Ok, so if you are a business nerd like myself you probably heard a little something about Yahoo taking on Marissa Mayer on as their new CEO even though she was six months pregnant ( Yes I know this is old news, but I have a point, hang in there). This of course brought out all sorts of unnecessary debates about what this means for woman. I think the part that mostly had people up tripping was Mrs. Mayer plans to take a short maternity leave after having her baby. Queue Salt and Pepper’s “It’s none of your business.”
Whatever your opinion of her may be is really not the point of today’s topic. You see, Mrs. Mayer or would it be best to say Ms. Mayer? Anyway Marissa has been fortunate enough to establish a career that speaks for itself. She truly is a force to be reckoned with and to Yahoo this pregnant CEO was the savior they needed to turn things around.
But what about the rest of us? You know, the equally if not more ambitious new generation of woman. Logging on to job board sites, networking, reading, writing, basically doing everything Yahoo told you to do to get a job ( don’t deny it) with the hopes some employer will take the chance on you to show them you too are a force to be reckoned with. FYI this Midwest gal lives in Texas now, so I get a kick out of using words like “reckon” and “ya’ll.”
Anyway like I was saying the equally ambitious women who also happen to be four to six months pregnant, but unlike Marissa are just starting their career. What do you do?!?
I will just go ahead now and out myself by saying I am currently in this situation. I am hungry to start my career but had a birds and bees moment with my hubby, now I’m knocked up and some people keep trying to convince me to hold off on job hunting because I am going to be going on maturity leave in some months. But I don’t want to; maybe it’s the crazy stubborn millennial in me, but I don’t see what the problem is with me starting a new job 5 to 6 months pregnant. I went back to school and work three weeks (could have been sooner but my baby was almost 10 lbs, physically it wasn’t possible) after having my daughter, granted I couldn’t stand for more than 10 minutes at a time. I was able to do what I needed to do. Bonding is clearly not an issue for us because when my baby is hurt or in a bad mood, I’m the only one she wants; whenever I come home she does a little joyful welcome celebration for me. So IN YO FACE bonding fanatics.
In all seriousness what do we entry-level women do? Do we just hold off, have baby, and then start our career. Or do we keep on trucking? Do you let employers know at the interview stage that you are in fact pregnant? Or just let them think you’re just pleasantly plump (which not going to lie, I am)?
I heard everything you said Sheryl Sandberg about the ambition gap and what not. I’m not one of the ones bringing us down, when I was a kid I wanted to be a judge; in fact I wanted to be Judge Judy. What do you have to say about this situation? Chime in O wise ones.
Ntrylevel 