Applying for job in small organisation while pregnant

[Marmighty]

I'm looking for advice on how best to approach this. I am six months pregnant, and a job has come up at a senior management role in a fairly small local organisation. It's my ideal job and I'm well qualified so I'm going to apply. I would be surprised not to get an interview, where they will obviously see that I'm pregnant. Just thinking about whether/when/how to mention/discuss it.

I'm due in February. I assume that the organisation would be expecting the successful candidate to start in Jan/Feb. If I were to take at least six months off, then if I was successful they would have to wait at least six months for me, and perhaps longer.

I'm currently self-employed so have no notice period, and would not be on maternity leave from another position. I have a toddler and DH works from home, also self-employed and flexible. Therefore, I could consider working part time from about four months. But obviously I don't know how I'll feel, how the baby will be, how our toddler will be etc.

If it was a larger organisation I would be much less worried, and more confident discussing and negotiating with them. I'm interested in perspectives from people with experience of smaller organisations where I know someone being off for an extended period can really impact the rest of the team, particularly if the position is a member of the management team. Things in my favour I suppose are that at least they know I wouldn't start the job and then get pregnant, or announce it later - I'm a known quantity in that regard.

I know legally they can't discriminate etc but also know that I am at disadvantage compared to someone who can start immediately. I suppose I want to be professional and mature about the situation and be able to discuss it in a way that shows they wouldn't be stupid to consider me.

One potential solution I could offer is that DH has a very similar skill set to me (and is also applying for the job although due to his specific career experience I think he is less likely to get it compared to me) and so could potentially 'fill in' or even 'job share' for a period of months after the baby is born. Is it madness to suggest this? We are in a small-ish town and I'm slightly worried about being 'that woman who applied while pregnant and then said her husband should have the job for a bit' in case I don't get it but want to apply for something else there in the future.

I don't think it's appropriate to apply for a job when you can't actually start it due to going off on maternity leave.

No, no - don't go the DH route offer!

They will know when you can start before offering you the job so I don't see any problems.

I think because you won't be an employee whilst doing your maternity leave, they can just give you a start date in the future and if you are not then available they can re-advertise. I don't think maternity rights come into it if you are not pregnant and employed by them.

I would definitely apply and make your proposal. The worst they can say is no.

Thanks all! I will definitely apply as I don't really have anything to lose and I'd really like the job, and also to be on the radar of the organisation for any future positions. I'm also aware that in practice organisations do wait for candidates at management level, or recruitment processes can be delayed for lots of different reasons that mean that posts are unfilled for extended periods.

Thanks for being frank about the DH suggestion!

I have a micro business and we’re expanding. Tbh, if we advertise we need someone who can start now rather than in 6 months time. We don’t have a great deal of redundancy. Oth, i’d still apply and if it comes to interview allow them to make that call.

Reet, would you think much less of someone who applied and interviewed while heavily pregnant, and think they were wasting your time?

Just to clarify, it's a small organisation but not tiny - I think about 50 staff. The role would involve managing two others.

I wouldn't mention DH either. I'd tackle it from the angle that there you are, their perfect candidate and very keen. But as it happens you're about to pop so will need to have 6 months off but would be willing to start part time 4 months after the baby is born.

I suppose that even though they can't discriminate officially, it could go either way. They might be prepared to wait or if they've had a bit of unheaval recently, they might really be keen for someone to hit the ground running ASAP.

We’re much smaller, less than 5 employees so a different context I think. Possibly it might be that I’d respond well to a personal approach outlining skills and possibly how that could be used. A solution rather than a problem iyswim? More so than an application without context perhaps? I have to admit that I’d be unlikely to appoint though. We’ve had a couple of good people touting for work recently and unfortunately i have to prioritise another role with a different skillset to theirs. I’m definitely keeping them on file but am aware that by the time I have work to offer them, they may have also moved on...

Thanks Reet - interesting. I had considered contacting the Chief Exec to discuss but I think this would also be, and be seen as, crazy and so I'll just go through the recruitment process and then be honest and open with them. I think I would regret not applying. I'm probably getting ahead of myself anyway!

I recently got a job at 30 weeks pregnant. It was very obvious I was but I left it until the end of the interview to bring it up. I said something like ‘ it’s obvious that I’m pregnant but I wanted to reassure you that I see this role as a long-term thing’ etc.
I was astounded I got it!