Possible Job Change - tell them about DS?
Ok, ladies - I could use some advice. I am an attorney. Right now, I work at a mid-large firm in DC. I may have an opportunity to go in-house at a company (in a position that requires expertise in my practice area). Ideally, being in an in-house position (and a little closer to home) will make my schedule a little more "normal." I don't expect it to be a strict 9-5 situation, but I am hoping the hours are a little more sane than being at a firm. Assuming I get an offer and take this new job, I will have to leave the office at a decent time (by 5:15 pm at the latest) to pick up DS from daycare most evenings. I would plan to get in around 8:00 am to compensate for the "early" evening departure. My question is: should I voluntarily tell my potential new boss (the general counsel) that I have an 8 month old and that it is very important to me that I be around to spend time with him and put him to bed each night (even if it means I need to pick work back up after he goes to sleep at night)?
All of my contacts thus far (recruiter, initial interview with GC and assistant GC) have been focused on the position, my qualifications, etc. Obviously, I know they cannot ask me what my marital/family situation is. But at the same time, this is a very small legal department and they are trying very hard to make sure the person they choose will be a good fit. If my needing to leave by a certain time each night will cause them any concern, I would rather get it out there and make everyone's expectations clear from the start. I am used to working odd hours to get things done - like after DS goes to sleep. And my billable hours have still been relatively high since coming back from leave, so I am not worried that I will not be able to put in the hours they need. I am just worried that they may have more of a concern with "face time" than my partners have currently.
I am leaning towards waiting to see if I get an offer, and then having a conversation about schedule expectations with the GC (who would be my boss) and/or AGC (who I would be working with for the most part) once I know they want me. What do you ladies think?
Re: Possible Job Change - tell them about DS?
I would wait until you get the offer to say anything. At that point talk about a schedule. Explain you need to leave by 5:00 p.m. every day (or specify the days you do pick up) and that you will be arriving by 8:00 a.m. to make sure you get a full 9 hours each day (1 hour for lunch if required) minimum. In addition, once you are home and have your family settled you are able to log in again if need be.
I would definitely wait until you have an offer to discuss hours. If you're concerned that your 8-5 schedule might not be feasible in that group, you could ask what the core hours are for the team just as a general lifestyle question.
When you get the offer (like that positive thinking there?), I think it would be totally rational to have a conversation about schedule expectations. You want a position that's a good fit for you, and I am a firm believer in having an open, honest discussion about what that means. I had a similar experience when I was considering moving departments (I also work for a law firm). I was upfront from the very beginning about how my career is important, but how it's also important for me to be there for my family, which might mean some flex hours, and then connecting to the network from home after my little one is in bed to finish the work and meet the deadline. I asked how my potential new boss felt about that, and it actually gave us an opportunity to have a more personal talk about families, past history, etc. I truly think I'm more highly regarded in my new group for initiating that conversation, and being upfront. Good luck!