This is an anonymous post from an Elpha member.

Negotiating job offer while being pregnant (3rd trimester)

Dulce25·Mar 08, 2023

Hi all- I am looking to get advice from people who have negotiated job offers while on the later end of their pregnancy. I am 30 weeks along and just got a job offer. I haven't told anyone so far about my situation but will need to now. Any advice? things I should ask for? Suggestions for navigating? Thank you for your help!

meaghansandtorv·Mar 09, 2023

What are your specific concerns? Are you worried about being granted maternity leave? Will you need to negotiate extra leave or time off? I went through this and for me it was helpful to lay out what exactly that meant I'd be needing from the company or looking to negotiate with my offer package (for me, I wanted to negotiate full mat leave since technically you needed to be with the company 90 days to be eligible). If you're just generally nervous about telling them and how they'll respond (I was), I wrote out a whole script for myself to follow during the conversation. Happy to chat more in depth about it if you need support - just send me a DM.

Dulce25·Mar 10, 2023

My concerns are definitely around the receptiveness of the hiring manager and organization after telling them. I received a formal offer today and after that contacted the hiring manager to discuss the whole situation. I did end up writing a script- thank you for that suggestion! I think the conversation went pretty well. We are meeting tomorrow to discuss what the leave plan will be. The team is pretty small so it’s hard because I know they really needed me to jump in to things but also I think long term it will be a great fit. I’m hoping we can come to an arrangement that works for everyone. Feeling much better after having the conversation!

meaghansandtorv·Mar 10, 2023

Congratulations! It's so a tough conversation to have. The only way I could psych myself up for it was reminding myself that if they made a big stink about it, that was a huge red flag and I probably didn't want to work for them anyway. But I also made sure to emphasize that although I know this is a blip in the short term, I wanted to be there for the long haul and was invested in making sure it was the right fit for everyone.

smichalczuk·Mar 09, 2023

Have you requested a copy of their benefits guide? This is a normal request during a job offer/negotiation, so I'd suggest doing that before deciding how to proceed. You wouldn't want to accept a job right now that has worse parental leave policies, childcare options, and/or health insurance than your current employer.If you decide that you do actually want to accept the role, consider whether you might prefer to stay at your current company and take your maternity leave with them so that you can come into the new job starting from scratch (there could be pros and cons to this). Keep in mind that if this other company really wants to hire you, they might not be in a rush to do so.Here's an interesting article, although this person received their offer slightly further into their pregnancy than you are:https://www.fastcompany.com/90304455/heres-what-happened-when-i-interviewed-for-a-new-job-while-heavily-pregnant

Dulce25·Mar 10, 2023

Thank you sharing that article! I’m in a difficult position because I was laid off about 1.5months ago. I have been trying to find a new role asap but ideally would not have left my last role. It’s terrible timing but I’m trying to make the best of the situation

Sherie25·Mar 10, 2023

Accept the offer sign the letter and then ask them about needing some time off for bonding. Let them know your due date and find out what their maternity policy is. You might have to be on board to get paid for it but if it is an issue be prepared if you want the job for possible unpaid time. If the job is remote it could be problem solved. Congrats on the upcoming baby.