Its A Bumpy Question

I received a call last week from a candidate who wanted to get some advice around an interview that she had the following day. Expecting a run of the mill question I was confident I could help.

Should I tell the interviewer I am 4 months pregnant?

Now this is a tricky one. I openly and honestly answered the question and together we weighed up the pros and cons.

Now, you do not have to tell a potential employer or recruiter you are pregnant and bearing in mind it is still early days perhaps you would not want to just yet.

You do however need to consider that when going for a permanent role, the employer is hoping to have you in that role for, lets say 18 months or more whereas in this case the candidate could only offer 4 months before heading off into motherhood. However the employer is oblivious to this.

The other thing to consider is that you may not receive maternity benefit. As we all know Australia is way behind the mark on this topic, so it could be better to stay put and reap the rewards of your service in your current employer. My candidate had been made redundant though, therefore was immediately available and wanted (and needed) to work.

We also discussed the option of telling the employer and offering themselves in a contract role, though this was not something she should have to do. I did canvass this with some senior hiring managers (friends) and all agreed they would prefer to know and would prefer this as an option of course.

The main thing the candidate and I concluded with is not to say anything until you are in the running for the role. In this market there are many candidates and fewer jobs so why should you have to tell someone at 1st interview? However we did agree that if offered the position she would tell the employer. Then at this point the employer could not necessarily discriminate her or suggest she was not being honest therefore the decision is down to the employer as to hire her.

What are your experiences and thoughts?

Sally-Anne Blanshard is Director and Coach for Nourish Coaching. With over 12 years experience in in recruitment and consulting Sal is trained in knowing exactly what questions to ask you that will get you thinking and then creating results. Sal is an energetic and focussed coach who is skilled in helping you navigate your thinking to create positive change. Coaching programs are available in areas of Career, Job Search, Small Business and Personal dilemmas. Don't forget to Like Sal's Nourish Coaching Facebook Page too. www.nourishcoaching.com.au sal@nourishcoaching.com.au

Tagged as: advice, pregnant