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Original poster

Just about to go on Mat leave and applied for a new job…

36 replies

EchoAlpha · 02/02/2023 23:46

Background: Think finance, law, compliance etc.

I have been looking for a new role for various reasons - high pressure environment, toxic culture etc. I have been looking for a new job for a while now (circa 18 months) but it HAS to be the right role.

I recently found something that suits me in terms of the company, role and £££ and thought it was too good an opportunity to pass by without applying. The tricky part is that I’m due to go on Mat leave very soon.

I didn’t tell the recruiter who put me forward and have now been asked to come for a second interview with the hiring managers (first interview was with general HR/business development team). What do I tell them?!

It’s my first Mat leave but I’m also very career driven, so happy to propose something like I will only take 6 months of Mat leave (of course it has to be with my current employer, so I get all the perks re pay etc.).

Has anyone ever had to deal with this? Should I just forget the job and hope something similar comes up in 9 months? I can’t bare the idea going back to my old employer but will do, if I have to.

Why does being a woman have to be so complicated?!

OP posts:
ACynicalDad · 02/02/2023 23:49

Does your current employer require you to stay for a certain period or pay back?

Original poster
EchoAlpha · 02/02/2023 23:53

Nope - no clawback provisions in the Mat policy so all good on that front.

OP posts:
Original poster
EchoAlpha · 03/02/2023 00:17

ACynicalDad · 02/02/2023 23:49

Does your current employer require you to stay for a certain period or pay back?

@ACynicalDad

Nope - no clawback provisions in the Mat policy so all good on that front.

OP posts:
Viviennemary · 03/02/2023 00:31

It's unclear what your plans are. Do you intend to ask the new employer to hold the job open for you until after your leave and stay with your present employer for the duration of your leave. Not sure how that would work.,

Barleysugar86 · 03/02/2023 00:36

You can't move now if you are counting on your Mat Leave income from your current employer.

Once you accept a role elsewhere you'd have to give your notice to your current employer.

And it's not like they wouldn't know, as once you accepted an offer they'd be contacted for a reference.

Original poster
EchoAlpha · 03/02/2023 01:10

Viviennemary · 03/02/2023 00:31

It's unclear what your plans are. Do you intend to ask the new employer to hold the job open for you until after your leave and stay with your present employer for the duration of your leave. Not sure how that would work.,

So I was looking to accept the role and hope they would hold onto the role for 6 months (they are aware I have a 3 month notice period). If they agree, I would then hand in my notice 3 months into my Mat leave.

@Barleysugar86 - given your advice, could my plan above work IYO?

Maybe I’m living a dream. I thought people sometimes apply for roles when they’re pregnant.

OP posts:
MrsBunnyEars · 03/02/2023 09:03

Applying for roles when pregnant is totally fine.

But I agree with others that it’s trying to have your mat leave with the old employer that’s tricky. The new employer might wonder how committed you are if you don’t give in your notice - it would be very easy for you to back out leaving them square one having wasted 6 months.

Barleysugar86 · 03/02/2023 11:01

I work in a similar field. If you get an offer and accept it a start date is agreed, they’d expect you to hand your notice to your current employer at that time. Because that then kicks off the referencing process, which would usually include contacting your current employer.

You want to ask a new employer to wait six months for you - might be possible. To ask them not give the game away to your current employer? I think you’d raise big red flags to be honest. We have had people accept jobs and then back out before starting, it would be a huge gamble for them and sounds like you are disrespectful to your current team/ a bit dishonest (that may be entirely justified if they are awful of course but you’re not supposed to let the new company know that so they are going to assume you are treating a decent manager/ team this way).

you also don’t know how you’ll feel about going back after six months, especially if it’s your first. Some people just aren’t ready and change their mind to want their full year. Again, huge gamble to the new employer.

and I say this as someone who found my current job whilst on maternity leave with another- it didn’t put them off, but I was in the later part of my year at the time.

WelshNerd · 03/02/2023 11:16

I would take pregnancy out of your thinking and, if offered, say you are happy to accept but not available to start until X date. Obviously they may not accept that but at least you've asked

wineymummy · 03/02/2023 11:21

Is it possible to give your notice, but give 6 months notice rather than 3? Isn't 3 just a minimum? And if you can buy a little time, make it to 5 months notice?
I think you should do whatever you need to do - women are at such a disadvantage, why shouldn't you work the system?

Princessglittery · 03/02/2023 11:27

@EchoAlpha go for it, the worst they can say is no.

Hoppinggreen · 03/02/2023 11:27

Unless you are a really really stand out candidate I don’t see why they would offer you the job to be honest.
Even if they were prepared to wait 6 months there is no guarantee that you would ever start. They could wait 6 months and you change your mind.
I know you say you are driven etc, so was I. I had the nursery booked for when DD was 6 months old etc but I ended up never going back.
I am not saying you would do the same but you can’t guarantee that.
I still think you should go for it and I genuinely wish you luck but if I were your prospective employer I wouldn’t offer you the job, it’s too risky

eurochick · 03/02/2023 11:32

I went for a new job whilst pregnant. I don't think it was visible in the early interviews but it was as the hiring process progressed. They didn't mention it so eventually I said "shall we have a chat about the elephant in the room (which is me at this point) and talk about timing?"

They offered me the job, which was a big promotion, and waited for me. My notice period was three months and I only took six months mat leave so they only had to wait three additional months for me.

Christmaspyjamas · 03/02/2023 11:40

I think the biggest issue you might face is perceived lack of transparency.

The recruiter deserves to know your strategy because their reputation is also impacted if they put forward candidates with requirements that aren't clear.

The employer invests time in the process and are presumably needing to fill the position more quickly.

I'd speak to the recruiter and make the situation clear before the next interview because it shows you can think of others' needs and not just what you want.

gogohmm · 03/02/2023 11:53

You can't expect an employer to hold a job for 6 months without being upfront with them - and remember you may feel differently about returning early once your baby is here. My advice is to stay put for now, take the maternity leave

Dammitthisisshit · 03/02/2023 11:53

Hoppinggreen · 03/02/2023 11:27

Unless you are a really really stand out candidate I don’t see why they would offer you the job to be honest.
Even if they were prepared to wait 6 months there is no guarantee that you would ever start. They could wait 6 months and you change your mind.
I know you say you are driven etc, so was I. I had the nursery booked for when DD was 6 months old etc but I ended up never going back.
I am not saying you would do the same but you can’t guarantee that.
I still think you should go for it and I genuinely wish you luck but if I were your prospective employer I wouldn’t offer you the job, it’s too risky

^^ Then you’d be discriminating as you’re making assumptions not basing a hiring decision on facts and clear criteria. Lots of companies do discriminate but it’s illegal.

The recruiting company are entitled to say they can’t wait 6 months, and to say you must hand your notice in. But you can ask. If they say no there’s nothing lost. In the company I work for we waited 8 months for someone to finish their maternity leave to start a position.

As a manager I’d personally wait for the right candidate, but I wouldn’t accept someone that wanted to wait for (?) 4 months before handing their notice in. That said some companies move so slowly with recruitment you might be part way through your maternity leave by the time an official offer comes out.

GreaterStickle · 03/02/2023 11:56

Hoppinggreen · 03/02/2023 11:27

Unless you are a really really stand out candidate I don’t see why they would offer you the job to be honest.
Even if they were prepared to wait 6 months there is no guarantee that you would ever start. They could wait 6 months and you change your mind.
I know you say you are driven etc, so was I. I had the nursery booked for when DD was 6 months old etc but I ended up never going back.
I am not saying you would do the same but you can’t guarantee that.
I still think you should go for it and I genuinely wish you luck but if I were your prospective employer I wouldn’t offer you the job, it’s too risky

This. Having a baby will change you a lot more than you think.

They would be foolish to hold out for you knowing you’ve just had a baby. That maternal instinct is strong.

Dammitthisisshit · 03/02/2023 12:00

Oh just to add an interview is a 2 way selling process. Part of how you will judge the company is on their flexibility on start date. However you don’t need to have that conversation at interview. That conversation should be later, when negotiating terms & conditions.

AnotherSpare · 03/02/2023 12:11

It's completely fine to apply for roles when you are pregnant! Well done for getting the interview. I would go to the interview and go through the process as normal, but at the end of the interview make it clear what your desired start date is. If you already have a three-month notice period then it's not a huge stretch.

"So I was looking to accept the role and hope they would hold onto the role for 6 months (they are aware I have a 3 month notice period). If they agree, I would then hand in my notice 3 months into my Mat leave."
But I don't think this will work. If you are offered and accept the role they will be pursuing references, surely? So your current employer will know you have accepted another job offer. If you are offered the job and want to lock it in you would be better to resign as soon as you are given the contract, even though you won't be starting for six months. That might mean you lose some maternity pay from your current employer but to be honest that's reasonable when you are not intending to stay with them.

TiredandLate · 03/02/2023 12:15

I have negotiated similar in the past. But, I was approached by an employer in the November and agreed to move on the condition I would start the following June. I didn't tell my current employer until the April. I wasn't pregnant but same principle. The difference will be if they can wait 6 months, my employer was creating a role for me so it didn't matter as much.

Hoppinggreen · 03/02/2023 12:21

Dammitthisisshit · 03/02/2023 11:53

^^ Then you’d be discriminating as you’re making assumptions not basing a hiring decision on facts and clear criteria. Lots of companies do discriminate but it’s illegal.

The recruiting company are entitled to say they can’t wait 6 months, and to say you must hand your notice in. But you can ask. If they say no there’s nothing lost. In the company I work for we waited 8 months for someone to finish their maternity leave to start a position.

As a manager I’d personally wait for the right candidate, but I wouldn’t accept someone that wanted to wait for (?) 4 months before handing their notice in. That said some companies move so slowly with recruitment you might be part way through your maternity leave by the time an official offer comes out.

Show quote history

No it would not be discriminatory because I wouldn’t offer her the job on the basis that I couldn’t wait 6 months for her to start rather than because she was pregnant

Waterlooville · 03/02/2023 12:24

You could take a two week mat leave and then you aren't really putting them out. Your dh could take the leave.

BananaPalm · 03/02/2023 12:54

I'd say definitely go for the new job. We women have to stop putting ourselves at disadvantage. Just because you're going on mat leave doesn't mean you are any less valuable as an employee.

However, as someone who's just come back from mat leave myself, have you considered the implications of coming back straight into a new role AND having a baby who will be getting sick a lot (think once a week)? Assuming you'll be using some sort of childcare of course. Do you know if at your new job they'll be flexible and understanding enough to accommodate this even for new employees?

29052022J · 03/02/2023 12:59

I get that you are career driven and well done for getting the interview. Why don’t you hold off and wait until your little one arrives? You might have a change of heart and want to extend your mat leave to 12 months. Your whole world will be turned upside down once the baby gets here. Life is short and I’m sure there will be more career opportunities for you.

Bananabreakfast123 · 03/02/2023 14:14

Hi OP, I work in a similar field and know someone who did exactly as you're suggesting. I also know someone who did the same so they'd be eligible for a bonus which they'd have lost out on had they been working their notice. In both cases employers waited more than six months. It's definitely worth being upfront and discussing options with the new employer. In my area it's a candidate's market so employers are working with candidates and offering various incentives to secure the right person. You might find they're a lot more flexible than you think.