Ask the Expert Randy Prange is a business advisor and CEO of Insights, Inc., a nationally recognized strategic planning and business development firm. Interviewing and Pregnant Q: While in the process of interviewing for a new job, I found out I was a few weeks pregnant. The interview process is not over yet. I have one more (possibly two) meeting left to go. My question is, at what point does it make sense for me to give them the good news? I know this is not the first thing an employer wants to hear about a new employee, but this is the job I have worked towards for more than five years now. I really don't want to back out just because the timing is poor. Also, because the interview process has been so long at this company, if I am offered the position, I may be showing by the time I start the new job. While I understand the laws surrounding discrimination, I also want to be forthcoming with my new employer. My husband and I believe the best time to tell them is when there is an offer on the table. Do you have any advice for my situation? Rachel, in Minnesota A: Dear Rachel, You are facing one of the more challenging circumstances women in the workplace have. First, and most importantly, you must determine your level of commitment to your career vs. your family and new child. You don't say what your present lifestyle is, if you have other children, a well-defined support structure in place for your family or how you have arrived at what you describe as a career peak opportunity. You will need to weigh these, and other, considerations before determining what approach is best for you. Your answers to those questions may change my thinking about your challenge. But let's look at a some basic principles for consideration in your decision making process. First, as you follow my column at BlueSuitMom.com you will begin to notice a reoccurring theme. Honesty. Although I was always told "honesty is the best policy," I must admit that I have not always observed it to be the fastest course of action for attaining short-term success. However, honesty has always paid large dividends in the long term for those strong enough to play that card on a continuous basis. And it pays off in both the personal and business world. So let's move forward with that theme. That you are honest and your future employer desires an honest employee. Next, let's also make the assumption that you have evaluated your situation thoroughly with your husband and determined that your priorities will remain with this new job opportunity. That is, that you will be willing to commit the time and energy that will be required, you honestly plan to take the minimum maternity leave necessary, and so on, to give yourself and your employer the fair chance that is probably required for this partnership to be successful. When thinking about the interview system you have described, it sounds as though the new employers should already have a fairly good idea of your talent, skills, personality, commitment and the like. If these three operands are used in the calculation, I would think you might want to demonstrate your integrity and commitment to the new employer by requesting a special meeting to inform them of your very recent findings regarding your pregnancy. It would also be an excellent opportunity to state your case for selection as the final candidate, based on your honesty, commitment to the companies best interests and your plan for limiting the impact on the company. Rachel, you already know that this approach contains certain risks. You may be eliminated from consideration for any number of reasons, perhaps some having to do with your pregnancy, but just as likely are those not having to do with it, since you have not yet been made an offer. However, if they choose not to hire you because you are pregnant, that indicates something very important about the company to you and you can possibly assume that in the future you may have found the company not to be all you had hoped for after all. If you follow your plan, waiting until the offer is made to mention the pregnancy, you will at the very least, put the company in an awkward position. It will also tell them something about how you approach challenges. It will allow them to make assumptions, right or wrong, about your integrity. If you wait to tell them until the offer is made, you will certainly know if they wanted you. If you tell them up front and don't get the job (you'll probably never know why), at least you'll know you did an honorable thing, and let the outcomes be as they may. Let me know what you decided to do and how it turns out. Good luck for getting the right job for you! Submit your questions for Randy Disclaimer: The information in this column is intended to provide the reader with general ideas or concepts to be used as part of a broader base of knowledge they collect to determine their own best course of action and solutions most suitable for solving their workplace challenges. The information in this column is not guaranteed to be the appropriate solution for each individual. The information provided is based on personal observations and experiences of the writer that have been garnered over years as a business manager, owner and executive business coach and counselor.