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Switching jobs mid-pregnancy?

So, I'm 15+ weeks pregnant, and the other day I was approached by the VP of a digital marketing agency that does business with my current company about a job opening they have that she thought I would be interested in... Today, I emailed her back and told her I was pregnant, and that it probably was not an ideal time to change jobs (and I hinted at maternity leave and that I would have to be out for a few months... Basically giving her an "out" before I actually applied). She responded pretty quickly congratulating me, and she said that if I'm interested, the pregnancy isn't a deal breaker for her if it isn't for me. Now, technically I know that you can't NOT hire someone because they're pregnant, but I also was not going to go into the process under false pretenses and spring it on her later. I was kind of surprised that the fact that I would be taking maternity leave in less than 6 months didn't faze her at all.

I really dislike my current job, but I had resigned myself to staying here through the pregnancy, at the very least, because I was not about to start actively looking mid-pregnancy. But this has basically fallen in my lap, and it would be a really good opportunity for me.

This position would be working on one of their major accounts - a well-known international retailer. I would be working at the retailer's HQ, so mostly interacting with the clients. The starting salary is almost double what I make now, the benefits are good, and it could lead to other opportunities for me. On the downside, I'll have an actual commute - not the 8-minute drive I have now.

I guess my question is: Is it crazy to pursue a new job (one that admittedly pays well but will probably be more demanding) mid-pregnancy? Has anyone done it and do you have advice/regrets/etc.? It's not like I'm guaranteed to get the position, but I have a very good shot at it.
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Re: Switching jobs mid-pregnancy?

  • This also seems like a no-brainer to me.  It seems like a fantastic opportunity, and if you hate your current job, I would apply and take it if possible.  I can't speak to the pregnancy part of it, but how do you feel about it long term?


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  • Thanks @short+sassy - the commute COULD be bad, in traffic. Though I would be going against the main commute direction, and H and I are hoping to buy a house soon, in which case I'll probably have a commute whether I change jobs or not. I feel like it's the right thing to do to pursue it at least. Worst case if I get the job and hate it, I'll stick it out for a year and then look for something else.

    The VP wants me to meet the account director and executive team ASAP, and then the client-side team if the first meeting goes well... So I definitely don't have to make a decision immediately!
    BabyFruit Ticker
  • I'm assuming it would involve a switch in health insurance--is that any issue at all?

    Otherwise, sounds like a good opportunity to me!  Having a commute sucks, but definitely not a deal breaker to me.

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  • levioosa said:
    This also seems like a no-brainer to me.  It seems like a fantastic opportunity, and if you hate your current job, I would apply and take it if possible.  I can't speak to the pregnancy part of it, but how do you feel about it long term?
    It's an opportunity I have been hoping for... I've been in touch with this VP over the last 6 months about possible job openings, since they have really good opportunities pop up once in a while. She knows me and my work already, we've had drinks a few times (pre-pregnancy) to talk about my work, and since I've worked with this agency at my current job I already know some people and the culture.

    My only hesitation is that it might change my post-pregnancy plans. Since my current job pays shit, and I really, really dislike it, H and I have been toying with the idea of me staying home for a while after the baby comes; financially and emotionally it wouldn't make sense to spend 75% of my salary on childcare for me to go to a job that I hate. It would be really difficult to make it work on H's salary alone, but we could do it. 

    However - if I had a job I actually enjoyed, that paid well enough that high-quality childcare wasn't an issue, I would gladly go back after maternity leave. I guess I DO worry, though, that after having the baby I might not WANT to go back to work, but if that happens, I'll suck it up and stick it out for a while so I don't burn any bridges. I really hope that it's a good fit, though, and I will be excited to go back. Plus, H has extended paid leave through his work, so if I got back to work after, say, 3 months, he could potentially take 1-2 months off to stay home at that point, extending the amount of time the baby doesn't have to go to daycare.
    BabyFruit Ticker
  • @monkeysip yeah it would involve switching health insurance, but that shouldn't be too big an issue. I'd just sign up for COBRA for a month, or look into getting on H's insurance. I've maxed out my deductible for this year already, so I guess I'd have slightly higher costs for the remainder of 2016, but the baby isn't due until February - so when it comes to the actual labor and delivery costs, it wouldn't make much difference.
    BabyFruit Ticker
  • So I've never been pregnant, but, I don't think pregnancy itself should stop you from pursuing a career and company that you would love.

    I think it was wise of you to mention the pregnancy, but if the VP is willing to make it work for you, I would take that as a bonus (nice to have a boss who supports family goals and realizes your life is more than just work), and I wouldn't worry about it either.

    I would think more about your post pregnancy plans- if you are seriously considering not working, then I might not take a job just to leave it, but if your big motivator to that was that you don't like your current job anyway, then I'd still give the new job a try.
  • I would go for it. Seems like things have lined up and you should see what happens. Provided that you are honest with people and don't burn bridges, if it doesn't work post baby, you'll probably still be better off with having this on your resume.

  • I would check what your new benefits would be in terms of maternity leave and getting paid, and health insurance. If it works financially for you guys, I would go for it. You were upfront about it and they know going in that you are pregnant and wanting maternity leave. Good luck. 
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  • My concerns with switching would be insurance and leave. You won't have FML as you don't have worked there a year when you go on leave. So if there was any downsizing, etc, you wouldn't be protected by it. Also you would probably be forced to take unpaid leave for the duration of your leave, not sure off that's the same under your current job. But if you hate you current job, then you don't have much to lose. Switching insurance while pregnant would really freak me out...what if your doctor is no longer in network? I'd look into that for sure.
    :kiss: ~xoxo~ :kiss:

  • I think it sounds like an amazing opportunity! Congratulations on the offer and your pregnancy.

    I would echo PPs questions about health insurance and maternity leave. Would you be eligible for health insurance from your provider right away or would you have to wait for a certain amount of time? If you had to be added to your husband's insurance, would y'all's take home pay still be significantly more? Were you planning on being paid while on maternity leave and would the new job offer any compensation?

    Obviously, since you aren't due until February and you would be making double your current salary, you could potentially still save enough money between now and then to have a nice cushion for maternity leave.

    You also mentioned that you have been thinking about staying home with the baby because you don't like your current job and with the pay being so low, the majority of your salary would go to childcare. is this something you REALLY want to do? Is staying home with the baby something you would regret NOT doing or would you be okay with working?

    Personally, when I found out I was pregnant, I knew I would not be pursuing another job and wouldn't accept one because I had saved my sick and vacation leave so that I could be fully paid while on maternity leave (that was important to me). BUT, I love my job (I just hate that it's over an hour away from home) and have good benefits to make it worth it to stay.

  • I'm in almost the same boat @madamerwin. I actually suspended my job search because of my pregnancy. Most employers make you wait 90 days before health insurance kicks in and then you have to start all over again with deductibles and co-insurance. Then, of course there is the issue of maternity leave. Since your salary will be double, the health insurance issue probably won't be that big of a deal. I would definitely get it in writing about maternity leave, though. 6-8 weeks of no pay with the potential to not have a job afterwards is a scary thought.
  • Insurance and FMLA would be my drawbacks too. I'd definitely want to know the maternity leave benefits offered since FMLA isn't on the table - do they offer a personal leave of absence to replace it, will you have any vacation/sick time right away to help offset income, etc. Aside from those considerations I would not hesitate to pursue a job I wanted just because I'm pregnant. 
  • Thanks, all!

    Re: Maternity leave - I don't get paid leave at my current job. I'd use my sick and vacation time (approx. 5 weeks total), and then the rest would be unpaid. I will definitely get something in writing from the new company, though, about getting the time off I want. I want 3 months off (hell, more if they'd let me), and not getting that would be a deal breaker. If, for some reason, they laid me off after maternity leave, I would be in the same boat as if I stayed at my current job anyway (not returning to work right away), so really I don't think there's anything to lose on this front.

    Re: Health insurance - Another thing I will definitely talk to them about. I have had jobs where you can get on the company plan on the first of the month after you start, and I've had jobs where you get on it after 6 months (!). But if I'm being paid 2x what I make now, being on H's insurance for a few months wouldn't break the bank. I am fairly certain the new company has a major health insurance carrier (I have a friend who works there who is also pregnant), and my current insurance is also a major carrier, so fingers crossed coverage won't be an issue. If it is, that is definitely something I would have to take into consideration.

    Re: Staying home after the baby - I had mixed feelings about this - the thought of not going back to my current job was super-enticing, but also stressful in that we would be on a really tight budget. The thought of putting a baby in daycare at 3 months doesn't thrill me, but we may be able to work around that (H has extended leave, so he could take a month off when I return; my mom has already offered to help out, so we could probably get her to watch the baby for another month or two, meaning the baby wouldn't go to daycare until 6 months instead of 3 months). We want to buy a house soon, and we need a new, baby-friendly car, so me not having a job would really put a strain on our plans. But truly, I don't know for certain how I will feel after the baby comes; I have known women who were positive they wouldn't want to return to work, who, after maternity leave, were itching to get back out there. I've also known women who were sure they would return, only to find they couldn't bring themselves to do it once the baby came. If it's a job I enjoy, though, I really do think I will be happy to go back. In short, I guess I feel ambivalent. But NOT taking a job on the off chance I may decide while on maternity leave that I cannot go back seems like a bad idea; for all I know, I'll be stir-crazy one month into leave.

    I would like to, one day, have the ability to work from home full-time, but I also recognize that that can't necessarily happen right away. We want a house, which won't happen on H's salary alone.

    Child-free here as well, and a Sheryl Sandberg lackey.

    One of her main points in the book "Lean In" is that pregnancy is the optimum time to focus on career, rather than lean back.  She continues that having a job that interests and challenges you creates an incentive to return.  Who knows, maybe your current plans to stay home for a bit are more driven by your current dissatisfaction at work than you consciously think.

    Would your husband walk away from an opportunity to double his income because he is also months away from becoming a parent?
    The bolded is probably true. I may be looking for an excuse just not to stay at my job.

    And H definitely thinks this is a no-brainer and that I should pursue the opportunity. He was supportive of the idea of me staying home after, but really that was for financial reasons (no point in me working ONLY to pay for childcare). I feel like even if I hate the job, I can stick it out for long enough not to burn bridges; say I go back after leave and really hate being at work, I can still manage 6 months, look for a part-time job, and leave on good terms.


    Another thought.  A previous company I worked for was NOT a "work-from-home" kind of place.  However, when one of my co-workers went on a 3-month maternity leave, they offered her the option to work part-time from home during that time.  She ended up taking about one month off totally, and then worked p/t from home for the next two months.

    That may not be an option for either job anyway but, if that appeals to you, it might be something to throw out to wherever you are working at that time.

    Wedding Countdown Ticker
  • While I get the insurance is a concern, doubling your income would be enough for me.  You may end up paying more out of pocket, but since your new income would be way more, you're still coming out ahead.  I agree that this is a no brainer, go for it!
    Married 9.12.15
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  • levioosa said:
    This also seems like a no-brainer to me.  It seems like a fantastic opportunity, and if you hate your current job, I would apply and take it if possible.  I can't speak to the pregnancy part of it, but how do you feel about it long term?
    It's an opportunity I have been hoping for... I've been in touch with this VP over the last 6 months about possible job openings, since they have really good opportunities pop up once in a while. She knows me and my work already, we've had drinks a few times (pre-pregnancy) to talk about my work, and since I've worked with this agency at my current job I already know some people and the culture.

    My only hesitation is that it might change my post-pregnancy plans. Since my current job pays shit, and I really, really dislike it, H and I have been toying with the idea of me staying home for a while after the baby comes; financially and emotionally it wouldn't make sense to spend 75% of my salary on childcare for me to go to a job that I hate. It would be really difficult to make it work on H's salary alone, but we could do it. 

    However - if I had a job I actually enjoyed, that paid well enough that high-quality childcare wasn't an issue, I would gladly go back after maternity leave. I guess I DO worry, though, that after having the baby I might not WANT to go back to work, but if that happens, I'll suck it up and stick it out for a while so I don't burn any bridges. I really hope that it's a good fit, though, and I will be excited to go back. Plus, H has extended paid leave through his work, so if I got back to work after, say, 3 months, he could potentially take 1-2 months off to stay home at that point, extending the amount of time the baby doesn't have to go to daycare.
    I think bolded in what you said would be reason out. Plus new boss is cool with pregnancy, plus something you're hoping for.

    DO IT! :smiley:  Congrats on both also :)
  • No pregnancy related advice, but way to go getting an awesome job offer out of the blue. Bad ass.
  • Thanks, all!

    Re: Maternity leave - I don't get paid leave at my current job. I'd use my sick and vacation time (approx. 5 weeks total), and then the rest would be unpaid. I will definitely get something in writing from the new company, though, about getting the time off I want. I want 3 months off (hell, more if they'd let me), and not getting that would be a deal breaker. If, for some reason, they laid me off after maternity leave, I would be in the same boat as if I stayed at my current job anyway (not returning to work right away), so really I don't think there's anything to lose on this front.

    Re: Health insurance - Another thing I will definitely talk to them about. I have had jobs where you can get on the company plan on the first of the month after you start, and I've had jobs where you get on it after 6 months (!). But if I'm being paid 2x what I make now, being on H's insurance for a few months wouldn't break the bank. I am fairly certain the new company has a major health insurance carrier (I have a friend who works there who is also pregnant), and my current insurance is also a major carrier, so fingers crossed coverage won't be an issue. If it is, that is definitely something I would have to take into consideration.

    Re: Staying home after the baby - I had mixed feelings about this - the thought of not going back to my current job was super-enticing, but also stressful in that we would be on a really tight budget. The thought of putting a baby in daycare at 3 months doesn't thrill me, but we may be able to work around that (H has extended leave, so he could take a month off when I return; my mom has already offered to help out, so we could probably get her to watch the baby for another month or two, meaning the baby wouldn't go to daycare until 6 months instead of 3 months). We want to buy a house soon, and we need a new, baby-friendly car, so me not having a job would really put a strain on our plans. But truly, I don't know for certain how I will feel after the baby comes; I have known women who were positive they wouldn't want to return to work, who, after maternity leave, were itching to get back out there. I've also known women who were sure they would return, only to find they couldn't bring themselves to do it once the baby came. If it's a job I enjoy, though, I really do think I will be happy to go back. In short, I guess I feel ambivalent. But NOT taking a job on the off chance I may decide while on maternity leave that I cannot go back seems like a bad idea; for all I know, I'll be stir-crazy one month into leave.

    I would like to, one day, have the ability to work from home full-time, but I also recognize that that can't necessarily happen right away. We want a house, which won't happen on H's salary alone.

    Child-free here as well, and a Sheryl Sandberg lackey.

    One of her main points in the book "Lean In" is that pregnancy is the optimum time to focus on career, rather than lean back.  She continues that having a job that interests and challenges you creates an incentive to return.  Who knows, maybe your current plans to stay home for a bit are more driven by your current dissatisfaction at work than you consciously think.

    Would your husband walk away from an opportunity to double his income because he is also months away from becoming a parent?
    The bolded is probably true. I may be looking for an excuse just not to stay at my job.

    And H definitely thinks this is a no-brainer and that I should pursue the opportunity. He was supportive of the idea of me staying home after, but really that was for financial reasons (no point in me working ONLY to pay for childcare). I feel like even if I hate the job, I can stick it out for long enough not to burn bridges; say I go back after leave and really hate being at work, I can still manage 6 months, look for a part-time job, and leave on good terms.


    Another thought.  A previous company I worked for was NOT a "work-from-home" kind of place.  However, when one of my co-workers went on a 3-month maternity leave, they offered her the option to work part-time from home during that time.  She ended up taking about one month off totally, and then worked p/t from home for the next two months.

    That may not be an option for either job anyway but, if that appeals to you, it might be something to throw out to wherever you are working at that time.

    This could very well be an option. My friend (old co-worker) who works there and is due next month is taking 3 months maternity leave, then pretty sure she is coming back on an alternative schedule of sorts... Like, in the office 3 days/week and work from home 1 day/week (so, working 4 days/week for a while).

    I also think the person who used to be in the role I am interviewing for worked from home 1-2 days/week regularly, because the commute was heinous for her. I wouldn't necessarily ask to do that at the start, but I am pretty sure they're somewhat flexible once you prove yourself to be a valuable team member.
    BabyFruit Ticker
  • Sounds like this company is a pretty awesome place to work with supportive management. Go for it!!
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