Job interview while heavily pregnant

maryjane01

Hi all,

I was wondering if anybody has any experiences of attending a job interview when heavily pregnant?

I applied for a civil service job back in December, did some online testing, and have only just now been contacted for an interview:eek: I wasn't expecting it (the interview, not the baby:rotfl:) and I will be nearly 8 months pregnant.

I am going to go to the interview because it was a job that looked really interesting to me at the time I applied. I am otherwise not currently looking for work, I have already started my maternity leave in my current job.

I know they can't descriminate, but it will be a little weird as it will be obvious I can't start work immediately. If it was private sector I wouldn't waste my time or theirs going, but it is civil service and looks like an interesting good long term job.

Can anybody share their experiences of job interviews while heavily pregnant? Will all the interviewers sit there and pretend I am not?

Thanks!

74jax

That's a tricky one. I guess it all depends on if they have a start date in mind. If you can't start work for 6-9months and do really well in your interview then they could keep you in mind for future. plus I'd guess they would think you'd havd your baby so wouldn't be having another one for a few years at least (yes I know employers are not supposed to think like this but they do). Where as they could recruit someone without a child and not know when they plan on starting a family.

I remember one interview where I was asked if I planned on having children (they did say I didn't have to answer, but even by adding that on they made it so that I couldn't really not answer). I said I think I'd have to find myself a bloke first as I was currently single and they perked up after that and yes I got the job.

I guess you have nothing to loose. You are already on mat leave and so this would be the icing on the cake I guess if you went back to a different job after baby.

See how the interview goes and take it from there. I guess though they will need someone to start by a set date.

clairec79

I had interviews for promotion twice when pregnant within the civil service, didn't get the one when I was heavily pregnant - did get the one where I wasn't showing (and they didn't know)

A colleague was due the same time as me with the first and also applied both times, she didn't get it the first time and did the second. There were about 7-8months between the two interviews and we'd both been off on maternty leave so hadn't done any extra work. I'm pretty sure our pregnancies came into it (I think the job was to start 2-3 weeks before we were due)

woody01

Discrimination doesnt really come into it.

There is a job, and i am sure any employer, local authority or otherwise, doesnt a) want b) need, to wait around for months to fill the position.

suseh97

The recruitment process seems so long for civil service that there is a good chance your baby will be starting school before you get a start date :rotfl:

I would go and see what they have to say?

sammyjammy

Go for it I also work in the CS and two friends both got promoted in their 9th month of pregnancy in the last six months, they will not even consider it at the interview, the problem will come when and if you get offered a job, it could be sometiem before there is a start date or it might be quiet quick, I guess it depends how long you plan to be on maternity leave. Best of luck

Sam

Tigsteroonie

I would suggest that you go for it, but don't be optimistic ... being recruited and turned down for a CS job while pregnant is a whole different situation to being turned down for an internal promotion. I know that strictly speaking this shouldn't be the case, the best candidate should win ... but it's a lot harder to prove discrimination when you're on the outside of the system.

I'm currently only 14wks pregnant, and applying for CS jobs, so I'll be watching your thread with interest - please let me know how you got on!!!

Savvy_Sue

maryjane01 wrote: »

Will all the interviewers sit there and pretend I am not?

Certainly they should ... :rotfl:

Last time I was interviewed for a Civil Service job, I got through the interview and they then sent me the medical forms, which I found SO ghastly I just igored them for weeks. Eventually I got another job and just wrote and said I didn't want their job.

jamtart6

a friend told me his boss interviewed, and told him to dig around and ask the women if they were wanting to start families if so they wouldn't be in the running for the post!

another said "im sure women do it on purpose, just to squeeze the maternity pay out of you"

I hate working in a male dominated environment!!!!!! Hopefully the civil service is a bit better than that to you! I agree about the interview procedure taking that long that the baby will be at school!

good luck with interview and baby!