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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think a school admin job is a hard thing to get...

30 replies

morefalafel · 28/02/2014 22:45

... if you have no school experience?

I have just been offered a part time job in a school which would be amazing for me because of the locality and the hours. A colleague has suggested that they are 10 a penny and that I will easily be offered something better in a school in the next few months if I stick it out and wait (we are all being made redundant)

I had no school experience but vast admin experience and am really happy to be offered it. I think she's underestimating how hard it is to get this kind of job given the market at the moment, and I should snap it up before someone else does. AIBU?

OP posts:
ITCouldBeWorse · 28/02/2014 22:45

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

lookingfoxy · 28/02/2014 22:46

Snap it up!!

Bluestocking · 28/02/2014 22:48

My impression is that these jobs are like rocking horse poo! Grab this one while you can.

HomeIsWhereTheHeartIs · 28/02/2014 22:48

YANBU! Well done on the job offer :)

23balloons · 28/02/2014 22:48

Definitely really hard to get round here, though some pay a pittance and others a more reasonable wage. It's all about balance and what suits you.

I take less pay for great hours flexibility and lots of holidays. When the kids are older I would prefer more hours &pay.

WorraLiberty · 28/02/2014 22:48

I don't get her reasoning

Even if you were offered something better, why wouldn't you take this job in the meantime?

Oh and she is BU, they're not 10 a penny at all.

Many office workers would give their right arms for a job with 12 weeks holidays...although they might have trouble typing one handed Grin

Silkyandmoonface · 28/02/2014 22:50

Extremely hard to get because a we have highly qualified people going for them because their child attends the school and it is a rare school hours, term time only contract.
Bite their hand off!

RedPencils · 28/02/2014 22:55

every mum on the school playground will go for it. definitely not 10 a penny.

ITCouldBeWorse · 28/02/2014 22:56

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

greenbananas · 28/02/2014 22:57

Yes, take it!

If you are confident dealing with children and parents, and have enough admin experience to cope, you will absolutely love this job.

These jobs are not ten a penny, no way! School admin is quite a specialised field these days.

I did a bit of time working in a school office just before DS1 was born and I really enjoyed it even though it was just a temporary thing for me. I have admin experience, but got this temp job just because I was a community school governor and was a convenient person to take on in the short term (I also worked in the preschool and as a classroom assistant - I am versatile Smile )

I found the school systems creaky, outdated and and kind of confusing. But maybe you are more talented than me!!

Good luck with this.

Original poster
morefalafel · 28/02/2014 22:59

She has a family member who has worked in schools for 20 years, so her view that you can easily get a school job is coloured by that. I agree, once you are in, its easier to find other school roles. But that initial break is hard to get.

It was quite a tough interview process and I was quite proud to have made it though it all. Before she pissed on my chips!

OP posts:
WorraLiberty · 28/02/2014 23:03

Well of course it's easier for her family member, because they have experience.

Just put her whiny arsed opinion out of your mind.

She can only piss on your chips if you open the bag and hand them to her.

Topseyt · 28/02/2014 23:08

They are not ten a penny at all. They can be much sought after when/if they come up.

They are jobs which are, for the most part, term time only and with all school holidays off. Thus, childcare issues are minimal, and that is a holy grail to parents who would like to work but can't afford the right childcare and do not have family living locally. I am not being derogatory, as there are no easy options, but I would have given my right arm for something along those lines (I never got it).

Take the job if you believe you would enjoy it, and ignore her carping. She clearly hasn't a clue what she is on about.

LyndaCartersBigPants · 28/02/2014 23:13

Congratulations, take the job! Anything term time and school hours is really sought after, not at all common.

WorraLiberty · 28/02/2014 23:15

Oh and if she tries to piss on your chips again

Just stab her in the fanny with your fork.

Hogwash · 28/02/2014 23:17

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Morloth · 28/02/2014 23:27

Bite their hands off.

I had a look at this sort of job when I was going back to work.

It was easier to get the job that pays $100k a year (pro rata) than to get the school admin position!

BrianTheMole · 01/03/2014 01:02

Very hard to get. Take the job, and well done.

Finola1step · 01/03/2014 01:07

Grab it. Oh and I agree with Worra

Effic · 01/03/2014 01:22

We had over 300 applicants for the last school secretary role we had - double the amount of applicants we got for a teaching position that was advertised at the same time! They rarely come up as they are usually filled by mums with young children who like the hours/term time only and so they stick in the job till their kids are at secondary school. In about 30 years, our school has apparently had about 13 different heads but only 4 different school secretaries!

FloozeyLoozey · 01/03/2014 01:28

The office staff are shit at my son's school so I highly doubt the positions were popular! They are lovely, but so scatty and disorganised. I'm a civil service office manager and manage a large department. I would never hire the women in our school office.

SomethingProfound · 01/03/2014 01:53

Congratulations, these jobs are most definitely not "ten a penny" snap it up with both hands!

ravenAK · 01/03/2014 02:25

Grab it.

There's absolutely nothing stopping you throwing it back out there if it doesn't suit you, once you;ve given it a go, after all.

Congratulations Smile.

MomOfTwoGirls2 · 01/03/2014 09:39

Congrats And well done OP! Those jobs are like gold dust, I personally only know one person who managed to find a similar position.

Don't mind your friend, sounds sour grapes to me. Some people don't do 'happy for others'... Is your friend one of these??

formerbabe · 01/03/2014 10:03

I'd snap it up. They are very sought after jobs for mums. They are not ten a penny.