February 2016 Moms

Applying to Out-of-State Jobs

I finish my grad program in May and due to the timing of LO will not be going through the job-placement structure that is built into my program (starts literally ON my due date out-of-state for 3 days of initial interviews and then site call-backs for the following weeks).  So... I'm looking on my own over the school year to try to lock something in place.  

Anyone else job hunting?  I'm currently living about a 9-12hr job from where DH and I want to settle, so I will primarily (exclusively) be applying to out-of-state positions.
Any suggestions for if/when to tell potential employers that I'm pregnant?  My field is highly dependent on trust and lacks the privacy/separation of home/work of an office job.  
My concern is that interviews will likely be happening when I'm either showing (so they'll know anyways) and/or when I can't fly (OB says not in the last 2 months before due date) - so I'm prepared for this pregnancy to interfere with being able to do in-person interviews.  This will also be my first career-job, so I'm just nervous about the process to begin with, especially without the structure that is what everyone around here assumes/prepares us for during the 5 years we are in school.
28yo, TTC#2 since 6/2014
Kiddo #1 = 10 cycles of trying, 1 CP and is now a toddler
TTC#2 since 2/2017

Re: Applying to Out-of-State Jobs

  • Is there a reason you arn't waiting until after the LO gets here to start your job search? It seems to me like it would be easier to wait until after LO has arrived to even attempt to start looking for employment especially since you are impeded by the inability to travel to interviews from December - February. 

     
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  • Is there a reason you arn't waiting until after the LO gets here to start your job search? It seems to me like it would be easier to wait until after LO has arrived to even attempt to start looking for employment especially since you are impeded by the inability to travel to interviews from December - February. 
    Contracts in my field generally all start on July 1, so hiring is done during that time frame.  If I wait until after LO is born, there will be FAR fewer options in an already small field.  The last student to get a job this past year had a signed contract by early April, and let's just say that the jobs left at that point - there's often a good reason they are left.
    28yo, TTC#2 since 6/2014
    Kiddo #1 = 10 cycles of trying, 1 CP and is now a toddler
    TTC#2 since 2/2017

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  • OK, well I wouldn't feel obligated to tell them you are pregnant at all unless that becomes an issue with going to an interview. If contracts don't begin until July LO will already be 6 MO or so and it should have no bearing on your ability to do your job. It's not like you are being hired and immediately leaving on maternity leave. Hopefully you won't have any problems finding a place that can work around your travel restrictions. FX for you.

     
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  • I have strong feelings here.  Being pregnant is not a bad thing.  Having a child is not a bad thing.  A good company will hire good people women, men, pregnant or otherwise.  Since I don't know what field you're in, what I generally do is find companies that either have awards for being good for working mothers or who have a reputation for not putting that as a negative.  That might not be the case.  I was pregnant with DD during the big push for sequestration which I thought would have a direct impact on the future of my field.  So I started applying for every job that was applicable to where I wanted to work.  I interviewed out of state at 6 months, I interviewed at 9 months (two weeks before my due date...I was concerned about my water breaking), I received a job offer hours after having my daughter (which I later turned down), I also interviewed during my maternity leave (DH drove around the building with our baby who was exclusively breastfeeding at the time...I had my phone on ready to go!).  The first time I interviewed around 6 months, I simply wore a larger dress and carried a clipboard/professional leather folder thingy.  The second time it was obvious I was pregnant.  By law they won't say anything about it so I brought it up in the end of the interview.  Maybe to my detriment at some point (but so far good for me), I believe in openness.  So in my interview where I was 2 weeks prior to my due date, I brought it up.  I said something like, I believe in openness and honesty, obviously I am pregnant.  But that does not change who I am, my career drive, my goals and aspirations.  It does mean that I may need some extra days for sick leave for baby, but you will not regret my work ethic and abilities.  Ok I said it in some interview-y awesomeness that I can't think of right now. This same guy was the one who offered me the position literally hours after giving birth.  

    Things to know, be honest.  Being pregnant shouldn't be a bad thing.  I now work for the government but previously I did work for Booz Allen Hamilton...they were amazing.  When I told them I was pregnant, my bosses boss started crying, gave me a hug and told me to make sure I took off three months.  So good companies will do right by their employees.  When you have your child, it's not like there won't be sick days.  Daycare (if that's what you're going to use) is a germ factory and your child and you will be sick.  As to working, for me it's been the best thing ever.  I did not enjoy being at home.  I believe happy mom, happy family, happy child.  If she's sick, I'm home.  If she has a parade, I'm there.  If she has a luncheon (at 2 years old) that includes parents, unless something happens I'm there.  It's part of the package of hiring me.  I will work my tail off for you, but I have a few things I need. So far it's worked out.  I personally would not look at it as a negative but as a part of who you are and a company that can't accept that, in my opinion, is not worth your time.  A job interview is a two way street.  They have to like you and you have to like them. 

    Okay enough soap box.  Sorry @pumpkinti,  I feel really strongly here.
  • As to flying, if you're talking about out of state, perhaps you could have your husband drive you out the night prior? Make an evening of it? I don't know what state you're talking about, but if it's not too much try driving?
  • I also breastfed until 23 months.  Maybe not everyone's cup of tea.  For the first year I pumped twice a day.  I called it "Mommy time".  Some people got it, some didn't.  We had a room with a fridge or sometimes on travel I didn't.  You might not want to breastfeed but maybe you do.  Some of those work trips were ridiculous as to where I pumped, but you know what even at a mechanical machine type facility they were understanding.  So part of hiring you are those other things too.  
  • Thanks everyone for your experiences, info and advice - Wherever I end up, I *should* have my own office, with a door (and some flexibility in hours), so I'm less concerned about BF'ing, pumping, sick time, etc and far more concerned about getting a job in the first place.  I'm in the process of contacting the head of placement - so I may have more questions once I hear back from him.
    28yo, TTC#2 since 6/2014
    Kiddo #1 = 10 cycles of trying, 1 CP and is now a toddler
    TTC#2 since 2/2017

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