Should I say I'm on maternity leave when applying for jobs?

July 8, 2008 6:24 PM

I'm applying for professional jobs after 6 months of maternity leave. How, if at all, should this be reflected (a) in my resume/cover letter and (b) in my interviews?

Is it misleading to say that I am still employed by the employer that I am on leave from (they are paying me benefits and I have a job waiting for me when I come back if I want it)? I am concerned that employers will be reluctant to hire someone who has just had a child as they may feel I will be likely to have another soon.

I'm considering just not telling them that I have recently had a child, but then it looks like I have 6 months more experience than I actually do, even though I am technically still employed there. Thoughts?

posted by anonymous to work & money (3 answers total)

Are you being paid for maternity leave? If so and even if you aren't don't hide it. It's stupid to. I think it's ok to job hunt. It's kind of hard to hide the fact you have a newborn baby.
posted by parmanparman at 6:39 PM on July 8, 2008

basically, you are still employed there, you're just on leave.

i'm not a lawyer (and i don't know what the laws are where you're employed), but generally speaking most employers in the US will not ask about parental status, and you don't have to answer if they do. i wouldn't bring it up, period.

the only way i could see it being to your benefit to explain things is if your tenure there before the leave was short enough that you don't have a lot of work to point to -- but even then, i'd be inclined to keep it out, and just highlight the work you did when you were there.
posted by feckless at 6:45 PM on July 8, 2008

Speaking as a hiring manager, I wish to high Heaven that people would not tell me about their personal lives during interviews. I can't use that type of information in the hiring decision. I can't ask, and honestly you should not disclose.

If you are currently employed there, then that's what you put on your resume.
posted by 26.2 at 9:57 PM on July 8, 2008 [1 favorite]