Apply for deam job at dream company - but pregnant?

May 17, 2016 11:19 PM

The job I've been waiting for at the company I've been waiting for just posted, should I apply while 5 months pregnant?

Pretty straightforward, pleas provide your insight? I was planning for 12 week maternity leave... But would that even be possible, how horribly does being preggo hurt my chances? What should I do?

posted by anonymous to Work & Money (13 answers total)

The short answer is, yes, you put your application in and THEN worry about the practicality of it all. You go into that interview with your top game and, if offered the job, see what they can do for your maternity leave. If you don't like it, don't take it.
posted by Foam Pants at 11:30 PM on May 17, 2016 [16 favorites]

I think you should apply. Ace the interview and decide later if it is or isn't the right fit. Even if the company needs a person who's not on the verge of mat leave this time around, something else may come up later, so getting your hat into the ring as a contender for this kind of job is a good strategy.
posted by pseudostrabismus at 12:58 AM on May 18, 2016 [1 favorite]

Foam Pants is absolutely right. Don't decide for them that they don't want you.
posted by forza at 1:48 AM on May 18, 2016 [14 favorites]

I'd never tell you not to apply. You should apply, and if you can, interview. But:

If you're in the US, you won't be eligible for FMLA - I'm pretty sure you have to have been at the company for at least 12 months first. Do they have other parental leave policies that would apply to you?
posted by olinerd at 2:32 AM on May 18, 2016 [4 favorites]

Might as well give it a shot. You've got nothing to lose by applying.
posted by kevinbelt at 4:22 AM on May 18, 2016

If I were the hiring manager for a highly skilled position and saw that you were quite pregnant, had been at your current job long enough to get leave, and were applying anyway, I'd give you bonus points. You are obviously interested in this position. Disclaimer: view of woman in highly technical field.
posted by Kalmya at 5:12 AM on May 18, 2016 [11 favorites]

Of course! Good luck!
posted by FergieBelle at 6:00 AM on May 18, 2016

If you're in the US, you won't be eligible for FMLA - I'm pretty sure you have to have been at the company for at least 12 months first. Do they have other parental leave policies that would apply to you?

Some states have their own laws. For example, Massachusetts’s Parental Leave Act guarantees 8 weeks if the company has more than 6 employees, regardless of how long you’ve worked there. Also, even if you don’t fall under an existing policy, it may be possible to negotiate leave if you’re offered the job. Don’t let it stop you from applying. Worst case scenario: they offer you the job but won’t give you leave; you turn them down.
posted by Kriesa at 6:11 AM on May 18, 2016 [4 favorites]

A friend of mine did this and was able to arrange a start date for after her maternity leave. So, this is potentially an option depending on the particulars of the job.
posted by rainbowbrite at 9:08 AM on May 18, 2016

Why is this even a problem? Is your husband not going to apply to new jobs if he and you are pregnant? No. He will right? It is up to the company to decide-why are you doing the thinking for them? If you are good they will bend backwards to get you. Do not underestimate your negotiating power ever. Corporate world knows exactly where their bread is buttered and this should not be an issue if you are great at what you do. Now go kick ass.
posted by metajim at 10:40 AM on May 18, 2016

I interviewed for my dream job when I was 5 months pregnant. To be on the safe side I dressed to disguise my bump. When they offered me the position I accepted, said thank-you-very-much and then let them know the good news. They didn't bat an eye. I've now been there for over 10 years. Go for it.
posted by Cuke at 11:49 AM on May 18, 2016 [1 favorite]

I wouldn't do this, and I think other commenters are being naive. In a perfect world, sure everyone would be all over hiring pregnant people. But in real life, people think things like "Will she be too busy as a new mom to take her work seriously? Will she even come back after the kid is born? Will she be too distracted or have health problems during pregnancy?" I have a cousin who works in hiring and even WHILE she was pregnant she said she would probably have a hard time hiring a pregnant person. I say wait until after the baby is born and you see how things are going before applying for a brand new job. Congratulations on the pregnancy!
posted by masquesoporfavor at 1:08 PM on May 18, 2016

"I think other commenters are being naive... In real life, people think things like 'Will she be too busy as a new mom to take her work seriously? Will she even come back after the kid is born? Will she be too distracted or have health problems during pregnancy?'"

I'm absolutely aware that people will think things like this. I just don't think the applicant should care. If the company has concerns about the pregnancy, let them be the ones to disqualify her application. The applicant should not disqualify herself.

Hiring managers face concerns about applicants all the time. "This person's address isn't local. Would he be willing to relocate?" "This person only has four years of experience, and the posting calls for five." "This person didn't bother to spellcheck his cover letter." Some of these applicants turn out to be quite stellar employees. That's part of being a hiring manager: using discretion to weed out the applicants who would not or could not do the job. I don't see it as the applicant's responsibility to anticipate objections (that may not even be objections) before even submitting an application.

I guess it's a little inconvenient for the hiring manager, but as long as the OP is upfront about her pregnancy, I don't see it as a problem. Five minutes to scan her resume, five minutes to email back and forth, and maybe a 15 minute phone screen. You're out less than a half hour. They waste more time on Facebook each day.
posted by kevinbelt at 1:28 PM on May 18, 2016