Can I Get a Job When Pregnant? Do Employers Hire Pregnant Women?
You can apply and get a job even when you are pregnant. It is not necessarily hard to find a job while expecting a baby. Most employers will hire you even after knowing you are pregnant. So get comfortable in the job hunt because you can get hired in your pregnancy status.
Pregnancy does not stop you from being hired. As long as you are healthy and can work as expected, you can get a job when pregnant as easily as you would when not pregnant. Key factors considered in giving you a job are your qualifications and not your pregnancy status.
You should therefore not be scared or worried that your pregnancy may prevent you from getting a job. While some employers may discriminate against women who are pregnant and applying for jobs, others do not. Many employers out there hire employees based on their worth and value and not their pregnancy status.
You can get a job offer for any job as long as you are qualified. Do not hesitate to apply for a job opportunity because you are pregnant.
Should you Disclose Pregnancy when Job Hunting?
You can choose to disclose the status of your pregnancy when job hunting or not. However, you are not obligated to disclose your pregnancy to a potential employer when applying for a job. You are protected by law and you not should feel obligated to let your potential employer know that you are expecting.
Also if you feel that disclosing your pregnancy will put you at a disadvantage when applying for jobs then do not disclose. Do not tell if you stand to lose the job.
If you feel you would rather not disclose, then you should not. At least wait till you have the offer letter or have signed the employment contract. It is not deceptive or betrayals to not tell a potential employer that you are pregnant. Don’t hold yourself back in my career because you are having a family.
Even if your pregnancy is visibly obvious you still don’t have to announce it when looking for a job. Legally employers aren’t allowed to ask you if you are pregnant or when you are due, and how far along you are so don’t mention it.
It is definitely possible to look for and find a job while pregnant Job search as you normally would, and ask about maternity leave top-ups after you have an offer. Depending on the timing, you may start work and then disclose your pregnancy several weeks later
However, there are benefits of disclosing your pregnancy status when job hunting, applying, or interviewing for jobs. It allows the employer to make the necessary changes to make you comfortable at work. They are also able to plan for your leave and ensure your work load will be covered when you are on leave.
In addition, telling your potential employer that you are expecting gives you a chance to negotiate for your leave. When applying or interviewing, mention your pregnancy and ask key questions about their maternity benefits.
The knowledge will help you decide if you should take the job or not. Also discussing maternity leave during the application process allows you to negotiate benefits that you may not have qualified for but are now included in your onboarding package.
Read: When and How to Disclose Pregnancy to Employer
Should you Hunt/Apply for a New Job when Pregnant or Wait till Delivery
If you need a job offer when pregnant, start looking. Do not wait till delivery for you to start job hunting. Most good job opportunities are rare to find and hence if you get a good offer, go for it. Waiting till you deliver may mean you not getting such a good offer again.
As such job hunting when expecting a baby is not a bad idea at all. It is not crazy or unreasonable to apply for a job when you are expectant. Pregnant women do job hunting equally as the other women. So many moms apply for a job only to realize they are pregnant after receiving the letter of offer. Therefore expecting a child or already being pregnant should not stop you from looking for or applying for jobs.
You can start job hunting immediately if you find out you are pregnant or later. You can apply for a job when in your first trimester at 1, 2, or 3 months or in your second trimester at 4, 5, or 6 months or even in the third trimester at 7 or 8 months.
Also getting a job takes time. It can take you the entire 9 months of your pregnancy while job hunting to get a job. Even if you start job hunting now when pregnant, you may only get a job after you have delivered the baby. Therefore do not waste more time by waiting till birth before you start job hunting.
Read: How to Interview and Start a New Job when Pregnant
Guaranteed Tips on How to Hunt, Apply & Get a Job while Pregnant
- Set up job alerts on LinkedIn etc. so that you can apply for jobs as soon as they are posted.
- Apply to as many job openings as possible
- Target family-friendly companies, jobs on part-time or flexible hours, and remote or hybrid work options. They will be easy and favorable for you when you start working with a small baby
- Networking will help you to job hunt when pregnant and land the job. Reach out to people you know or who you have worked with before and ask how they can help you through internal referrals. You can learn about un-posted jobs this way and apply
- Have your resume professionally done. Also, customize your resume for each new position and keep them all on file. It will be very useful in searching and applying for jobs when pregnant.
- Use a career coach if you can afford it. They will guide you on how to sell yourself and leverage any skill or past experience you have to land the job.
- Prepare yourself for interviews. Use practice/mock interviews to prepare and get ready for probing questions about specifics
- Get yourself comfortable interviewing while pregnant. Your confidence in your work will land you a job even when visibly expecting.
- Opt for zoom interviews if possible. You can hide your pregnancy bump this way and get the job
- Use the STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) approach to interviewing when pregnant. It’s a way to frame your responses to behavioral questions in interviews.
Read: How to Hide Pregnancy Bump and Get the Job
Expert Advice on Choosing Job Offers when Pregnant
Choosing between two job offers when you are pregnant can be hard. When applying for a job, your pregnancy remains a priority.
Some of the things you should look at when deciding between two jobs offers include
1. Choose a Job with Attractive Maternity Benefits
Since you are already pregnant when job hunting, the priority for you will be maternity benefits when the time to deliver comes. Therefore choose the job offer that offers you the most generous maternity leave benefits.
2. Choose a Job with Work-Life Balance
Since you will soon have a baby and return to work, you need to work on a job that offers you a balance between work and personal life. You need to weigh how much time and stress the job will add to your personal life. Therefore go for the job offers that will allow you to balance both your job and personal life.
3. Choose a Mom/Family Friendly Employer
Having an employer who supports and accommodates pregnancy and breastfeeding is very important. Working in an environment that supports you in your pregnancy will lead to great job satisfaction.
As such when choosing between two job offers during your pregnancy, go for the employer with better maternity policies, anti-discrimination policies, lactation room and pumping breasts, etc. You can get all this information when job hunting by asking potential employees key questions during interviews.
5. Choose the Better Paying Job
When choosing between two job offers when you are pregnant, go for the offer that is paying well in relation to the other. Also, consider factors such as commute time and the cost related to it. Choose the one with the most financial benefits and fewer risks.
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