Going for a job interview when (obviously) pregnant ... some advice needed please!

[Miaou]

Slightly jumping the gun here as I haven't been offered an interview yet - but I'm 95% certain I will be ...I've applied for two jobs - one is 16 hours working from home (flexible) and one is 18 hours, mornings only.

Am 20 weeks pregnant atm and to people who don't know me I would probably just look a bit tubby, if wearing the right clothes. I haven't mentioned on my application that I'm pg. Ideally I would like to get to the end of my interview before saying, "Oh and btw, I am pg and due at the end of July, but would still like to take the job if offered it". Do you think that is the best approach? Obviously I'm not going to deny being pregnant (by the time the interviews come round it may be more obvious anyway), and I would prefer to bring it up at the interview stage rather than after being offered the job (if I am). But I am not sure how it would go down with the interviewers.

Any thoughts? Sorry if this is a bit muddled, am kind of thinking aloud here, but it is preying on my mind a bit and it helps to write it all down

Personally, I would wait and see if you are offered the job. They can't not offer you the job because you are pg, but if they say no, it might be hard to prove that it was for that reason if you have already told them.

Thanks detox - I'm kind of working on the principle here that a) it may be pretty obvious that I'm pregnant, and b) by the time I have been for interview and been offered the job, I could be over 25 weeks - at which point I think you legally have to inform your employer that you are pg (can someone confirm this?). Also, I'm a little worried that it could come over as slightly dishonest if I don't mention it at interview - after all, it's not like I'm only a few weeks in, I'm more than half way through.

Hope that makes sense!

Miaou - You do need to tell your employer no later than the 15th week before your due date that you are pregnant, so I can see it would be getting close!

Thanks detox - I really wouldn't like to start off on the wrong foot with new employers!

Anyone else been in this situation? What did you do?

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Hi Miaou,

I can understand your dilemma, I am also 20 wks pregnant, recently was interested in a job that I would have been perfect for, however I decided agaisnt even applying as realisticaly I didnt think any employer would take on a pregnant woman, I know legally they cant discriminate but in reality I think it would be a different story. I just wouldnt have felt comfortable concealing my pregnancy even though I could, its always better to be upfront IMO. This probably isnt the sort of encouragement you were looking for (I just read this and it is very downbeat).

In answer to your question however yes I think you should wait until the end of the interview and when they give you your opportunity to speak then bring it up and explain your situation.

Thanks noodlehead, it doesn't surprise me that you were put off I'm afraid. Thanks for your comments.

One of the jobs I am applying for, I know there is only one other candidate and I think on balance I am better skilled than she is and more likely to be better at the job in the long term. The other job, again there is only one other candidate but I don't know who it is. I live in a very small, isolated community where it is hard to get work, but also hard for employers to find people with appropriate skills, so perhaps it's not quite as straightforward here.

I am hoping that they will look beyond the pregnancy/tiny baby period and see that I am a good long-term bet - really hope that's not asking too much!!

Well you are right to be positive, my dh tried his best to persuade me to think as postive as you, as I live in rural northern ireland, there are not that many people with my qualifications and experience in the field I work in, so he thought i would be a shoe in for the job.

Having conducted interviews myself it wouldnt affect how I would view you as a potential employee providing your experience and track record of employment was good, so I would still say go for the job and be open and up front about your situation including how much leave etc you intend to take following the birth

What sort of job, Miaou?

The 16 hour flexible one is to co-ordinate local transport (community-run minibus). That's the one where I don't know who else is up for the job. The other one is senior playleader in the nursery attached to the school. I've worked in a nursery before (not leader, but I was the only nursery staff bizarrely!). I know the other person applying and I think I might be better qualified than her.

Noodlehead - your comments from the POV of the interviewer are helpful, thanks - that's what I'm hoping for! Am getting nervous about it because I really want the job (actually I really want them both )

Ah cat, that gives me hope then! I've got smart(ish) skirts and dark coloured tops that will certainly not make a pregnancy statement . And that's how I'm planning to handle it too. Really glad it worked for you!!

I was interviewed for a job and got it at 5 months pregnant. They were very lucky to get me. I took about 5 or 6 weeks off that summer for the birth of my son. The pregnancy didn't affect things at all but they did know before the interview. If you want to hire someone enough and she's not about to disappear for 5 years to bring up a child then the pregnancy shouldn't matter.

In your case as long as you're not lying then no need to say. No one dares comment on whether someone is a bit fat or pregnant in most interviews. (Learned my lesson there by asking my sister's friend when the baby was due... and she wasn't pregnant)

lol xenia re the faux pas! Yes I am hoping that they will take the long-term view. I am just stressing a bit because the other candidate has the same level of experience, and slightly more recent than me, but I don't think she has the personal skills to carry it off. However she works for the nursery company already so I am going up against someone going for promotion, effectively. I am going to stop angsting about this now !

Miaou, I do quite a lot of interviewing and I would never hold pregnancy against someone if they were the right person for the role, but equally I would expect them to mention it as a courtesy at interview stage. I think it would be important to me that you viewed the job as a long term prospect.

If you get the 16 hour flexible work from home job you will still need some sort of child care - it's impossible to work from home with toddlers running about!!

Good luck!

If someone plans to take lots of time off then they ought to be fair to mention it at the interview just as a father planning to take the new 6 months paternity leave ought to be mentioning it at interviews. If the new child will not affect the employer e.g. just taking a very short time off like me then I don't see why it should be mentioned.

Thank you you two. ab girl, take your point about working from home!! Currently dh is at home ft, and though he is applying for a job it is also a work from home one, so we are fairly confident we can manage both little ones between us.

I am certainly intending to mention it at interview - I think anything else would at best set us off on the wrong foot. However I am hoping I can manage to say it at the end of the interview rather than have to discuss it at the beginning, so that they see my potential as a good candidate before my maternity leave.

If I do get the job I would be working a full term before taking maternity leave, then would only need/want to be off until I could leave the baby 3 hours between feeds (I would go back sooner if I manage to express!). So it's not like I am wanting to take a year off.

Just a wee update to this story: I didn't get the transport co-ordinator's job, but have just found out today that the only other person I know of who was applying for the nursery job has now left! There may be other people applying for the job that I don't know about, but I can't think of anyone. My interview is on Monday so fingers crossed.

Go for it but only tell them if you are offered the job. By this stage it would be difficult for them to withdraw the offer if they want to solely becuase you are pregnant.

Yes you have to tell your employer that you are pregnant no later than the 15th week before you are due but they aren't your employer until the day you commence employment (start date) so you would be expected to tell them then.

Thanks ck. It is blindingly obvious that I am pg now anyway so I shall see what happends!

Interview at 12.30 today ..... .... wixh me luck !