Looking for advice from anyone working in a children's nursery.

[imperialqueen]

I have recently qualified to work in a nursery (I am a childminder at the momemt).

I have been to 8 interviews over the past few weeks. They have all been for an early years assistant's post apart from one which was a nursery nurses job (which is what I really want). I have been unsuccessful at all interviews.

Feedback has been I did a good interview (not sure I believe this) but it went to someone with nursery experience (not sure I believe that either as why interview me in the first place), other feed back has been you came second as the person who got the job went into more detail in some of their answers. .

One of the posts I didn't get phoned me last week and offered me the job (I am presuming the person who got the job ahead of me, for whatever reason, never started in the job.) She said she was now offering me the job as I did a really good interview and came second, so the job was now mine if I wanted it.

I have accepted the offer verbally but am now having doubts. The job is an early years support assistants job and only 12 hours a week. At the moment I child mind full time and earn much more that the early years support assistants role at 12 hours a week.

I could afford the new reduced wage for a few months but not for much longer. I am concerned that I am so rubbish at interviews that I don't secure a full time job in a nursery environment. On the other hand I feel if I was working in a nursery then I will feel more confident in future interviews and I may even get help/advice from the nursery staff about how to answer the questions in the interview.

I have arranged to volunteer in a nursery one day a week. So, if I stay childminding then I will also be volunteering in a nursery one day a week. I am hoping this one day experience might be enough to get me more interviews and more knowledge on what the interview panels are looking for in the answers to their questions.

Sorry, I have rambled and not sure what advice I am looking for. The indecision I have over whether to take the job is awful.

Can you take the 12hrs post and also retain some babysitting? It is likely that the experience will be good for your CV and may also lead to a nursery nurse job at the nursery once they’ve seen how you work in the role they’ve offered you?

If you took it and did the best you could and then asked about opportunities for development after 6 months?

I would do the voluntary role to get experience. Moving from child minding to a nursery is a bit of a culture shock. You must follow proceedures, fit in with other people, and are no longer your own boss.
Another example, preparing snack for your minded kids is easy, you will only have 3 or 4. Compare that with preparing snack for 10, 20, 30+ children is very different.
I made the move about 8 years ago, and found it very difficult. I would guess that as a child minder you are a parent and slightly older than many nursery staff. You will have to follow instructions from a much younger and possibly less experienced supervisor.

But in the end I grew to love my job, and I see no reason why you wont, but experience to see what it will really be like is invaluable.
What qualification did you recently complete?

Tanks Nano and Mindthecat.

Mindthecat - it is a local authority nursery and the staff although younger than me (I am in my late 40's!) weren't really young. Maybe in their 30's.

I take your points on though.

Childminding business is slowing down in my area. I am full this year but enquiries etc have slowed down. I am in Scotland and the nursery hours are doubling in 2020 though many local authority nurseries have started introducing the new hours already (which explains my lack of enquiries).

I have recently completed a SVQ 3 in childcare which is equivalent to a NVQ 3 in England (I think).