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New moms find it especially hard to look for a new job. It’s fierce out there! You have to compete with hundreds of other applicants looking for a new job, but only you have the added responsibility of taking care of a baby. The interviews can be nerve-racking and the maternity break that most moms take could be used against them in an interview. Sadly, some people refuse to see the dedication, passion, and hard work that a woman puts into her career to get back to the game. Recently, a woman had a similar experience when she lost out on a job because she brought her baby with her to the interview, despite the fact that they agreed on this setup.
The mom decided to share her experience by posting on Reddit. After completing a telephonic interview in March, the new mother was called in for an in-person interview for a position at a childcare facility. She says that they were aware of the situation and knew that she would have to bring her baby with her (1).
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She further states that when she received the call for the interview, she had confirmed about the room to keep her 7-month-old baby while she was being interviewed.
After making sure that they had no problem bringing her son, the mom explains how things didn’t go as she had hoped.
She arrived at the center 10 minutes early and was handed an application and questionnaire that she had to fill out. After completing everything, she was asked to meet the director at her office. Around the same time, her son started to get fussy as it was time for his lunch.
Seeing her fussy infant, the mom asked the director if they had anything that she could set his car seat on to feed him comfortably. The director looked at her with a funny expression and asked her if her son could wait until the interview was over. The Reddit user smiled and said that since her baby is hungry, she would like to make sure that it’s taken care of before she attends the interview. The director then said that they didn’t have anything to put him on and informed her that they had no food for the baby.
The Reddit user then clarified that she had the food with her and the baby just needed to be fed. The director informed her that her baby will have to wait until they are done with the interview. The mother wrote, “I laughed a bit and invited her to explain to my infant son that he needed to wait, saying he may listen to her, but I’d doubt it since you know, he’s a baby, and when babies are hungry, you feed them.”
The woman then said that she can go ahead and feed the baby while she interviews the other candidates. The mom then fed her baby on the floor of the lobby and changed him in the back of the car before coming back for the interview.
The Reddit user was called back for the interview soon after, and she thanked her for allowing her to feed and change her son. The director then told her that in her 20 years of experience she had only come across such a situation twice and informed her that she is not a good fit for the job.
The mom ends her post with a question, “So Reddit, am I the a**hole for feeding my baby?”
The people in the comments had mixed opinions about the situation. Many commented that the mom should’ve planned for the interview beforehand and worked around that schedule and probably fed and changed her baby before coming for the interview. One person said that the OP (Original Poster) was rude and belligerent toward the interviewer since she laughed and gave a sarcastic reply. Another said that she had plenty of time to find a babysitter or childcare for her baby and she was right not to hire her because of her lack of planning and foresight as well as the complete disregard for the interviewer’s time.
Others believed that the interviewer was at fault since they had agreed to bring the baby to the interview. And since the position was for a childcare facility, it was disconcerting that they found it okay to let a hungry infant cry or scream when the facility is all about taking care of kids.
What do you think of the post? We would love to know your thoughts in the comments section below.
Mitha Shameer
