 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi Everyone
Sorry if I am posting in the wrong place. I have two interviews for childcare roles. One with Hotelplan (Inghams, ski total, esprit) and Ski Famille. Could you let me know your experiences working with these companies and the interview process?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Hi,
I've not worked for Hotelplan or Ski Famile but have friends who have worked for both.
Hotelplan is a huge company and the staff I think are seen as more of a commodity, general feeling is that the quality of your season will be made by the management you have (good management makes the season so much better!) Ski Famile seems to be well thought of by employees and as a smaller affair more personal in the way it deals with its staff.
In terms of the interview there are a fair few threads about that on Snowheads but summarising them I guess would be that it'll be face to face where they will be wanting to know about your qualifications, experience etc, make sure that you understand the role and the company expectations and that you know that you're not going to earn much money and will live in a shoe box.
Depending upon your level of childcare qualification you've got a bit of leverage, these positions tend to be harder to recruit than chalet hosts and the pay is slightly better. You get no where near the time on the hill that other roles get so at the interview you need to make sure that you're happy to work for whoever you choose.
Hope this gives you a bit of an idea to start with and if you do have a range of childcare qualifications then on the site I run we are advertising for private nannies in Meribel which would give more ski time and better pay than working for a TO potentially (sorry for the shameless plug).
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Thanks you have really helped, I thought Ski Famille might be better. I am a qualified teacher with a PGCE if that's of any interest to you?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Just to echo something dheason mentioned, childcare is by far the worst in-resort role in terms of ski time.
Most nannies are lucky to get one day skiing per week. Most other roles allow you to get at least some mountain time most days.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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I realise this but unfortunately I have some postgraduate student debts I need to continue paying off, so I need to sacrifice ski time for money. Although I prefer to be on the slopes.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Hi SamJC,
The advert is after:
NNEB/CACHE NVQ 3/2 or equivalent childcare qualification
I know that I said that you get paid slightly more for childcare than for other jobs but once you factor in tips (if you work for the right company in the right resort!) you can make up the difference quite quickly.
Having done the job I'd say look at being the Resort Manager or Rep in a smaller resort with a medium to small TO, better wages and as much of the job is admin then you can do it over the evening getting more ski time.
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The tips for some childcare staff, can be more than their weekly wages.
I know friends who received more tips than chalet staff, because of the amount of time spent with the kids. Happy kids = happy parents.
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Generally my tips were always higher than my weekly wage! Unless you're on a local contract this is pretty normal!
Agree fully that happy kids = happy parents and the tips tend to be better in some instances but where I worked the tips were spread across 4 or so childcare staff as opposed to 2 chalet hosts (max) so it had to be better plus you can't do any of the other chalet host staples of brining in extra cash like packed lunches or honesty bars.
I still think it weighs out that hosts ski 5-6 days a week and childcare 2-3 at best. There comes a point where regardless of you're job you're just being paid peanuts to live somewhere cold and high with the only guarantee being that you won't have a job come summer!
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