Finally Got The Interview For My Dream Job And have Found Out I'm Pregnant

C

Cozzie

Guest
Hi,

This is my first post here so I hope that you can help me.

In October i was approached by an ex colleague to see if I wanted to work for their company in the UK. Having been out of the industry for 3 years after the birth of my first born, i was over the mean. The company is the market leader, training, support etc is second to none. Because of the economy, it has only taken them until now to get the go-ahead from European HR for the position as there is a recruitment freeze within the company.

I received an email this morning asking me to attend for an interview in two weeks time with two directors of the company. I found out I was pregnant 6 weeks ago, which was a complete shock because due to complications with my labour, we thought we would not conceive again.

What is the best way to approach this. I really want the job and have a lot to offer them but can understand that they may wish to fill the position quickly so as to not lease the headcount and may not want someone to start if they are going to be off for x amount of months afterwards.

I know from being on the other side of the fence that discrimination against pregnant mothers does go on even if they say that it doesn't.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you

Cozzie
 
Congratulations! As regards your predicament, I reckon honesty might be the best policy here. If you still want the job, go along to the interview but tell them straight out about your pregnancy, and see how they react to it. The fact that you have been headhunted might stand in your favour. If it means moving to the UK for the job, though, would you be prepared to do it? You would definitely need to write down all the pros and cons of taking the job before attending the interview. Best of luck with whatever you decide.
 
You have no obligation to tell them, and in fact I would say you shouldn't as you may (a) cause them not to hire you because of your pregnancy (when really their decision should be based on your fitness for the role and nothing else) or (b) put them in an awkward position where if, for whatever reason, they decide not to offer you the job, they feel as though they have to for fear that you may sue them for discrimination.

If they are a large multinational (I assume they are because you mentioned they have European HR) they will be well capable of surviving while you're on maternity leave. The only creteria they should use in deciding to hire you relate to how good you are and whether you fit the profile they need - nothing else. Don't voluntarily hobble your chances!
 
Hi,

Thanks for such a swift response!

I should have said I am already based in the UK. I worked with my ex colleague at three other multi-national companies - he is US based- and i worked on the European arm of his US based accounts.

My gut instinct is to tell them why I feel I am the best for the job, what benefits, internally and externally (new customers etc) I can bring to their company, tell them about my 'small' issue which I wasn't aware of when we initially spoke and give them my ideas and suggestions as to how we can work around it to the benefit of us all.

At this level, there are usually at least 2 possibly 3 interviews and I din't know whether to mention the pregnancy at the second interview.

I don't want to shaft them but I don't want to lose this chance of a job with them as they rarely advertise so it is all confusing as I don't know what to do for the best.

Cozzie
 
Hi Cozzie,
Would you hold off telling them till your offered the job? That way if you dont get the position you know you werent discriminated against and you are still being honest with this future employer. Should the employer wish to they could withdraw the offer still at that point.
 
I would not tell them. It is not relevant to whether you are good enough for the job. Look at the newspapers in the UK and see the stick Natacha K (newsreader) for getting pregnant when she moved to a new TV channel. In all likelyhood the fact you have a young child already will be on their minds, discrimination or no discrimination, that's the way employers think and they will probably guess that a young woman will be going for another child. They just can't ask you and there are reasons for that. If you plan to be out for a lot longer than normal maternity leave with this child then maybe you should rethink taking the job, but that's a very personal decision.
 
Bless you Bronte,

'Young Woman'! I wish, I'm 41 next week and I think that's the other thing that has been playing on my mind as I am worried I will have missed the boat for this otherwise if I take another year or two off.

I'm not showing too much and some HUGE support nickers should do the trick....
 
Just spoke to Hubby who is pretty high up in the NHS and he has said especially if the interview is going well, at the right time, tell them.

He said that he had employed someone who was 8 months pregnant because she showed him she was the best person for the job, was upfront about her pregnancy (obviously!) but reiterated how much she wanted it. He then had it written into her contract that she would take up the post within 7 months of baby arriving.

His feeling is that it will show professionalism from me to my new employers and peers as well as my work ethics and if I am the best person for the job and they overlook me because of my bump, are they the kind of company I would want to work for anyway??

I had also thought about offering to work for them on a 'consultancy' basis until I give birth using that time to go through any company induction, training on systems etc or even handling some customers so that when I do start full time, I can hit the ground running immediately.

Anyway, Caveat, hope you've taken a cold shower by now... I thought it was only the hubby that loved big knickers!
 
Say nothing, if you had a heart condition or had developed diabetes would you be expected to come in and "confess" to them........no
 
Cozzie said:
Just spoke to Hubby who is pretty high up in the NHS and he has said especially if the interview is going well, at the right time, tell them.

He said that he had employed someone who was 8 months pregnant because she showed him she was the best person for the job, was upfront about her pregnancy (obviously!) but reiterated how much she wanted it. He then had it written into her contract that she would take up the post within 7 months of baby arriving.

His feeling is that it will show professionalism from me to my new employers and peers as well as my work ethics and if I am the best person for the job and they overlook me because of my bump, are they the kind of company I would want to work for anyway??

I had also thought about offering to work for them on a 'consultancy' basis until I give birth using that time to go through any company induction, training on systems etc or even handling some customers so that when I do start full time, I can hit the ground running immediately.

Anyway, Caveat, hope you've taken a cold shower by now... I thought it was only the hubby that loved big knickers!
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I honestly wouldn't tell them at interview stage. I sat on a board once and one of the candidates told us she was expecting. She didn't get the job but it had nothing to do with this.

I would be up front once they have made up their minds and basically tell them what you've posted above. Remember they approached you.
 
hi,
this happened with me, that i was offered a job i was dying for and 2 days later, i figured out i was pregnant. i still signed the contract and hand them over. as it was my first baby, so i was 7 months preg. before anyone could realise that i was expecting. so i would sugest go ahead with the job and they could cover someone when u would be off on maternity leave. enjoy pregancy and ur baby. best of luck
 
Thanks guys,

After talking it over with Hubby last night, we have decided to sock it to them in the first interview and see if I get called back for a second. If I do, and that is going well, then I will tell them unless of course they offer me the job on the spot :D and I will obviously have to tell them then.

Does anyone have any suggestions for styles of clothes/suits etc that will cover my small rolls around my midriff without making me look obviously pregnant or that I am doing a poor job of trying to hide a house?

Cheers,

Cozzie
 
Cozzie said:
Thanks guys,

After talking it over with Hubby last night, we have decided to sock it to them in the first interview and see if I get called back for a second. If I do, and that is going well, then I will tell them unless of course they offer me the job on the spot :D and I will obviously have to tell them then.
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A couple of years ago my hubby was invited to interview for a role internally. It was a contract and there were five applicants. At the end stages, after second interview, it became clear to all that there were two main contenders, him and a woman (who was also invited to apply). The decision was held back for about three days while the powers that be deliberated and himself was getting feedback that they were really torn between the two. In the end his manager called him to a meeting and said they were giving the contract to the woman but that is was such a hard decision and there wasn't much in it..yadda yadda. It would have been a big step up for both applicants with a huge amount of responsibility, quite a challenge.

Two days later the woman handed in her signed contracts, the day after that she informed the company she was 11 weeks pregnant. Everyone else was gutted, Himself because he didn't get the contract, the bosses because they had filled a vital role with someone who would be going on leave at the crucial point of the project. Unfortunatly it created a bit of a bad atmosphere between her and her bosses.

Himself left the company soon after. In a strange quirk of fate, the woman resigned because she couldn't cope with the job.

I'm not suggesting this is what will happen with you nor that you shouldn't go for the job just because you're pregnant (and yes, had they known, I'm sure that lady wouldn't have got the job because the project was due to release around the time she went on maternity leave). I'm just sharing a story.

Good luck with the interview. :)
 
Bubbly Scot said:
(and yes, had they known, I'm sure that lady wouldn't have got the job because the project was due to release around the time she went on maternity leave).
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well that is reason enough not to tell them. she was the best candidate and she got the job why would her being pregnant not make her the best candidate?
 
sandrat said:
well that is reason enough not to tell them. she was the best candidate and she got the job why would her being pregnant not make her the best candidate?
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They obviously thought she was the best candidate but had they known she wouldn't be available for the project release then they probably wouldn't have offered it to her, whether she was pregant or not. In the same way if hubby told them he was going away for three months at the crucial time he would have been ruled out for it.
 
Bubbly Scot said:
They obviously thought she was the best candidate but had they known she wouldn't be available for the project release then they probably wouldn't have offered it to her, whether she was pregant or not. In the same way if hubby told them he was going away for three months at the crucial time he would have been ruled out for it.
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I'd be with you on this Bubbly S.
 
its not like she can rearrange when she is due to give birth. your hubby could rearrange "going away"
 
sandrat said:
its not like she can rearrange when she is due to give birth. your hubby could rearrange "going away"
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I don't want to take this thread off topic so I'll not comment further here. If you want to continue, it might be better to open a new thread in the Depths :)

I wasn't looking for an argument, just hoping to give the OP the other side of the coin as it were.
 
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