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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To take DD to a jobs fair?

20 replies

karmacoma1 · 21/08/2017 14:08

I was made redundant on mat leave, and has since been looking for employment. I've had a few interviews, but no luck so far.

The city I live in has a jobs fair on this week, with a lot of local businesses from a variety of industries there.

I was very excited at the prospect of going, but I have absolutely no-one to look after DD.

She's 5 and a half months, and is as good as gold, in the pram, but now I'm getting paranoid it will put the potential employers off :(

At first I thought it would be ok, now I'm panicking, because well, it's to discuss jobs - and you wouldn't bring your dc to an interview would you?

Would I be stupid to take her?

OP posts:

impostersyndrome · 21/08/2017 14:12

Could you ring the fair to see if they offer a creche?

Malbecfan · 21/08/2017 14:14

A jobs fair is NOT the same as going for an interview. I personally don't see what is wrong with going to see what is out there with your dc in a pram. If anyone asks about her, you can say that you are prepared to arrange childcare, but as she is so young/it costs money when you aren't earning/whatever, she isn't there today.

I ended up taking my DD at exactly the same age into a school where they were desperate for someone to cover a long-term sickness absence and could not find a subject specialist. I told the Head I had nobody to leave her with and he said "just bring her along. We'll discuss the childcare later." He carried her round in her car seat for me (and I took the job, found a nursery & worked there for 4 years p/t!)

Member652554 · 21/08/2017 14:19

I would say take her. If it's anything like the fairs I have been to. It's in a big hall and each company will have a stall , with a few representatives giving out leaflets, pens and answering questions. it is informal so I can't see it being an issue if you stroll around with your pushchair like you would at a market , talking to the people on the stalls and asking questions etc. If anything it would make it easier to ask about part time hours/ flexible working etc as you could explain you are just coming back from mat leave .
All the best xxx

Original poster

karmacoma1 · 21/08/2017 14:23

Thank you for your responses.

They don't have a crèche, but I am going to email the event organisers, just to make sure it's not a complete no-no (don't want to be escorted out!)

Fingers crossed they'll let me come.

OP posts:

Brittbugs80 · 21/08/2017 14:27

The last jobs fair I went to was way overrated. Other than the Army and Navy stands, the rest were all recruitment agents. There were no actual companies there. It's literally having a wander round to see what jobs are on offer and you won't be offered interviews or get a job from there, at best it will be an informal chat before then having to go to the Agency to register so to take your baby would be fine.

PinkHeart5911 · 21/08/2017 14:32

I think it very much depends on the child, a screamer No I absolutely wouldn't but you say your baby is generally good in the pram so in that case as long as you take the child outside should a screaming fit occur I don't see a problem.

You say people don't take children to interviews but I've a small business and the lady covering my maternity brought her child to interview as her dh worked shifts and couldn't get leave that late.

As an employer taking the baby to the fair wouldn't put me off becuase not everyone has someone to babysit for 1 odd day. It's easier to get childcare when your in employment becuase it's a regular thing ( I.e nanny, nursery etc)

anotherAnotherUsername · 21/08/2017 15:08

You may not like this OP, but I (as an employer) would move you serval rungs down the ladder. Not so much for being a new mother but the fact that you brought your child to the job fair would suggest that you don't have child care arrangements in place.

At the same time, you may be unlikely to be remembered from the job fair to the interview should you get one.

fishyfriends · 21/08/2017 15:11

I did this recently and was recruited in to a 32k role by the team who worked on one of the stands.

Sofabitch · 21/08/2017 15:13

Another username.. you'd expect people to havr expensive childcare before they got a job? And penalise them if not?

No wonder women find renteting the work force so hard.

anotherAnotherUsername · 21/08/2017 15:22

Sofabitch

I haven't actually recruited from a job fair. I have from a similar type event but when the fair is targeting a 'niche'.

Yes, bringing a child to an event would be a mark against them.The same way brightly coloured hair would be but a firm handshake and eye contact is a mark 'for'. I don't mind swearing in a meeting but an interviewee who did so would be unlikely to get the job. There's a long list of things which push you up or down my list of potential employees and you're naive if you think I'm not in the majority.

FWIW, I manage 20 people with around 500 under them. 99% have post-grads.

fishyfriends · 21/08/2017 15:28

If your CV is good enough you will get the job. Kids or no kids.

vikingprincess81 · 21/08/2017 15:43

sofa I'm kind of intrigued - what else is on your list? Not bashing you at all, just curious what other people think about potential employees/recruitment. Thanks!

vikingprincess81 · 21/08/2017 15:44

Oops another not sofa sorry!

anotherAnotherUsername · 21/08/2017 15:58

All the kinds of things that will make other posters think I'm a troll.

Piercings.

Tattoos (I have one that only DH would ever see).

Too many young children.

Too much time off work (maternity or other).

Lack of eye contact.

Swearing.

Silly laughs (recently lost someone their potential job)

Too much eye contact.

Sweaty palms.

Using the wrong bread plate.

Accent prepares to be flamed

Sex (I prefer women for some roles and men for others)

Hair cut.

Dress.

Watch (nothing says 'twat' like a watch out of proportion to earnings).

A colleague of mine once had two potential employees and gave the one the job who didn't have an Mx BMW.

HR would kill me if I said this whilst identifiable and I'm a little embarrassed to say it but I couldn't ever employ someone with a brace.

I'm sure there are more.

The short list are usually interviewed over a working lunch and I learn a lot over that lunch. To get there, they have excellent qualifications and experience so you really are splitting hairs. However, a part of the role is fitting in to every situation and dining is part of that.

Anyway, I'm off to NC as I'm sure my honest reply has made a few enemies. If it makes you feel better though, I'm as horrible to men as I am to women!

Original poster

karmacoma1 · 21/08/2017 16:12

I have emailed the events team who are hosting the event, who have said it's fine to bring her, they have lots of other visitors who have done the same.

Anotherusername - I appreciate your honesty - I'm sure there are other employers who think along the same lines who may well be put off by me bringing DD.

It's a shame, because I consider myself a pretty good candidate. I was with my last employer for 3.5 years, promoted twice in that time, no excessive sickness etc.

Having been given the go ahead by the event team I'm going to go, hopefully the companies that are there would be willing to at least have a conversation with me.

OP posts:

anotherAnotherUsername · 21/08/2017 16:20

karmacoma1

Good for you. I do think that being a recognisable 'Mummy' could count against you so perhaps seeing it as an event where you collect info and drop off CVs as anonymously as possible is the best approach.

Good luck.

Aeviternity · 21/08/2017 16:40

Yeah, gotta agree with Another here. It's not very PC and modern and liberal but a job fair is about conveying an image. I wouldn't go to one in baggy jeans and a hoodie (is she a skater? Does she know how to dress for a job?) or to a tech fair dressed like a chef (is she off her head?) and when I've got my kids with me, I'm just... mum. No one sees the woman, they just see 'mum' and wonder when the kids are going to start screaming. And you're going to be distracted.

Lose the kid and you will instantly be seen as "person interested in real job"* and not "lady with pushchair."

*ie: not a 'mummy job' like putting glitter on glasses or trying to flog aloe vera on Facebook.

OhSoggyBiscuit · 21/08/2017 16:43

Brittbugs80 is right, every jobs fair I've been to is basically "Apply online for our roles, and by the way, feel free to take a pen."

I make a game out of how many free pens/promotional stuff I can get at each fair.

HelloKittyCats · 21/08/2017 18:54

I went to the university jobs fair and was recruited for a graduate position and I had my 2 year old in a pushchair.

HelloKittyCats · 21/08/2017 19:00

If they aren't going to accomodate you having children then would you even want to work there? I've got multiple children so knowing they are family friendly is important.

You're their asset not vice versa.

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