Would you tell a potential employer that you hs?

[Halcyon]

I interviewed for a job 2 weeks ago, and it was pretty clear she liked me :) A couple of days ago, she confirmed that with an email. Then she said "Enjoy the last couple of weeks with your kids before they go back to school!" She's a friendly person and I don't want to mislead her. The job would be part time, and I can pretty much set my own hours, so I will be working around my hsing, and DH will help out, and we will get a p/t sitter as needed.

 

I will be working probably 10-15 hours a week, and I know that my hs-ing will come first. This job won't conflict with my homeschooling tremendously--but if it does, I'm re-evaluating (we need the money, but we know our priorities, too). Nonetheless, I feel sort of guilty that she doesn't know I homeschool. Especially given that this is the second time she's mentioned something about my kids resuming school (I think she assumes I want to return to work because my youngest is now K age).

 

I hate to mislead her, even if this has nothing to do with my job and is really not any of her business. Would you tell her?

[Avila]

Sure I would tell her. After I had the job AND it was going well AND she brought it up again. It really isn't her business now unless your homeschooling would affect your availability or reliability for the job, any more than it would be her business if your child were in a private school versus public.

 

Hope you get the job! :)

[Excelsior! Academy]

I don't feel your intention is to mislead her, but I wouldn't supply the information unless there is a reason to. Just like I wouldn't supply other information unless there was a reason to. She was just making a polite comment, and I wouldn't take it for any more than that.

[Tammy]

mainly because it isn't any of her business.

 

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[JoyfulMama]

No. It's not relevant at this point. She is probably just being kind. I wouldn't want my qualifications to be overshadowed by the fact that I home school, especially by someone who does not know me nor know how WE home school. Now, AFTER I had the job, well that would be different.

 

And, this is the same way I am approaching my current interviews.

[NanceXToo]

I agree with the others. Let that comment slide for now and don't respond to it. There's no need to bring it up, especially when you just never know how someone feels about homeschooling and whether it would make them look at you differently for any reason.

 

AFTER you get the job, and/or you get to know her a bit better, if she brings it up again, then it's fine to mention it casually if you want to, and more in depth if she expresses friendly interest. But not now!

[ccmom]

I do not like to volunteer this information because I have experienced negative reactions from people who are adamantly against it. However, after having a job for awhile I did confide in my boss, because I had established a trusting relationship with her. This is after she knew that I was reliable and had no reason to question my ability to do the job and remain reliable.

 

I still take the position that it's really none of their business and I would only bring it up if it became an issue.

[Sun]

Sure I would tell her. After I had the job AND it was going well AND she brought it up again. It really isn't her business now unless your homeschooling would affect your availability or reliability for the job, any more than it would be her business if your child were in a private school versus public.

 

Hope you get the job! :)

 

:iagree: It's not her business if it's not relevant to how well you would be able to do the job.

[Laurie4b]

I interviewed for a job 2 weeks ago, and it was pretty clear she liked me :) A couple of days ago, she confirmed that with an email. Then she said "Enjoy the last couple of weeks with your kids before they go back to school!" She's a friendly person and I don't want to mislead her. The job would be part time, and I can pretty much set my own hours, so I will be working around my hsing, and DH will help out, and we will get a p/t sitter as needed.

 

I will be working probably 10-15 hours a week, and I know that my hs-ing will come first. This job won't conflict with my homeschooling tremendously--but if it does, I'm re-evaluating (we need the money, but we know our priorities, too). Nonetheless, I feel sort of guilty that she doesn't know I homeschool. Especially given that this is the second time she's mentioned something about my kids resuming school (I think she assumes I want to return to work because my youngest is now K age).

 

I hate to mislead her, even if this has nothing to do with my job and is really not any of her business. Would you tell her?

 

Well, do you reboot your homeschool in the fall? I would say, for instance, that we are getting back to school after Labor Day...

I agree with others that it is just a friendly comment and there is not a need to correct the nuance of it--you could apply the "fall start up" reasoning in your mind if that helps.

[Catwoman]

I agree with everyone who said that you don't need to share the information unless directly asked about it. It's not relevant to the job, and as a homeschool mom, you actually have more flexibility than a mom whose kids were in ps would have. The woman was just making a casual comment, and I'm sure she has already forgotten all about it.

 

Besides, the kids are going back to school -- they'll just be doing school at home!

 

The only reason I'd mention the hsing is if it looked like you might not get the job. I know it's tough to have an employee whose kids are in ps, because they always have to be home at an exact time of the day to wait for the kids at the bus stop; they need days off during school vacations and on snow days, etc. A homeschooling mom would have fewer of those issues, so it could work to your advantage to not be a "public school mom."

 

Cat

[lmrich]

I agree don't tell her. I know enjoy the weeks before my kids go back to the school routine. Really it is not her concern.

[OnTheBrink]

I'm not sure what difference it makes. I was very up front with my current employer about my homeschooling and that was one of the reasons they let me pick my days and hours.

 

Not sure why it would be a issue either way. But, I'd not go out of my way to correct her email; that just seems rude or petty. I'd let it go and not worry about it.

[mommaduck]

No, I would not. I've been turned down for a couple of positions due to this, even though one was a totally different shift, I had two supervisors pulling for me, and my homeschooling actually impressed the supervisors and almost got me a position better than I applied for...the human resources dept nixed my application because of it (and because I had not had a "job" in so many years, supposedly).

[Karen in CO]

I agree with the others that say don't tell. It falls under the heading of not relevant but possibly discriminatory. It is actually illegal for potential employers to ask if you are married or if you have children or if you're pregnant. I'd not volunteer any information. It isn't hiding it or anything. It just prevents problems. After you have the job and get to know the new boss and want to share, that is different. Many people I have worked with for years still don't know that I homeschool because it isn't relevant to my job.

[Halcyon]

Well, that sure is a consensus! My DH agrees with all of you, btw :) I was the one who felt weirdly as though I was 'hiding' something. I will keep it quiet. It looks like the job will start in November, andI already told her the hours that will work for me--I will be working on my own in a separate workplace from the main office, so I doubt it will come up again, unless we get together socially (it's a small town, so that might just happen). but I'll cross that bridge when I come to it. thanks :)