Anyone fancy a game of guess the salary?

[LindorDoubleChoc]

Here is the job advert:

Seeking a reliable and experienced Bookkeeper to support the day-to-day financial operations of the business. This role requires strong knowledge of XERO, a solid understanding of VAT, and a highly organised approach to managing financial records. The position is part-time, offering approximately 20 hours per week (with some flexibility).
Location:
East central London – applicants must be able to commute to this location - NO hybrid workable.

Responsibilities:

• Bookkeeping: Maintain accurate and up-to-date financial records using Xero, including sales, purchases, expenses, and bank transactions.
• Bank reconciliation: Perform regular bank and payment reconciliations, ensuring all accounts are accurate and balanced.
• VAT management: Prepare and submit VAT returns in line with HMRC requirements, ensuring full compliance and accurate record-keeping.
• Accounts payable & receivable: Manage supplier invoices, process payments, and monitor outstanding customer balances where required.
• Financial reporting: produce monthly management accounts/ reports to support business decision-making.
• Record organisation: Maintain well-structured digital financial records and documentation for audit and compliance purposes.
• Liaison: Work with management and external accountants to ensure smooth financial operations and year-end preparation.

Requirements:

• Experience: Minimum 2 years of proven bookkeeping experience is essential.
• Software knowledge: Strong working knowledge of Xero is required.
• VAT knowledge: Good understanding of UK VAT processes and compliance.
• Organisation: Highly organised, detail-oriented, and able to manage workload independently.
• Communication: Have a high level of proficiency in English, both written and verbal, as you will be communicating with suppliers.
• Reliability: Able to manage confidential information with discretion and meet deadlines consistently.
• Availability: Able to work up to 20 hours per week (flexible schedule possible). Freelance workers welcome, but must be based in our offices - no hybrid work.

This role is ideal for a dependable and experienced bookkeeper looking for a flexible, part-time position within a fast-growing, independent fashion business.

Without googling, do you want to have a guess at the hourly rate of pay offered?

£15

Part-time book keeping roles are usually badly paid. The skills required are basic. So I’d say, national living wage, at a guess.

It must be really low otherwise you wouldn't be posting so I'll say £13.50

I bet they’re being cheeky and set it to minimum wage? Living wage at a push

25k pro rata

I take the view that any job advert which states its salary is 'competitive', or states nothing at all, is chancing its arm in the hope that some poor sod who's desperate to be earning something rather than nothing at all will work for pence above minimum wage. These adverts of course require applicants to have various skills, qualifications and experience - so not an entry level role.

Unfortunately there are far too many job ads like this at the moment. It's insulting and exploitative and god knows how people are supposed to live. I guess they expect to nab people whose partners can in effect subsidise their wage, or, who qualify for top up benefits instead. Single people without kids looking for work are particularly affected in my opinion as they don't have those options to fall back on.

Regardless, it's appalling that the notion of a fair day's wage for a fair day's work seems to fall by the wayside so often these days.

Minimum wage

Part time book keeper, I’ll guess £14.

I’d guess mid £20k pro rata or above

15k.

Probably not very well paid. Just above minimum wage I reckon maybe about £13.50 an hour?

"The skills required are basic" Like hell they are.

That's the trouble. Businesses wanting a part-time book-keeper don't have the first bloody clue, and think it is a basic entry-level role. Most of the general public are under the same misguided delusion.

As it’s in London perhaps £35k but protata to part time?

£14

I think probably ever so slightly over minimum wage?

30k pro rate so 15k

Agree with £13 - £14

£40k FTE minimum in 'east central' London, surely? (So about £20 an hour).

@LindorDoubleChoc Go on then, put us out of our misery!

By the way, that job description is a simplified version of what I do, including the part-time bit but not the London bit, and I know what I earn.

Where the hell is east central London 😂😂😂

I agree with those saying £15 per hour. MIL did bookkeeping in semi-retirement and was paid about that, allowing for inflation.

Woefully low for the actual skills required

£20 ? It needs some qualifications but only 2 years experience so doesn’t sound that skilled to me, as a non bookkeeper.

It would need some professional qualifications (such as AAT) and a thorough understanding of current VAT legislation & what is recoverable and what isn't; not to mention being able to reconcile control accounts, do accruals, prepayments, fixed assets, and draw up a TB, P&L accounts & balance sheets, which is way beyond what someone with only 2 years' experience without qualifications would be capable of.

It will be low, and will have paid more years ago.

£12/£13 p/hr