Where am i going wrong?

[sarahnanny]

I'm currently looking for work and was worndering if any mums could help as to why i'm not getting work!

I'm 21 years old, 22 dec, driver (only for a month but passed first time and was learning may 05-oct 05)

I have a CACHE Diploma in Child Care and Education, first aid and current CRB check

While at college i was a nanny for 4 boys at the weekend, i was there for 4 years.

I also worked holidays in a nursey.

After finsihing college i worked in hampshire with a baby (4 months) and 13year old..it didn't work out and the family needed the extra space so after 4 months i left

I continued work at a hospital as a cleaner that i have now been doing for 5 years on and off

i also worked in a primary school while looking for work

I then worked for 3 kids (8weeks, 16m and 4.5years) for 18months

Now i'm looking again and have had 6 interviews with NO feedback so why am i not getting work?

Help!

[annh]

Sarah, I don't think you are doing anything "wrong" at all and for your age you have all the right qualifications and a reasonable amount of experience with a variety of ages. However, there seem to be a lot of nannies looking for work right now and if I was looking for a nanny now you would probably be in competition with nannies who are slightly (or much!)older and have a couple of years more experience. There probably wouldn't be a great deal of difference (if any) in the amount I would need to pay to (say) a 24/25 year old or to you, so the temptation is to go for more experience. Your lack of driving experience wouldn't bother me because our nanny only needs to drive very locally but probably is another factor people take into account.

Sorry, I don't have a great deal of advice for you but you have managed to get work before so somebody liked you enough to offer you a job and I'm sure will do again! Are you going for your interviews through agencies? Sometimes it is easier for families to give feedback to them rather than direct to candidates? If you are not registred with any agencies, maybe it is worth getting them to give you some honest assessment of the general work situation at the moment and some info on what families are really looking for etc

[sarahnanny]

Thanks for that!

I'm with a good few agencies!

some of the interviews through them and some privatly, just the agencies never seem to want to tell me what the family say...just "sorry they've picked someone else"

I know when i go through the agencies i'm with between 8 and 10 nannies but just getting disheartened!

[katymac]

Have you advertised on the Mumsnet thingie(can't remember what it's called)

[katymac]

Here?

[sarahnanny]

Yeah and nannyjob, and every other one i could think of!

[lars]

Sarahnanny, You have all the right qualifications. I suggest you contact the employers of your previous applications and ask them, so you know where to make improvements if need be. Most employers will tell you this and this can be helpful.
Try as many avenues as possible i.e classroom assistant of apply as dinner lady, get your foot in the door.
Also special schools are good place to start as well.
Go on LEA websites to look for jobs. The fact you are getting interviews sounds very good, maybe interview techniques may help, i.e improve your confidence. Good luck larsxx

[missd]

Sarah, are you only looking for Nanny jobs?
Would you be interested in looking at something completely different?

[sarahnanny]

Thanks Lars, I'm currently looking after my next door neighbours child one day a week, and another mothers child another day just to get some more experience and another reference but mothers aren't paying me for that so the other 5 days of the week i really need to work! Still have bills to pay at the end of the month!

Missd, i would really love to stay in nannying but i'm being 100% felexable, don't mind hours i do, house hold chores, ammount of child, or age of childen.

Would never consider a nursery - never never never!

Doing as much as i can to be more confident but i really didn't think i needed to as i'm a very out going bubbly person anyway!

[missd]

Sarahnanny, I run a home based business, and this could be something you could do without compromising your current career, but would enable you to earn some money.
If you want to know more my email is [email protected].
What have you got to lose?