My 2 Minute Interviews

Tell me you did not laugh or smirk after reading the first sentence. Its funny how clearly a paradigm shift in thoughts is happening in letter but not in spirit. They say firms are all in for inclusion, would love to bring back women to work force, corporates know what a big loss it is to see women dropping out; but I am finding it all just a lip service.

A survey of 1,000 women working in the capital, Delhi, and its neighbouring areas found that only 18–34% of married women continued working after having a child. (This is data from 2015 but I’m sure the numbers haven’t changed much).

It’s been almost 4 months since I have been trying to find the right fit for me. Well to be honest it’s been 8 months (but again who is counting, as long as I take it slow and get the perfect fit). I have more than doubled my LinkedIn circle in order to connect with people I thought may connect me to others or introduce me to this opportunity I’ve been waiting for. I have reached out to my batchmates, to my colleagues; but they all seem to be clueless. This leads me to wonder how can having a kid suddenly create this much impact professionally.

When I finally get a call for an interview, they almost never start on time (read at least an hour late). I go there with lot of research about the firm and willing to speak openly about my experience and myself. Yet I am always asked only these disturbing questions. Some bytes from my interview (with answers only uttered in my head for obvious reasons) are as follows:

2. You wont be able to put in long hours

3. You have very little experience in ecommerce/start ups

4. You have very little experience in banking

5. Do you live in a nuclear family?

6. Are you flexible on your compensation

7. We shall get back to you.

It is ironic that phrases like work-life balance are the first words that are uttered even by my friends when I ask for a reference at their firms. I find it amusing that they consider work life balance is important only for women who have children. I consider work life balance a reality that everybody should be entitled to and exercise. That’s a truth which I am not going to shy away from ever. Off course I need time for my family and yes, I would love to take a vacation for ten days once a year. I enjoy having the weekends to myself; but its not a new concept. I always did have work life balance. I admit to working very long hours too and I know I wont shy away from them as long as I love what I do.

Even more absurd is the question on long hours. Every job profile will have long hours and some chiller days where work gets over sooner. Long hours in today’s day and age should not be as hindering as they used to be earlier. With internet and remote location work becoming realities, a wo/man can choose to work from home.

We in India are overwhelmingly dependant on family support when it comes to childcare. Rest of the world is working fine with childcare groups or a trustworthy nanny. And for the record, our families are only 4 hours away (thank goodness for flights). Also, why are we so stuck up on mom being the sole provider for the baby? Barring his initial feeding days, I don’t see my son needing me around the entire day. Studies completed by the American Psychological Association (1999) and the University of Texas (2005) attempting to ‘find the impact of working mothers on children’, did not find any developmental problems in children whose mothers worked outside the home.

In a nutshell, if a women wants to work, let her.

I do understand priorities change for almost all the women who take a break; this would be equally true for men as well. This is the precious time we truly start focusing our energies into finding ourselves. I too have shifted my priorities;

It is my sincere appeal to people taking interviews to not waste time and really try to understand a persons capabilities rather than fit them in your Job requirements.

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Tell the magic which was laid. “Magic” is published by Wordcoquette.