn’t right for you.
5. Explain why you’re declining.
While getting into specifics isn’t always necessary, and you should only share as much information as you feel comfortable, letting the hiring manager or recruiter know why the position isn’t right for you can help keep the communication portal open.
Maybe you received another offer that better aligned with what you were looking for in terms of pay, or perhaps you need more flexibility than the one you are declining can offer you. This feedback can be helpful to share, and sometimes the company might even respond with a counter offer to better suit your needs!
Perhaps the reason you are turning the offer down is due to more personal reasons that you don’t feel comfortable sharing. That’s okay too! Either way, it can be helpful to be transparent about why you are declining.
6. Utilize the opportunity to network for future career moves.
So the position isn’t right for you — that’s okay. But maybe your values aligned with the organization’s, or perhaps you felt that you connected during the hiring process and you’d like to keep the door open to other positions in the future. Just because the role now isn’t right for you now doesn’t mean that the organization won’t have a place for you down the road.
Networking is key for career growth. If you really like the company, don’t be afraid to let them know that you would be interested in other positions in the future. Giving them the means to contact you, like your email and your LinkedIn, will give them the ability to reach out if any other positions open up.
If you find that the company itself just doesn’t fit you, keep in mind that networking and maintaining a good relationship is still important. You don’t have to plan to work there in the future, but you never know who is connected to who, and how that good relationship may pay off in time!
Email Templates for Declining a Job Offer
Turning down a job offer is a delicate task, but it is becoming increasingly necessary in this competitive candidate’s market. If you’re unsure of where to begin or how to write your email, we have included some examples with links to help you get started.
Example for when the position isn’t a good fit
Subject line: Job offer – [Your name]
Hi [insert last name of hiring manager],
Thank you very much for offering me the role of [insert name of position]. However, I have decided that this is not the right fit for my career goals at this time.
I sincerely enjoyed our dialog as well as discussions with your team, and I very much appreciate your taking time to share information about the role and vision of [insert company name].
Again, thank you for your time and consideration; best wishes in your continued success.
Sincerely,
Example for when you’ve accepted another offer
Subject line: Job offer – [Your name]
Hi [insert last name of hiring manager],
Thank you very much for offering me the role of [insert name of position] with [insert company name]. Though it was a difficult decision, I have accepted a position with another company.
I sincerely enjoyed our conversations and very much appreciate your taking time to interview me over the course of the past few weeks.
Again, thank you for your time and consideration; best wishes in your continued success, and I hope our paths cross again in the future.
Best wishes,
Example for when you’ve already accepted the offer
Hi [Interviewer],
Thanks so much for offering me the position of [Job Title] at [Company]. It was a pleasure meeting you.
Unfortunately, after a great deal of thought, I have decided to turn down this gracious job opportunity. I am truly sorry for any inconvenience this decision may cause and hope it will not affect any future relationships with your company.
I wish you continued success and hope to hear from you in the future.
Kind Regards,
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Nail Your Slack Job Interview With These Tips
💎 Want to succeed in a Slack job interview? Watch the video to the end to find tips on how to nail the process!
📼 To work at Slack, a solid job interview is the first step along the way. In this video, Jo Saari, Senior Sales Recruiter at Slack, walks through the company’s application and interview process for you to feel comfortable and excited to begin your journey with them.
📼Slack recruiters will ask questions at the job interview and you need to be prepared to answer them correctly. In the face of any question, use the STAR method to articulate your response. STAR stands for situation, task, action, and result. You can set the scene and describe the situation, then share the goal that you were working toward. When you describe the actions that you took, remember to stress your particular contribution. Lastly, make sure to share specific results. And don’t shy away from taking credit where credit is due!
📼Understanding Slack’s job interview process makes preparing even easier. First, you will have a one-on-one video interview with your potential new manager. This is a great opportunity for you to learn about their management style. Following that, you will go through Slack's chronological interview. This interview takes a structured approach. You'll go through each role that is presented on your resume and you'll talk that through with a panel of interviewers. Finally, you'll round out your interview experience with a final presentation. This is your opportunity to show your skills. You'll be given a prompt, and some time to craft what you are proud to present to your interviewers.
Slack Job Interview - Your Opportunity To Thrive
Slack is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion. They are dedicated to hiring diverse talents and ensuring that everyone is treated with respect and support through the interview process and once they join Slack. The company embraces diversity and strives to create conditions where everyone is provided with an equal opportunity to thrive.
🧑💼 Are you interested in joining Slack? They have open positions! To learn more, click here.
Get to Know Jo Saari
Jo Saari is eager to connect talent with opportunity. If you are interested in a career at Slack, you can connect with her on LinkedIn. Don’t forget to mention this video!
More About Slack
Every day, Slack refines, iterates, and explores how to make work better for everyone. Join them in creating a better future of work that’s more connected, inclusive, and flexible. They’re building a platform and products they believe in, knowing that there is real value to be gained from helping people simplify whatever it is that they do and bring more of themselves to their work, wherever they are.