How to Job Hunt While Pregnant

While many companies are becoming more parent-friendly and offer amazing benefits such as extended maternity leave, fertility benefits, new parent benefits, on-site daycare… what happens when you find yourself in between jobs while pregnant? Good news, in this article I’m going to share my best advice on how to job hunt while you’re pregnant. I’m a firm believer that you don’t need to change who you are to fit the organization that is going to appreciate you and what you have to offer. This means, even if you’re pregnant, you don’t need to aim small or pause your job search.

My Best Advice on How to Job Hunt While You’re Pregnant

Now I’m not going to diminish the fact that you’re pregnant… I know especially in the 2nd and 3rd trimester it may be a bit difficult to conceal. But we can’t always control how fast our belly grows and the timing of life – so if you find yourself actively interviewing during this 9-month period, here’s some key information to position yourself for success during this period. You can keep reading along or watch the video below for my best advice on how to job hunt while you’re pregnant.

In closing, I just want to share that I know it may make you nervous being pregnant while job searching. And while yes, employers are typically wanting to hire a person to fill the immediate need of an organization, employers are always looking for people who can go well beyond that immediate time period and really help in the longterm. So just trust that even if you have to take a few months off after being hired, you will be able to step into the role longterm and be an exceptional employee. And that’s exactly what employers are looking for. So really focus on your worth and value in the long term, and trust that you will find the right employer and the right opportunity for you. So again, congratulations, don’t stress out too much about this process and just trust that if you can focus on your values, you will find the right employer who can match that.

Before we dive in, I also want to share that this past year I have actually helped five pregnant women land their dream job opportunities, and three of the five were actually already in their third trimester! I share this with you because I know a lot of you might feel worried or anxious about your marketability as a pregnant job seeker, especially in an already competitive market. However, I strongly believe that you have to find the right employer for you, and you should never change who you are. You should never change your values just to try to mold yourself into an opportunity, especially if it’s done out of fear or a scarcity mentality. If you can find an employer who can really understand that you do have certain needs around building a family or raising a family, you’re going to be much happier in the long term. That being said, let’s jump into some specifics.

Q: When do I need to disclose I’m pregnant?

While employers don’t have to give you a reason on why they selected another candidate, every pregnant woman should know that there is a law enacted called the Pregnancy Discrimination Act. This act prohibits employers from discriminating based on pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions.

My Best Advice on How to Job Hunt While You're Pregnant

Click the image above to learn more about the Pregnancy Discrimination Act.

Disclosing when you’re pregnant is entirely up to you. As being pregnant has nothing to do with whether or not you are qualified to do the job, I would recommend that you go through the interview process and focus on what value you can bring to the organization, wait until you’re given an offer, and then decide when you feel comfortable sharing the good news.

First Trimester

If you are early in your pregnancy and in the first trimester, you may not choose to disclose this information until after you’ve been onboarded and entering your second or even third trimester. After all, you may not have disclosed this to your family and friends and outfits can be more forgiving to hide any bump during this time.

Plus, by the time you’re hired, you will have months to come up to speed, demonstrate you’re a great asset to the team, and come up with a game plan together with your manager. In this case, you may want to disclose your pregnancy when you’re no longer able to conceal the bump and this will also help you build trust with your manager as you provide ample notice for cross-training another employee or finding a contractor to cover while you’re out. If you’re job searching in your first trimester, you’re in a pretty good spot!

Second and Third Trimester

Alright, let’s talk about what to do when you are in your second or third trimester as you’re job hunting. I, for one, know how difficult it can be to conceal a baby bump as I am (at the time of writing this in July 2020) currently entering my third trimester. I can tell you, there would be no way to hide my bump in an interview suit! So if it’s very obvious and apparent that you’re pregnant, like me, what I would recommend is to only bring it up during the interviews if you know that it interferes with the specific job. So for example, if I were going for a consulting job and I knew that part of it required 75% travel, that’s where I may bring up what month I am or what my expected due date is, but go into the interview with the anticipation of coming up with some solutions around how I would still be able to onboard, come up to speed, and make a successful transition.

Otherwise, I would just highly recommend you treat your job search process as if you were in the first trimester and again, focus on what value you bring to the table, what you can do so well, why you’re qualified for the role, etc. Then when you get the offer, negotiate the offer package, and set up the start date, you can then share what your needs are given how many months along you are. But again, the pregnancy discrimination act will protect you from being disqualified on the basis that you revealed that you are pregnant.

Q: Do I get benefits while I’m in my 4th trimester?

The fourth trimester is known as the 3 months after labor and delivery that are often a recovery period for the mom and a critical bonding period. Unfortunately, as a new employee, you are not covered by the FMLA (Family and Medical Leave Act) as this eligibility is typically available to employees only after 12 months of employment.

Click the image above to learn more about the Family and Medical Leave Act.

However, when interviewing with companies, you can use resources like Fairy God Boss, which compiles resources and companies that offer robust maternity benefits and implement family-friendly practices, and general Google searches to find companies that have very parent-friendly environments and benefits. If this is important to you, it’s important for you to vet companies during your research process and vet if their values align with yours. When you get the offer letter, you can also see what their standard benefits include. Most companies offer short-term disability coverage, maternity leave policy, and health care coverage options. The bottom line is, you want to make sure that as you’re starting your job search, you’re really narrowing in on those companies that have values that are aligned with yours.

Enjoy This Season!

I know it may make you nervous being pregnant because you are logically thinking the company wants to hire someone to fill a role. And this is true, but the company also wants to hire an exceptional employee who can help them in the long-term. So trust that you have great interpersonal skills and strengths to bring forth and by you applying during this time period, they have identified and locked in the right talent when you’re ready to return to work.

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