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CALLING ALL JOBSEEKERS: Would you like to live on an outback property? Are you interested in childcare or teaching? Want some information on working with kids on an outback station? Governessing will be the most amazing experience of your life.

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GOVERNESS AUSTRALIA JOBBOARD
www.facebook.com/groups/govaustjobboard

STEP 1 - IF YOU JUST WANT INFORMATION ON BEING A GOVERNESS

Go to the Information Page and read all the information and FAQ’s.

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Jobseeker Strategies and Tips

These have been gathered from different employers over time

APPROACHING THE EMPLOYER

Lots of jobseekers lose employers respect from the very first email. Often jobseekers will ask what the wage is and various other details but don't ask about the children and the lifestyle. In the first email you should ask about all these questions but ensure that you ask about your charges, that is who you have to deal with first. If you don't get along with them then you won't be employed long.

USE CORRECT PUNCTUATION AND SPELLING

I am glad you are starting to exclude resumes from those who cannot spell or personalise their resumes to fit the job description as I am constantly shocked at the quality of resumes I receive which use text language, have no punctuation or even capital letters. It is rather scary to think that these people believe they can teach our children.
Think about the salutation you use in your initial email contact, starting off with ' Hey So-and-so' is not a good look. Advice from an employer.

APPLYING WISELY

I think that it would be good if you could make some suggestions on your site that might help applicants choose families more carefully - these might include suggesting that girls who have just finished school should look to govie jobs for only one child - or perhaps a nanny role - as most families will disregard a high school grad if they have multiple children in the classroom.
Try not to apply for every job. Choose your favourite 3 and be upfront and say you are talking to 3 different families which really appeal to you but don't string anyone along once you are not interested.

REFUSING SUITABLE APPLICANTS

"As a parent I choose not to advertise our positions on the website but prefer to contact girls who advertise as that way I don't have to be put in a position of telling unsuitable applicants that they are quite simply 'not up to standard' - as sometimes it is not nice to be honest!

EMPLOYERS OFFER A VISIT

If the an employer is offering to pay for a visit to their property then they are VERY SERIOUS. I would only go if I seriously expected to take it. If they are offering to pay for flights they must really like you and expect you to fit in.

OTHER TIPS FROM PARENTS

Answer emails from employers within 3 days

Reply to all emails
If you are not interested, then refuse politely don't leave them hanging.

Give a time frame for when you are making your job decision by.

Be interested and ask questions about their job so that you can be fully informed.

Use punctuation in all emails. Good literacy skills are important in governesses.

WHAT TO ASK EMPLOYER

Below is advice and questions we encourage governesses to ask before jobs. This has been put together by myself and other governesses across Australia.

When I was accepted at the end of last year ready for this year my employer gave me an email address of another governess that was staying on for another year at another station. This was a great idea! I would recommend that first time governesses ask for an email address of another governess at an interview; because you get a different view on what you are getting yourself into.

Governessing to me is a passion which I take seriously so my priority questions are quite simply schoolroom and kids and what the parents expect from my schoolroom. Often I will take a job based on whether or not the parents have and instill in the children the same value for their education that I have.

Basically I recommend having your own personal list of questions set out as each case is very unique and personnel to each individual. Get the employers to create a duty statement of what THEY expect before they find out what you are willing to do as sometimes you might get there and it is different to what you first thought. This does however go for the Governesses also - be HONEST with what you are willing and capable of doing, it can be along time out there if either one of you have any misconceptions of your roles...

Names of children, grades and their interests.

This allows me when short listing to go with the family that I think I have the most common with the children which in turn allows me to build a great rapport with.

Location of property

In relation to town, other school families and governesses, social events, places of interest e.g. waterhole for swimming or camping
Whilst this is not important to me and I have my own vehicle to get away it is nice to know sometimes so that you know you can get away occasionally, also if there are other Govies in the area...

Schoolroom Situation

Even now in my 8th year of Governessing I find that I get extremely nervous with people looking over constantly, and whilst I encourage the parents to come and see what we do I do find that other people that are a novelty ( and even the parents sometimes if they don't come often are a novelty ) distract the children also.

Job Details and Expectations

I include questions about hours expected to work and what work they expect out of the schoolroom - I am generally very flexible in this area as it allows me to spend time with the children in their own territory doing something they can often teach me about!
Do the children have any behaviour issues which I could prepare myself to deal with
hours of work and role within the house.

Accomodation

How big? How many rooms? Where is it in relation to the schoolroom and the house? What is supplied?
Where is laundry, bathroom, kitchen
Do I have my own TV / Lounge room?

Salary

Weekly wage
About extras such as fuel, phone, net (if the wage is not very flash sometimes the family offer extras to compensate).

OTHER QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER ASKING

Another question I sometimes ask is about other people on the station. Whilst some take this question to mean " any men there?" I always ask as I find some people have different preferences.. Some are real homebodies who might like living with others especially if they are quite shy this could be very daunting, some like to have other people around them especially in their first year so as to provide distractions from home sickness.

Is there a chance to do any work on the actual property i.e. water runs etc or is the work only in the schoolroom

If you commit to 2 years or more does the wage go up each year, mine didn't and I didn't have the balls to ask for a pay rise.

What was the previous govo's relationship like with the children?

POTENTIAL RESPONSES TO EMPLOYERS

When you get lots of responses from parents after advertising you CV or Resume can I suggest answering all immediately with a response similar to the following example...

Dear...

I have received many job offers in the last 2 days, I am currently sorting through all my emails. I am intending to make a decisions on a job within the next......weeks

Can you please send me a contract or job description? I would also love to see some photos of the schoolroom, accommodation and property or anything which you think would be interesting.

I have attach my full resume, references and a letter with pictures and information about my background.

I intend to research every job in the next week and will communicate with you more by phone and email after that. If I am not interest in your job position I will let you know immediately and I would appreciate it if you did the same.

Regards.....

Email:Mobile:

Please write a polite refusal letter as soon as possible.

Dear....

I am writing to say that at this stage I am not going to take your job position. I wish you good luck in the future getting a governess.

Regards....

Dear....

I am writing let you know that I won't be taking your job position. I thank you very much for offering it to me but at this stage it is not what I am looking for.I hope you can find a governess soon. Good luck.

Regards....

Before applying for a job does anybody contact previous govies and what questions do you ask?

I do because while everything they say will be positive they will give you an idea on what the kids are like and what the work day consists of. What the schoolroom and quarters are actually like. They will also let you know the logistical side of living there and what preparations you need to do.

What would you suggest to do if the family has never had a Govie previously?

When I first considerered taking the job, In Home Care said they'd contact the previous govie to ask if there was anything I needed to know about the family. So I never talked with the previous govie myself but IHC would have told me if there was anything important I should know

If they offer contact details of a worker of another kind or even at a pinch another school family or teacher but only a pinch. I do know employers who offer a referee of a overseering family on the property and a past worker.

Works two ways, doesn't it. Employers contact previous employers, therefore makes sense for govies to contact previous govies. When you are employing or working in the bush you have to do your homework first, because it is not easy just to bail out if something doesn't suit.

My employer gave me the contacts of past govies and I rang one and emailed the other and actually have meet up in person with one of the past govies and it's really good if they have left on good terms as a support for you at times if something gets a little hectic n you don't no how to handle it as they also have known what the kids are like in the classroom and out of class.

I never have, but I met my first family and really liked them, didn't research my second or third (third sucked), and you know/recommended my last two families. In summary, it's a great idea to at least ask Governess Australia, because there's a good chance that clever lady will be able to give you a heads up.

I wish our new govies would talk to the old so they got an understanding of what our daily life is like!

What do the school holidays entail? Can you stay on the farm or do you have to go?

Almost all governesses get school holidays off and are able to go away. I personally recommend going away so that you and the family get a break for each other. If you still need to work then see if you can get a job somewhere else that doesn't involve kids to give yourself a break. Most families are quite happy to have you stay over the school holidays. There are really no set rules but it helps you keep your sanity if you can get away once in a while! We can stay if you want, our holidays are unpaid, but there is no pressure to go away, it's really up to you.