Mom’s post on getting hired while pregnant goes viral on LinkedIn

One mom is sharing her exciting experience with getting the job she wanted while being forthright with her pregnancy, and it’s going viral on LinkedIn. Interviewing for a job is a daunting task no matter what, but interviewing for a job while pregnant comes with a whole host of anxieties to add to the existing list.

Anna Franziska Hunger, a Talent & People Operations Partner at Kaya, wrote a post on the professional network platform that touches on a worry so many women have—trying to get a new job while pregnant. And her words are resonating with so many working moms.

“I AM PREGNANT and I GOT HIRED,” her LinkedIn post begins. “While this is becoming more mainstream, being a ‘pregnant hire’ still feels like an oxymoron.”

She explains that she was “terrified” of sharing the news that she was pregnant during the interview process, despite the fact that she has a human resources background. (Discrimination against pregnant people during the hiring process is a big no-no pretty much everywhere.) Hunger also says more than once, she was told to hide her pregnancy until signing an official offer.

“I decided not to compromise and tell the truth, 6 months pregnant (again),” she says. “I want to be a role model to my daughter and work for a company that values and empowers working mums that juggle two toddlers.”

Related: Working mom’s ‘Out of Office’ message goes viral on LinkedIn

Not only did Hunger get the job, but she also got maternity leave—a benefit that many companies don’t offer until an employee has been with the company for a certain amount of time.

“Thanks KAYA VC for trusting in me and excited to get started and support more founders, people teams and scale ups in all things talent and people operations,” she concludes.

Other working moms commented on Hunger’s LinkedIn post to share their own experiences.

“SO HAPPY that things are changing for young women,” one woman wrote. “21 years ago I didn’t want to tell my boss that I was pregnant with #4. When I finally told her she said I had no business working with 4 children. I was crushed.”

“My wife was ghosted by so many companies and recruiters once she disclosed she was pregnant,” another person commented.

Related: LinkedIn aims to erase stigma for moms with career gaps in their resume

Others shared that they had experienced a positive outcome similar to Hunger’s.

“What a wonderful story,” another mom said. “I too just started a new job pregnant and also chose to be upfront with the leadership team during the interview process. I was understandably nervous to share my news but when I did, the response from the CEO and Chairman was extremely positive and supportive – they didn’t bat an eyelash when I told them, their immediate response was to begin explaining how they could help me! Based on that reaction, I knew that this was a company where a working mother could thrive in.”

It’s so incredibly important to have these conversations and share these stories, so that companies can see what’s possible and how they can improve their hiring practices—and so other working moms can feel seen and supported.

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