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Interviewing for a job - not telling yet

post #1 of 6
Thread Starter 
Advice? I am almost 10 weeks pg and not telling yet (but showing a little) and I have an interview this week. I feel so awkward about the whole thing. I really need a job and I know it's illegal to discriminate b/c someone's pregnant. It's in the field of education, so if I do get the job I wouldn't be able to complete the school year (I'm due the end of Jan.). Of course, I hope this will be a long term position.

How/when do I tell them? Obviously not at the interview. When/if I get an offer? I don't want to be seen as deceitful or anything. And what the heck do I wear to the interview?
post #2 of 6
Hey there! I just posted a question about this a few days ago. I interviewed at 25 weeks pregnant, and I just wore a regular dress from Target in one size bigger. It looked more professional than a maternity dress (no maternity stores around here), and I did not bring up the fact that I was pregnant. The job is for a teaching position at a community college, and I am due a month after the semester starts. If they offer it to me next week, I'll mention that I can only teach online for the first semester or start teaching in January. I didn't mean to be deceitful either but there was just never a good time to bring up the fact that I was pregnant in the midst of the interview. Good luck, and check-out that thread; it's somewhere a page or two back in the "I'm Pregnant" board. Let us know how it goes!
post #3 of 6
Tell them when you're hired and doing all the HR paperwork, because those folks will guide you through the process of setting up your leave. I wouldn't tell before the job was secured, you never know.

Are you up for a teaching position or just related? Of course, around here if you are a new hire you don't have tenure and having to have mat leave MAY lead to not being asked back. (everyone gets pregnant as they hit their third year and lock in tenure ).

I'd just get one of those flowy blouses that are so popular, with gathering along the sides... I doubt anyone would be able to tell for SURE that early. Plenty of women who've had kids have bellies like that
post #4 of 6
I gave a presentation when I was starting to show, and wore a black dress (think Ann Taylor style) with a white linen blazer. The black on the belly hid the belly, and the blazer drew attention away from it. It was not that I was trying to hide the pregnancy (nor are you, really), but just wasn't trying to emphasize it like some maternity dresses would. You wouldn't have known I was pregnant.

As far as telling, no, don't tell. If you are only 10 weeks, it's no one's business, that's for sure. People with fertility issues often don't tell for 16 or more weeks. I agree that you should wait until doing paperwork or even until starting. Of course, some future coworkers may snidely see it as deceitful, but that's none of their business. You just have to do your best to prove that you really want the job and are committed and will fulfill all of your obligations. Since you will be able to work until January, that's totally fair and true. I understand in the previous poster's case that she wouldn't be able to fulfill the obligations, so she would have to tell when the offer the job (and that makes sense too). Legally, they cannot discriminate against you, as you probably know.

Oh, and keep in mind that you won't be eligible for FMLA, probably won't have much sick or vacation time, so you will have to piece together any sort of maternity leave and will have to negotiate hard. Because of that, maybe it would be worth mentioning when they offer the job so that you can negotiate when you actually have some bargaining power -- if they don't give you what you want (you can ask for unpaid leave), then you don't have to take the job. If you wait until you have taken/started the job to tell, then they will have all the bargaining power around negotiating your maternity leave.

Good luck!
post #5 of 6
I interviewed for jobs when I was about that far along, or a bit earlier with my daughter (8 now). I wasn't showing at all so didn't have that issue. When I was offered the position I negotiated my leave (I didn't qualify for FMLA at that point). I ended up telling a bit earlier than I otherwise would have, but wanted them to agree on the leave before I accepted the job. It worked out fine, they kept thier half of the deal. ;-)
post #6 of 6
I interviewed for a job when I was pretty obviously showing. It was a male employer and he gave a quizzical glance at my mid-section once. I did not bring it up, nor did he.
although eventually (after I was hired he asked if maybe I was pregnant?..
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