Pathways to success: Career resources for Indigenous job hunters

There’s no shortage of news stories detailing the disadvantages Indigenous People face when it comes to careers and prosperity. It’s not just a matter of access to education—although that plays a key role with just 16% of Native Americans compared to 40% of Whites holding a college degree—it’s also about cultural difference. Indigenous designer Raven Dial-Stanley explains that she faced stereotyping in corporate America, which led to a lack of self-belief. “Oftentimes misconceptions of my culture lead to inadequate generalization where it is as if my employers still see me like I’m an ancient relic just as our history books depict us. Working in corporate America I always struggled with lack of misrepresentation, not being able to find other role models of my same cultural background. This led to feelings of imposter syndrome as if I was not meant to be in and hold the same space as my colleagues.”

According to a Tribal College report, many Indigenous graduates are seeking ways to give back to their community and use their knowledge within a local context, many do not want to travel further afield for work opportunities, or the pathway to those professional careers outside of their own community is unclear or hard to marry with their spiritual beliefs and lifestyle. However, sometimes a career outside of your community can enable you to give back differently, like Ashley Lomboy, Global Information Security Manager and founder of Waccamaw Siouan STEM Studio, who has improved access to STEM education and visibility for her tribe. So, other opportunities may be worth considering. In honor of Indigenous Peoples’ Day on October 14th, we’re sharing career resources for Indigenous people looking for jobs that may help you increase your chances of landing a role you can be content in.

1. Use your network

Creating a network and building a professional community is a good way of understanding how companies work, meeting people within those companies, and getting an extra boost when it comes to recruitment. Whether that’s a heads up about an upcoming role, a better idea of the company culture so you know how to respond to interview questions in a way that meets their needs, or simply a better understanding of what a role entails and how you can relate that to your current experience. American Indian Policy and Health Disparities researcher Nicholet Deschine Parkhurst has written an article where she puts the idea of networking perfectly into the Native American context: “The concept ‘network’ is another way of describing an act that we as Indigenous people already do: showing relationality with others. The act of relationship building has been useful to our ancestors in developing trade routes, taking care of those in a community, and the gifting and trading of resources. In this sense, Natives have always networked by building mutual relationships with those we’re connected to.”

Networking is about engaging in conversation, making a connection, building a relationship, and then seeing where that takes you—you may gain some insights, a mentor, or even a recommendation.

Lomboy would also describe her network as a useful career resource. “I think that walking in two worlds just means that we have expanded worlds so I consider a resource as being my travel community and what I’ve learned from my community to grow myself, it really keeps me grounded.” She credits her professional success and the success of her organization to links with different groups both within and outside of her community. “Resources within the state have been amazing, drawing from connections across to different tribes has been a key component to being successful … Outside of North Carolina, it’s really been about resources with other tribes and in the professional world it’s resources with groups that are doing like-minded things.” Her advice? To show up and be authentically yourself. “As Native people, we tend to blend into the fabric of the United States and I think that just being all of yourself there, whatever space you’re in, is important.”

Dial-Stanley agrees that building your community is an asset, “In my experience at one of my previous jobs I met a group of four women and we were all around the same age with different cultural backgrounds and in a way created our own support group. We would meet after hours for dinner and get together on the weekend and create a space where we could vent and decompress with one another while also learning from each other.”

2. Contact professional organizations

From resume-building to internships, networking opportunities, funding for education, and job boards specifically aimed at Native Americans, there are a plethora of online and local resources if you know where to find them:

• For STEM careers you could try Advancing Indigenous People in STEM (AISES) a nonprofit whose goal is to increase representation within science and tech education and careers. They offer a variety of career development programs, mentorships, networking and community-building opportunities, internships, and recognition awards at over 200 chapters across the country.
• Waccamaw Siouan STEM Studio, Lomboy’s nonprofit, offers career talks by current native professionals, apprenticeship opportunities, and mentoring. Their key focus is on STEM education within the community and they run educational camps with an increasing number of participants.
• Native People’s Recruit provides details of companies looking to make Native hires, plus a job board and list of scholarship opportunities.

• The National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) has a job board with listings from companies meeting one of the following criteria:

  • The position requires a significant amount of interaction with tribal communities.
  • The position requires specific skills (e.g. fluency in a native language, knowledge of federal Indian law).
  • The business or organization is a member of NCAI in good standing.
• Native Employment Works (NEW) offers various job training and skills-based programs that are designed to support job readiness, job placement, and job retention for designated Native American service populations and service areas.
• Another local organization offering career assistance is the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, along with providing employment within the organization and relocation packages for those moving for work, it also offers financial assistance for career training and various career guidance, workforce skills development, and academic skills enhancement services.
• Native American Jobs offers job postings and also tips on things like resume writing and links to career coaches.
• In the health sector, you might approach the Indian Health Service for an internship or clinical experience leading to a potential role.
• The Bureau of Indian Education is allowed to use an Indian Preference policy when hiring, vacancies are posted on their website.
• If you want to ensure you are given a fair chance, then you could try looking at Diversity Employers for job postings from employers who are committed to diversity.
• The Tribal College Journal also has a job board and links to programs and career tips.
• Triangle Native American Society works with Native Americans in the Triangle and surrounding area offering a variety of educational programs and scholarships. They funded Dial-Stanley to attend an all-Indigenous conference aimed towards career excellence in people which gave her the opportunity to see people with her background excelling in their careers.

3. Target inclusive companies

In addition to targeting job offers on the websites listed above, expand your search further afield; not every inclusive employer will be listed on a single website. You can find information about other companies by looking for things like their anti-discrimination policies and equity statements or even just checking out staff members on LinkedIn to get an idea of the diversity (or lack of it) within a company. Look for evidence that diversity is celebrated, does the leadership team represent that diversity? If not, are there programs in place to improve diversity? Is the company open to feedback with systems in place to allow this to happen? Of course, if you can’t find the information online there’s nothing to prevent you from applying to any role you feel suits your education and skills and then asking about diversity and inclusion if you land an interview.

One example showing an inclusive attitude is the Bank of America’s Native American Professional Network which offers the opportunity for employees to connect with other Native Americans to network and advocate as part of a whole. Strategic Marketing executive Victoria Wright states on the website that finding connectivity with other Native Americans or allies has been very important to her career.

Lomboy says that supportive employers have enabled her to give back with the founding of the Waccamaw Siouan STEM Studio, “Finding employers that help support you as you do this work is even more important and how do you pick those organizations, those companies that help uplift and support you in living your most authentic self and growing yourself? I think you look for the ones that are focussed on Indigenous people, that are doing things, their name, their brand is out there in those circles that they’re not just talking about it they’re putting funding towards it. Unfortunately, there aren’t many organizations and companies that are doing that, that are focussed on Indigenous people and there needs to be more. Indigenous-owned businesses, women-owned businesses, native-owned businesses are all ones I would recommend looking toward.”

4. Tell your story with confidence

Lomboy also recommends building your own brand within the careers space so you can be comfortable talking about who you are and your goals. You might want to consider crafting your elevator pitch or thinking about different ways of telling your story in the professional space. Try following in the footsteps of companies like7 Clans Brewing who embrace their storytelling heritage and use it as part of their branding (as an individual, you’ll do this on a much smaller scale).

Not sure how to craft your personal brand? Try the following:

• Set your goals
• Identify your Unique Value Proposition (Why you and not someone else? Why this role?)
• Showcase your expertise
• Keep it consistent wherever you show up

Knowing how to communicate your value, especially outside of the Indigenous community will help to break down cultural barriers and stereotypes that may count against you. Use your unique skills to thrive—you are likely already skilled at what Lomboy calls ‘walking between two worlds’; you know how to navigate different cultures, and you can recognize different values and code-switch between different environments. These are all assets in your career search. This kind of cultural competency is sought after in international environments where the ability to adapt and understand others is key.

For Dial-Stanley, understanding and learning how to communicate her value led to her following her passion, leaving corporate America and working with tribal communities and organizations, “I felt that since there wasn’t a seat for me at the table then I took it upon myself to create my own table, where I am debunking stereotypes and serving as the representation for my people.”

5. Ensure your durable skills are on point

Dr. Cynthia Lindquist is the President of the Cankdeska Cikana Community College, and in this article she explains that all the Tribal Colleges and Universities include career and technical education (CTE) programming and have done so since their creation. This includes soft skills like time management, work ethic, problem-solving, and teamwork. The idea behind these programs is that students can hit the ground running, ready for the employment sector. If you don’t have the advantage of this kind of preparation, there are other ways to upskill. Consider taking an online course if you can access it, but also think about how any work you already do within your community is teaching you those skills. Are there any other ways you can help that will also assist you in learning new employment skills? Is there an internship program you can apply for?

Leveraging skills you already have and using them to your advantage is the smart way to enter the job market. Whether you choose to target Native-owned businesses or not, some organizations can help to give you a boost along the way, from education and funding to career counseling and networking opportunities within specific careers. Use personal branding to share your story and values, and marry them with the companies you want to work for. Make your unique skills your advantage in the job hunt and focus on landing a role that utilizes these while giving you the ability to contribute meaningfully to your community as you wish. Dial-Stanley shares a final piece of advice: “Give yourself grace, this road is not linear. It has turns and bumps and there can be some setbacks on the way, but as long as you are working towards your career goal, your ancestors will always be looking down on you smiling.”

Final thoughts

Navigating the job market as an Indigenous person comes with unique challenges, from facing cultural misrepresentation to the emotional weight of quitting a job. However, by leveraging community connections, seeking out resources, and embracing your personal story, the path forward becomes clearer and more empowering.

The rise of professional networks, Indigenous-led organizations, and a renewed focus on workplace diversity is creating more opportunities for Indigenous workers to succeed while staying true to their cultural values. Remember, whether you choose to work within your community or venture further afield, your skills and experiences are valuable.

Photo: Welcome to the Jungle

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