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?

Book keeping isn’t basic in the big scheme of things, but it is a basic finance role. I think it would pay £30, £32k Full time?

east central London is usually Canary Wharf/ Stratford/ Aldgate I reckon.

I used to live between zone 1-2 and suspect that was East, central London. I never referred to it as that though.

Sorry, I know nothing about this specific job role, but £13- £15 per hour? 🤷‍♀️

They are offering £12.21 to £13.50 per hour.

I put "East Central London" because the advert uses an actual postcode, so just trying to keep it anonymous. Think Spitalfields kind of area.

Cheeky fuckers.

It depends on the turnover and size of the business. However, I'd expect London Living wage as a minimum in that location.

Jokers! I hope whoever they employ cocks up their finances good and proper; it’s just a matter of time based on the lack of skills and VAT knowledge anyone who would happily work for that rate would have!

That’s pretty much my role, albeit in practice and that was my rate in the West Mids almost 8 yrs ago!

We would pay £25 -£30 per hour for this role in the North- but I have seen adverts for minimum wage for this type of role. A good bookkeeper is worth their weight in gold but not everyone recognises this.

I wouldn't get out of bed for that. 🙄

Mind you, in 18 months' time, there will be a job for a decent freelancer to go in there and sort it out for them. I know this, because it's the sort of thing I've been called in to do before. 😂😂😂

Still, never mind eh, their accountants will do very nicely out of it.

I knew it would be around that

within a fast-growing, independent fashion business

this was the big clue

I saw one, £150 per day, hours 9am til 630pm monday to Friday, skilled welder for alloy wheels....it had about 20 laughs on the post. They have since changed it to general tyre fitter/remover and training to fix alloys, same hours £110. So many hours and hard labour for such little cash!

Awful!

How big is the business?

😂. These are not basic skills

Only a matter of time, it's true. And the daft thing is, when the books go to their accountants for the tax comps, they'll have to go through the whole lot (using their most junior trainee accountant) and charge their time out at around £75 an hour. Going up to over £400ph for the senior ones, who will be laughing all the way to the bank.

Business owners just don't have the faintest clue what proper accounting entails and think it's easy. They buy some accounting software that promises that all you have to do is get some dogsbody in to input stuff, and hey presto - your accounts are done. GIGO.

To err is human. To really foul things up you need a computer.

Below £20.

@LittleEmily - it's £12.21 to £13.50 per hour. My 25 year old daughter earns more serving drinks and ice creams in a local theatre.

I'm glad she does. They are taking the piss. I hope they find no one until they pay a fair rate.

That's absolutely shocking and the gall of them to want someone who understands the tax system too! Not many people do unless they are qualified Accountants who would charge 5 times min wage per hour!!!

If I had studied hard to acquire all that knowledge, I wouldnt be giving it away for £13 an hour.

I've found the ad. I knew it would be that kind of retail business when you said where it was based.