#JobSearch #Pregnancy #AdminAssistant #SupportNeeded
Hey everyone! 👋 Have any of you been in a situation where you were looking for a job while pregnant? I empathize with the struggles and emotions that come with it, and I could really use some advice and support right now. Here's a little background on my situation:
– Lost my job and moved back in with my parents
– Found out I was pregnant at a tough time
– Feeling overwhelmed with job searching and sickness
– Want to provide for my baby but struggling to find a job
I feel like I'm at a crossroads and could use some guidance. Any tips on job searching while pregnant? Any success stories or resources you could share with me? I am aiming for admin assistant positions, which I believe align with my current situation.
One possible solution I’m considering is looking into remote or freelance opportunities to work from home and earn some income. This way, I can still contribute financially while taking care of myself and my baby. What do you guys think of this idea?
Your advice and support mean the world to me right now. Let’s help each other out and navigate this challenging time together! 💪 Thank you in advance for your insights and encouragement! 🌟
Don’t tell jobs you’re pregnant. They don’t need to know. Keep it completely hidden until you’ve established yourself well enough and then you can let people know.
Support your husband while he’s doing his best for you and the baby. Disregard the parents statements. My wife worked full term with our kids. I have a deep admiration for her and women that can do so. Don’t let the situation get you down, something will come through. Stay positive 👍
Your husband doesn’t work??
“I am only looking for admin assistant positions”
So, I’m going to preface this with a few things:
1.) I am a mother. Just had my baby girl back in January.
2.) I am our sole income earner
3.) I’m a director of recruiting and have over a decade of experience in talent acquisition
Right now, this job market is incredibly difficult. This is true for so many people.
Big tech hired a bunch of people and then laid them off. Which means you have a ton of competition for jobs currently. Likely with people who have more experience and more relevant experience.
There has been a lot of economic upheaval and companies are wary about hiring and the market has flipped to an employer driven market which has also created some wage stabilization/stagnation?
What skills do you have? What is your previous experience? How much do you need to survive right now, without a child? How are you applying for jobs? At what volume? Where are you submitting your applications? Why only admin assistant roles? What area do you live in? Is it HCOL? If so, are you prepared to move?
Moving onto the baby. Candidly, I’ve had two abortions. One when I was 17/18 and one around your age. It was a hard decision but it was the best for me. I grew up in extreme poverty and felt that I wasn’t in a place in my life where I could provide for a child. Nor was emotionally mature enough. I am so grateful to the young woman I was for doing something so hard to give me the future I have now.
However, it is your choice. As it should be. And as many women before you, you’ll figure out how to survive. But it will be hard. Not just on you. Or your partner but also your future child. That is simply reality. If you’re okay with that reality (applying for government assistance, possibly working more than one job, using community resources etc) then that’s fine.
In terms of the logistics of being pregnant and applying for jobs:
Do not disclose you are pregnant to any potential employers.
Once employed, contact HR and request information on their parental leave policies. Some companies have no paid parental leave. Others offer paid leave with reductions in pay for a certain period of time. That being said, FMLA provides you 12 weeks of job protection after the birth of your child.
I would advise any communications about you being pregnant be conducted via email as a written “paper trail” is beneficial if there is a circumstance of discrimination.
Know that companies legally cannot discriminate by declining to hire you because you’re pregnant. You’re also under no obligation to tell them that during the hiring process.
Get the job. Hide the pregnancy until after probation period is up and then take maternity leave. Bonus that you will have a job to come back to so it will make everything less stressful. Also get your future baby on daycare lists now or you might not have care…not sure what it’s like in your area. Keep your head up, you’re trying your best and it sounds like you got some toxic personalities you’re having to deal with! In a few years you will be all set up – gotta keep your eye on the prize!
Social companies working with addicts, mentally ill and the elderly are often searching desperately for workers. If you are lucky you could snatch a comfortable office job as all the direct client work needs special training.
You wouldn’t make much, but it’s meaningful and pretty recession resistant work.
Also you are not early. You, of course, have no idea about any pregnancy and no plans for it now.
They wont say they wont hire you pregnant – they just dont and wont
Keep it a secret as long as you can but its going to be a big uphill battle- and right now, you can’t be choosy- McDonald’s or anything if you wanna work and support save etc, or your forcing the hubs to work two jobs to provide for you baby and future.
Admin assistant is great if you can find it- highly unlikely, so apply broader, or deal with as it is. Time isn’t on your side being pregnant. And no job says they wont bc you’re pregnant. It’s just going to say they went with a better candidate.
Usually temp agencies have another job lined up, or can get one. Again if you are being picky- its take work to get paid or work til you can get into a job you want / like.
Just depends on what is most important while time is running low
OP, hope you can see this. Check with car dealerships. There are a ton of admin jobs that are easy or can be trained. BDC, guest relations, scheduling, office admin, processor, tons of options.
And typically those jobs don’t have a ton of people you’re fighting against for hiring because the general public doesn’t think about jobs other than salesman and mechanic when looking at the automotive industry.
Congratulations on your little one!
You’re doing the right thing with temp work, unfortunately this one won’t turn to perm but the next one could.
Keep applying, and consider school district admin/secretary roles too if you like that work. The schedule could help reduce your future childcare bill somewhat and depending on where you are the benefits/retirement is decent.
As others have said you’re under no obligation to disclose you’re pregnant to a future employer. One thing to keep in mind is that depending on the size of the employer and the length of time you’ve worked there you may not qualify for a protected leave. If that occurs they are under no obligation to hold your job while on maternity leave, many will because they’ve already trained you (and it’s just the decent thing to do) but it’s a risk.
It sounds tough at your parents house but I’d encourage you to stick it out until you have stabile employment/childcare. You don’t want to find yourself in your own apartment but unable to meet your babies needs. Stick it out with your parents, hopefully becoming grandparents will soften them a bit. Good luck!
Honest question – why are you keeping a baby you cannot afford? You got married young, got pregnant young – and you both don’t have the means to afford a baby. Look at your options.
I’m sorry you’re going through the overwhelm – but there are options. Unless you live in a place with no access – why not get an abortion, get your career on track, find a home and then plan appropriately for kids?
Sooo, you’re not pregnant untile you’re showing as far as anyone knows. Just keep going to interviews and pretend you’re not pregnant. Then, about 12 weeks in, SURPRISE! That’s what a friend did and it worked out great.
If you’re too sick to be able to go to interviews and stuff. It is OK to take a break. First trimester sucks.
Have you tried something like Uber Eats or even Pizza Hut?
Don’t tell jobs you’re pregnant when you’re interviewing. And when you do tell them later on, do so in writing so you have a paper trail in case they try to illegally terminate you.
I brought on two temps through an agency and they were both pregnant. They each took a week or two off for delivery and stayed with us about two years.
How about a remote job?
Look for positions at your local school districts. They often have after school program that need aides for a few hours. It’s not super lucrative, but better than nothing. Also, gig economy, maybe deliver food or do grocery shopping if you have access to a car. Don’t get discouraged, there are ways, and people are understanding.
Are you able to work at a church?
Get a therapist covered by insurance who can support you in all the different stress areas. They will also help with working through jobs.