Should You Mention Your Divorce in a Job Interview

Should You Mention Your Divorce in a Job InterviewShould You Mention Your Divorce in a Job Interview4When you find yourself in the middle of a job hunt and adivorce at the same time, it can be tempting to link them together. As a time-pressed professional with a LOT on your mind, you may be itching to mention your divorce in a job vorstellungsgesprch with a prospective client. But mentioning marital drama during a job interview isnt just a bad idea, its completely off-limits.Here are five tips about mentioning your divorce in a job interview.1. Im getting divorced, and I need a job.The end of a marriage can prompt anew job search for a number of reasons. You may find yourself relocating after the split. Or you and your soon-to-be-ex worked or contracted together and now thats no longer an option.In most cases, however, your job search has a lot to do with finances. Your income has decreased because a) you no can longer rely on your spouses income, or b) you now have new expenses such as child support or alimony. You need more income and higher paying gigs to make up the difference.2. You cant ask me thatQuestions about yourmarital status are simply off-limits. Your interviewer should be familiar with- and is required to abide by- the federal anti-discrimination laws enforced by theEqual Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).Examples of prohibited questions includeAre you married?Are you divorced?Do you receive alimony or child support?But while its illegal for employers to discriminate against you based on whether youre married or have kids, it still happens. If your interviewer does ask such a question, you may choose to answer it truthfully.Feel no obligation to do so. You may tell the interviewer that the question is notlage relevant to the job and you would prefer not to answer. Your best bet is to play it safe and keep your divorce (and your overall personal life) completely separate from anything job related.3. Play it close to the vest in a job interv iew.Dont reveal that youre recently divorced because you dont know how the employer will interpret the information, advises career coachMishri Someshwar. Will they interpret it as Hmm, this person will work harder because she no longer has a spouses income or will they interpret it as, Hmm, what if this person has lots of family drama that will interfere with the job?4. Sell yourself not your situation.Revealing a divorce wont help close the deal so I wouldnt disclose it, says equal pay consultant Katie Donovan, founder ofEqual Pay Negotiations LLC. A job interview is a sales meetingfocus your efforts on talking about the things that sell you.Donovan adds that youre under no obligation to share anything that could create a qualifikation objection, whether its related to your divorce or not. And that is something that is particularly troublesome for former stay-at-home spouses.If youre not sure how to introduce the reason for a job search after a long break, simply state that youre r eady to reenter the work world, she says.5. What about after youre hired?Someshwar recommends not revealing anything personal until youve been hired. If your divorce will require you to be unavailable on multiple preset occasions, It may be worth bringing up when you have a job offer in hand, she says. Its nice to give your manager a heads up.Joan Fradella, a certified family mediator through the Supreme Court of Florida, agrees with Someshwar in that your marital status has nothing to do with your ability to do a job. But she cautions against disclosing such information even once the job is yours.Keeping your personal life personal means you shouldnt let it impact or interfere with your ability to complete assigned tasks or not be present when you need to be on-site. Make sure your divorce does not cause you to miss work or be on the phone, says Fradella. Mediators and attorneys typically have weekend and evening appointments, so take advantage.Should your final court appointment t ake place during hours youre required to be around in person, be casual about needing that time out of the office, she adds. Its nobodys business but your own.Readers, have you ever been asked questions about your marital status or your divorce in a job interview before? Tell us in the comment section belowMary Fetzer is a professional freelance writer and editor with frequent contributions to Avvo Stories. She has covered an enormous range of topics ranging from personal finance and international trade to pregnancy and senior living. Avvo is the largest online legal marketplace with the goal of making legal easier. They provide fixed fee, on demand legal services that range from general advice sessions to document review, document creation. members can get a discount on Avvo services through the Member Savings program