Head Hunted at 36 weeks pregnant

[PinkPlantCase]

Posting here for traffic. I’ve had an email from a former colleague who’s now a director saying they have a vacancy that’s perfect for my skill set and hope I’d be interested. It is perfect and I am very interested.

In all honesty I’m not very happy where I am, the people are nice, I’ve had good experience but they work us to the bone. My current pay is reasonable for the industry but when you include all the unpaid overtime it’s barely minimum wage for a lot of responsibility and extensive professional qualifications. I don’t really know how it’s going to work around a young baby when I go back to work either. I’m planning to take 6 months off. Little one is already signed up for nursery.

Having worked with the person who emailed me before I know that they value work life balance, they have kids of their own and place importance on the time they spend with them. I think the hours would definitely be more reasonable than where I currently work.

Has anyone else been in this situation? Did they keep the job open to you? I don’t really know how to approach it all. The person does know I’m pregnant though may have forgotten!

I don’t have any kind of enhanced maternity package so wouldn’t have to pay any money back to my current employer.

I could also use this as a conversation to improve things in my current job role. I think they’d work quite hard to keep me. I have already started mat leave in my current role.

I'd have the discussion and be clear that you'd be starting in 7 months (ish) if you took the job. For a senior role with long notice periods it's probably not out of the question or unusual to wait that long for the right candidate.

I think go for it. I think your current company might pay you more to keep you,but I dont think they will change their culture to keep you eg be ok with someone just keeping to their contracted hours if unpaid overtime is the norm. If having a better work life balance is important to you and you like the sound of the new job then speak to them. You dont know if they have forgotten your pregnant or they just don't think it's a deal breaker

Ps. I'm not a big believer in counteroffers. I think once a company knows you've got to the point of an offer on the table for someone else, it's unlikely to really work out for you there longterm. Ultimately they'll resent having their hand forced and always see you as someone with a foot out the door. If they were going to value you properly, they'd value you properly already.

I really don't see any downside whatsoever in exploring the new role, and taking it if you can agree a start date.

Go for it but make clear when you can start when you apply

Go for it. Given the recruitment process timescale your maternity leave would barely cause much delay and any decent employer would rather wait a few extra weeks for the right employee. Some people are contractually obligated to work 6 months notice anyway. Sounds like a perfect move for you.

I’ve never had to change jobs whilst still in one before. I’ve left previous workplaces to start the next stage of education rather than to leave for somewhere else.

Should I not appear ‘too’ keen in my reply to the colleague? (With a view to get the best package etc.)

@PinkPlantCase

I’ve never had to change jobs whilst still in one before. I’ve left previous workplaces to start the next stage of education rather than to leave for somewhere else.

Should I not appear ‘too’ keen in my reply to the colleague? (With a view to get the best package etc.)

I mean, I wouldn't gush because that's unprofessional, but I also wouldn't play games. "Sounds like an interesting opportunity, it would be great to discuss. What's the next step?"

Does he know your pregnant? If you were 12 to 20 weeks I wouldn't mention it but in this situation I'd be upfront and also look at increasing your maternity time if thats what you want. So ask to hold the job for 9 months.

I did a new job after having my first when she was 10 months and its an insane adjustment when your still not sleeping. With my kids I would have been a zombie at 6 months and in a new role I wouldn't want them to think that was the 'really work me.

I started in my current role at 35 weeks pregnant. Good flexible employers want the right people and are prepared to wait for them.