KINDERGARTEN ASSISTANT JOB INTERVIEW! HELP ASAP!

[helana4]

Hi all,
I have applied for a few cert III Kinder assistant positions and I have an interview on Monday and would like to know what kind of questions they ask??

I am soooo scared! I have only been for interviews at an ABC child care where they just asked me to fill in a basic test and just general questions about my experiences and my current OSHC job. I am also in Melbourne.

Thanks a lot!

[cathiek]

Hi Helana
I am a Kindy teacher in WA and I know for the assistants job with me, the person was asked scenario based questions like:
Explain what you would do if a parent approached you complaining about another child bullying their child, and
Explain what you would do if you saw a child playing dangerously by climbing the fence in the playground.
Explain what you can bring to this position.

Does this help?
Cathiek

[linda46]

I went through this last year. I got my Cert 3 late in 2010 and knew that kindergartens were where I wanted to work. I had no interest in working in childcare centres. I didn't have to attend too many interviews thankfully, but they were all pretty much the same. They would present you with scenarios and you would have to tell them how you would respond. I thought it was really silly because it proves nothing. You might know all the correct answers and not be any good in practice. The kinder I eventually worked for didn't ask any of those types of qusetions. They were looking for a particular type of person. They wanted someone who genuinely loved children and could also get along with their fellow workers and the parents. I was a mature age student, so I ticked all their boxes. They considered that if I had done my Cert 3 after raising my son through school, was married, had life experience, then I must have something going for me. I must also really have wanted to work in the field.

[helana4]

Thanks for your help, Cathie and Linda. It turned out to be a pretty informal interview. I was asked about what I was doing now and why I wanted to leave, my experience, if I had done observations before, if I had worked with special needs children etc. I just elaborated on the answers.

They rung me yesterday and offered me the job and said that I stood out from all the candidates they interviewed! Yay!

Now to tell my current employer...arghh! I am a casual, but thought I would do the right thing and give them 2 weeks notice to find a replacement. Should I email my resignation or call?

[linda46]

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!! I would definitely call your current employer. Even better, can you tell them face to face? You never know when you may need them for a future reference and it is always good to try and leave people on the best possible terms. You are a casual, so to give them 2 weeks notice is generous and they should be OK with this.