Dear Liz,
I am a single mom, and I always wonder whether to mention this fact during a job interview. If I do, I may not get the job because of the employer's concerns about child care. If I don't, they may feel that they should have known about my obligations later when this information comes out. What do you advise?

Thanks,
Marilee

Dear Marilee,
For me the issue is not your marital or parental status, but your ability to do the job as well as anyone else. If you expect to get to work most of the time and don't need any special accommodation, then I can't see how your single-mom state would be relevant information in a job interview. If you were asking for a special schedule, it would be a different matter.

I wouldn't bring up either fact - that you are single, or that you are a mom - in a job interview. If you get the job, you will eventually share lots of fun things about yourself with co-workers: the fact that you're a mom, that you play jazz clarinet, and/or that you dabble in astrophysics. In the unlikely event that someone asks you later, "Why didn't you mention your child during the job interview?" you will respond, "I'm sorry, I don't understand - how would that have been relevant?" and you will smile warmly.

Cheers -
Liz