To take my 1YO and 5YO to a job interview?

[jewishmum]

DH will be at work, and it's an interview for a weekend cleaning job where my DH will be able to mind the children. But the interview is in the school holidays (tomorrow).

It's not the commenters that are misogynistic- it's the system. And they are just being honest.

Could you explain the situation and find out if it can be via Zoom?

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Nope. You taking your wains says you’ll be unreliable and will have problems getting childcare when you’re working. In fact, I wouldn’t interview you if you came with your children.

My last employer changed the interview to online as my childcare fell through last minute. They even offered have some of the team watch my LO if I wanted to do an in person interview. I politely declined that option haha. This was also for a well-paid, professional role. I wish more employers were that supportive!

No, sorry, just no way.

Not unless you want to lose this job opportunity....

Because the employer will immediately assume you have regular issues with finding childcare and that this will impact on your ability to do the job.

It also shows a lack of basic common sense.

Either reschedule or find someone who can watch your kids for a couple of hours.

Don't expect to get the job.

I'm glad you managed to get it sorted and good luck with the interview.

However, if I was interviewing for a position to work in my house I'd be really nervous if someone turned up with their children as my house is very much not child proof and I wouldn't want anything damaged. I'd not employ that person personally.

And professionally, for an interview I wouldn't want a child present. Though as i and my entire team work virtually, I have "met" most of their children and pets (sometimes parents) on teams calls, I'm probably being a hypocrite - but then they are in position and these are internal calls rather than formal ones.

Going against the grain, if this is just cleaning somebodies house, I would take them, although call beforehand and check that's ok with them or if they want to reschedule. The reason I say take them, if there's any chance you might need or want to take them with you (some people are ok with this) they should see this and know what they are getting.

Also, I don't know about where you live, but cleaners are like gold dust round here. Ioads of people would still give you the job because they can't get anyone else. This way, they know what they're getting.

Glad it's all resolved, OP! 'Sans enfants' is best. Good luck!

This reminds me the time I got a pregnant temp in to cover reception - and she brought her DH to work with her..!!!

You haven't got any pets as well have you?😀

..sorry! No don't take them it would come across as you may be unreliable due to lack of child care.
Good luck though💐

I've only read the first page but going against the grain here. If the DC were well behaved, I've had cleanersnfor 40 years, and there were a commitment to never bringing them when you were working, I'd be OK with this. But the first time they accompanied you and the cleaning was less than optimal, I'd sack you. Especially if you didn't tell me in advance. the neighbours would

So sorry, I hope you can sort out some childcare. I had to take my son and daughter into work once and left them with colouring books in the classroom opposite. Ten minutes into the lesson my five year old came to the door and said 'Mummy, Jonny has got his eyes closed and won't answer me'. I raced into the room - he'd been spinning on an office chair and knocked himself out on the filing cabinet. Don't take them!

You can do it but you won't get the job.

Misogyny is an interesting analysis of this... however I think you've exposed the real issue here, unintentionally, by calling childcare a 'burden'.

It's reasonable to expect working individuals (of any sex) to organise childcare. Taking your kids to a job interview is the #1 way to show a prospective employer that you're disorganised. Yes, emergencies can and do happen.... however this is not that situation, OP simply 'forgot' about the school holidays.

Being disorganised does not leave a good impression, whether you're just late, unprepared, or bringing your offspring... and it's nothing to do with misogyny or 'hating women'.

I have employed people who have brought their children to interviews.
We are busy evenings and weekends, so interviews are during the day in the week. I can comprehend that someone that doesn't have childcare then can at the weekend.

Exactly @CanStopWillStop

Some smaller employers might be just fine with it.
I wouldn't have a problem with it myself although it's not ideal.

I do however, strongly believe in employing & supporting women with children to be able to stay within/enter/reenter the workforce.

I'm not saying that's achievable for all employers, but some of us do our best.

Absolutely not

A cleaning job??? I couldn't care less if someone brought their child - because it's easy to jiggle a child on your hip while at the same time saying "Yes, I would do the bathroom, do you need the sheets changing every week?" Obviously I would do them the courtesy of believing they could multitask that conversation. Would be more impressed with them if anything. And I also realise that they wouldn't take thier children every day to work - especially the 5 year old because it's half term today, and isn't usually, is it??

I wouldn't take my child to an interview as a criminal barrister or a therapist or to get a scholarship to Harvard - because those interviews are fairly static and demand complex answers to questions where your brain is fully present.

"Complex answers... where your brain is fully present?"

@EthicalNonMahogany It's quite derogatory to suggest those in the cleaning profession don't have to use their brains fully during interviews – they're not mindless Henry Hoover goons, and jobs can actually be competitive.

If you don't want the job, go ahead and take them.