How to Handle a Job Interview When You Are Pregnant

When women are obviously pregnant and are trying to find a new job many of them wonder at what point in time they should disclose the fact that they are pregnant.

Should they do it on the phone when they first apply for the job? Should they let their potential employer about their pregnancy once they’ve scheduled an interview? Or should they wait until the interview itself, when it will be oh-so-obvious?

And, if they do wait until they are face to face with the interviewer, what should they say and do at that point in time in order to enhance the probability that they will get hired?

Human resource experts feel that if a woman is obviously pregnant and wants to have the odds with her when she is looking for a job she should wait until the interview itself before addressing the fact that she is pregnant. There are a number of reasons for this point of view.

First, if you are pregnant you many not feel comfortable disclosing it over the phone. After all, what are you going to say? Something like, “Okay. I’ll meet you at Baron’s on Wednesday at one o’clock. You’ll be able to recognize me because I’ll be the pregnant woman in the black suit.”

If you are overweight, or if you wear glasses, or if you’re underweight, or have a limp would you tell your potential employer that over the phone? You probably would not. So why should you mention that you’re pregnant?