No one wants my job- what to do?

[amigababy]

I have a lovely part time accounts job but I am retiring soon, as is dh. My boss was a bit slow advertising the vacancy though I told her in October. And there's only been one decent applicant, who proved not to have the right experience, hundreds of other applicants that are in no way qualified, just random applications. I'm supposed to finish Friday but have said I'll do February too. A few friends have said it's not my problem and why not just leave, but it's a small office and no one else can do my work. I feel a sense of loyalty after 12 years, but feel like eventually I'll have to walk away ( mid March is when dh stops), and yet I can't envisage just leaving them in the lurch with a desk full of work and no one to do it. How do I balance my impending retirement with my need to know I'm not just walking away leaving a whole area of work and no one to take it on. What can I do?

Suggest they hire a temp?

I would start by making it very clear that your kindness has an expiration date. They will not put enough effort into finding someone if they have you to fall back on.

Secondly are they offering enough for the position - in my experience if you pay peanuts you get monkeys.

Thirdly as a worst case scenario lots of accountants offices offer a bookkeeping service and will sometimes send one of their staff out ad hoc to complete the paperwork so there is always that as an option for someone qualified to do the work.

Tell them to approach a local college and look at AAT students who are looking for work.

There are PLENTY of unemployed people around who are capable - I'd be highly surprised if they can't find ANYONE!