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The stage of your pregnancy has a lot to do with the outcome of your job search. The first trimester is the easiest for obvious reasons, more than likely you are barely showing and if you are showing a bit, the potential employer is not likely to ask, "Are you overweight, or are you pregnant?". You are the only one that knows you have had morning sickness every day for the last two weeks; by the time you get to the interview (which you tactically schedule for the afternoon) you can be your usual pleasant and perky self. This is definitely the time to land that job, because you are competing on equal ground with other candidates at this point. So good luck, because it all goes downhill from here.

The second trimester, the belly is telling the story and it is going to be very hard to get the employer to focus on what your qualifications are and how hiring you is going to be of benefit to their organization. The majority of employers will smile and go through the motions of the interview, but they have already made up their minds. They have already decided that in front of them is someone that they will spend months training, only to have her take maternity leave just when they need them most and they'll be left in the same position they are in now, looking for someone to fill the void.

Odds are not in your favor, as unfortunately, there have been plenty of ladies that have burned employers who were willing to take the chance on them. Reassured at the interview that they had daycare lined up and their intent was to be with the company for many years to come; they took the job and as soon as the baby was born, they bolted. So they were not so much job-hunting as they were insurance hunting. This does not help the plight of those women that are getting ready to start a family and truly need to be working and earning a living.

If you think the second trimester was difficult, the third trimester makes it nearly impossible to succeed in the hunt for a new career. And let's face it; you can not really blame the employer. If they do have an open mind and consider you as a viable candidate, very pregnant ladies can have lots of physical issues to deal with and it does not allow for putting their best foot forward. The need to hit the ladies room comes often and with little warning and the unluckiest of interviews is the one where you need to stop in the middle and run from the room.

When just landing employment is the goal, try going for sales clerk positions at maternity shops or at a toy store places where your condition' can be seen as a benefit and not a hindrance. If you are concerned about being on your feet, these companies all have offices and if they are hiring, your knowledge and experience with their product can be presented as a benefit.

Consider working for an OB/GYN. The office that hires a pregnant woman is getting free advertising for the doctor. Women in the same stage of life are going to feel comfortable the minute they walk in the door, and yes, it is not a permanent condition, but by the time you give birth, the patients will be familiar with you and will enjoy hearing all about the baby from birth on up.

So, while there will be interviews and jobs that will be more difficult to land then others, keep these ideas in mind, look for places where you can even the footing a bit. And of course, if you are qualified and trained for a particular profession then try to plan the interview for the time of day when you can be at your best.

Learn more about this author, Gretchen Lorraine Hillcrest.
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