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Advice about pregnancy and job interviews
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Anonymous
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I am almost 15 weeks pregnant and just had a job interview today. They are hoping to finish interviews this week and (if I make the cut) will check references next week. At what point do I share/disclose that I am pregnant? I didn't bring it up during the interview, because it seemed too early and just not the right time. However, I'm a bit at a loss for when to share this information. Of course, I want to remain competitive for the job, but I also want to be honest about my situation and, at some point, will need to discuss maternity leave, etc.
Also--is it crazy that I am even thinking about a new job at this point?? All of a sudden, I am getting nervous and having second thoughts! Thoughts or suggestions on either question would be much appreciated. |
Anonymous
| If possible, I'd hold off on telling them until they've made you an offer - it's illegal for them to not hire you because you're pregnant, but unspoken bias (and the knowledge that you will be going out on maternity leave less than 6 months after starting) is likely to influence the decision. Then, after the offer, but before you accept, you can explore the new company's maternity leave policy, etc., and make sure it is a good fit for you. |
Anonymous
| If they didn't ask I wouldn't tell. |
Anonymous
| The first thing to find out is if you did get the job, when would your health benefits kick in. I applied for a job and thankfully didnt get it - a few months later went into preterm labor. The new jobs benefits would not have covered me or my baby in the NICU! |
Anonymous
This, especially when you're only 15 weeks and likely not showing. |
Anonymous
| OP again--forgot to mention that this is another position within the same agency in the Federal government so all my benefits would stay the same. Does that change anything? |
cmkeough
Member Location: Arlington, VA
Offline
Member Location: Arlington, VA
Offline
|
OP, does anyone within your current department know that you're pregnant? If so, you may want to mention it so that you're potentially starting off on the wrong foot or burning any bridges early on. If it were a new position with a new company or not within the same network I wouldn't divulge any information about being pregnant. If you do mention that you're pregnant (and assuming that you're planning on returning after maternity leave) I would be certain to mention that you are planning on returning to work.
Best of luck on the new position! CK |
Anonymous
| I did exactly what you're about to do except, at 20 weeks pregnant. Due to a clearance process, I didn't start until I was 34 weeks. I shared my "status" with them at the time of the offer. Just be prepared though that you will be learning a new job towards the end of your pregnancy when you are tired and then come back to the job with a newborn (and little sleep). It's do-able, but takes some hard work! |
Anonymous
| OP you sound exactly like me. I interviewed early last week (at 17 weeks) for a job in another division in my agency. It happens to be located in Northern VA (whereas I am in DC currently). It did not seem appropriate to just bring it up and I hadn't yet told my own supervisors, so I wasn't sure what to do. I did not disclose. However, by the middle of this week, I am already showing enough that I can't hide it anymore. I told my bosses yesterday. I have thought long and hard about whether to call over to this other division and tell them, but ultimately that seems so very awkward and strange. It's not information they are supposed to consider, so I'm not sure what reaction they are supposed to give me over the phone. I totally agree with being above board and don't want to start out on the wrong foot. It's just a weird siutation. If they find out from someone in my office, that's fine, but I guess my attitude is that at this point it is not relevant to their consideration for hiring me (because that would be illegal if it were), so not really quite sure where to go with it. If I do get the offer, I will say in the same call, I wanted to make sure you knew that I am X weeks pregnant, I've informed my supervisors in my current division recently, etc., and then take it from there. Someone made the point to me, and I'm not sure this is really a great comparison, but if I were gay, I wouldn't make special call to them that, you know? |
Anonymous
I was in a strange situation in this regard... I applied for on the job training in another division of my agency, just as PP, and received an offer when I was 10 wks. The end of my training was about the same as my EDD. I did not disclose anything to anyone until I was already settled in in the new office, figuring that I would still go through the training and then give birth when it is over. However, the bosses at my former division were mad at me, I am told, for the fact that I did not tell them. I did not tell them because they are not supportive in any way, be it additional training, career advancement, or childbirth. Now I will have to go back to my original division (after maternity leave) and while one boss luckily rotated, another one is still there. And I can only guess how my new division (the one I am taking training at) took the news of my pregnancy. I perform well, but still is a bit uncertain - maybe I have ruined my career for life 
I guess my post is a bit off-topic but I just really wanted to share my story and maybe someone would have any comments on it. |
Anonymous
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I found out I was pregnant right after I'd interviewed once with my current company. The interview and hiring took months, so I was 4 months along by the time I started with them, but not obviously showing. I told them within a few weeks of starting the job. Didn't tell them before that, because it was still early in the pregnancy and I worried about miscarriage risk, but also because to be honest, I wasn't sure I was keeping the baby.
It was awkward to have to say, "hey, I'm going out on maternity leave when I've only been here five months" and especially awkward because my 6-week leave fell in a busy time for us, but they were nice about it. One note: make sure you're taking a job that you can do very pregnant, or with an infant. By that I mean you probably shouldn't accept a job that would require travel in your ninth month or during your leave, or a job that will expect you to be there 10-12 hours a day with a very young child. Then they could legitimately feel like you'd bait-and-switched them. I took this (family friendly) job and turned down another one that would have been a LOT more work, travel, higher visibility, etc. I knew that a lot of folks came to my current company because of it's family-friendly policies, so me having a family wouldn't be as much of a shock/betrayal. |