Nannies: What would you do?

[starberries]

I have the opportunity to leave nannying and go into an office job with lots of potential for growth - in a field I'm very interested in and would enjoy.

Also have the opportunity to take a very interesting nanny job with a split-week share, 3 children on 3 days and just a baby on the other 2 days, so plenty of activities to keep busy, etc. Also closer to my house than the office job.

Office job pays exactly half of what the nanny job does. DP and I have plans to leave London and start a business in 2 years or so. With the office job, I could potentially be owning part of the business in 5-8 years though it would be a hard slog for 2 years+.

Would you take the nanny job with its familiarities and higher pay? Higher pay = more money to start a business. OR would you take the office job if you thought it could give you higher job satisfaction and stuff the money, as potentially you could grow to have part of the business eventually?

In a HUGE conundrum about this, keep going back and forth in my decision. Any opinions would be highly appreciated

take the nanny job

what does dh think?

do you have young children to take into account - ie childcare with the office job?

Would need a lot more info about the office job. How could you be potentially owning part of the business in the future? Is it a job that will exist in 5-10 years time... things can change quite a bit in 10 years.
Are you able to give any more info about what sort of job it is, what the company does etc?
Could you survive on half the money for what could be a good few years?

I'd say the opposite if you think you would be happier.
Think of what's best for you in the long term rather than the short term.
Hope it works out whatever you decide

The company is a nanny agency that has franchises around the country, so I could potentially take on my own franchise in the future. And will definitely be around in 5-10 years. Don't have any children (yet!) although hoping to in the next year or two.

We could certainly survive on the money, but we wouldn't be able to make any purchases above say £300, so there goes the new laptop we wanted, new sofa, holidays this year, etc.

Do you have a previous background in recruitment?
A lot is changing in nanny recruitment... consider how the internet has changed things over the last few years. As more nannies become Ofsted Registered, there will be a database of nannies which could be utilised in future to help parents find childcare (even now the remit of local authorities is to help parents find all types of registered childcare, which includes Ofsted Registered Nannies), we also have the ISA kicking in later this year so another database which will I feel ultimately list every person working with children.

I do not feel you can definitely say a nanny agency will be around in 5-10 years time. It's hard to say that about any company.

However there are some plus points:
By working in an agency owned by someone else you will gain recruitment experience and learn how an agency operates, what legislation applies to the work, how over recent years the role of Information Technology has changed things, it will also teach you sales skills (I recommend books and audio by Tom Hopkins if you want something to read about selling, closing sales that kind of thing).
You may find that you can do the job on a part-time basis and nanny the rest of the time - I'd look into that option if it is available.

I quit my job as a trainee lawyer to become a nanny [weirdo!]

I did this because I love working with children but never wanted to be a teacher and when I was 18 I had no idea what a nanny did so I went to uni to pleaser my parents. One day I woke up and thought, "life is too short not to be 100% in love with your job".

So, take the office job. If you die in a years time (sorry, morbid) would you regret not taking it? With the experience you may even be able to set up your own agency (not franchised) if that is what you want!

If you can have the best of both worlds as nick says then that would be a good option.

Otherwise I would say take the office job. You know you're good at nannying (I assume) and it's a job which is relatively easy to get back into, especially if you say that you came out of it to try working for a nanny agency but realised you actually preferred working with children. Life is too short not to give it a go.

Did you feel happy or disappointed when I said take the nanny job?

There was no reason for choosing that other than to get your gut reaction when it was suggested.

I recently left my nanny job and took a job in a hospital with lots of training potential as well as the opportunity to work as part of a team. It was a big drop in salary but I love it and haven't looked back once.

Navyeyelash - me too! I did my LLb then got halfway through the Bar and decided that no way no how was I going to enjoy pushing paper round my desk for a career!

I'm now looking at training to a a child psychologist, or more likely at this point, be a maternity nurse for a few years, once my current charge starts nursery school.

My advice: do what you love, and take a few risks along the way. Nothing ventured, nothing gained good luck!

Thanks all! Still in a conundrum, must get this sorted ASAP. I can be very spontaneous but am a terrible practical decision-maker.