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I can't understand this job advert

39 replies

oldishguy · 25/01/2022 19:17

Sorry to appear stupid, but I can't work this one out. I'm trying to understand a job advert that contains the following

Salary: £19500 pro rata.
Hours per week: 20 hours per week

Does this mean the job would pay £39k if worked for 40 hours, or £19500 for the 40 hours? It's for a pretty technically savvy computer suppert person who also has to deal with customers. I think it means the former but I really would welcome a clear view. I would be sad if it meant the latter. I don't belong to another forum where I could ask this, and also I'm not in touch with today's salaries, so I would really value younger views. Thanks!
Jon

OP posts:
Gingernaut · 25/01/2022 19:18

At 20 hours a week, it would pay £9,750 per annum

DDfollowed · 25/01/2022 19:19

£19.5k for a full time role of 40 hours per week (which from 6th April wouldn't meet minimum wage I don't think)

Winederlust · 25/01/2022 19:19

I'd take that to mean £19,500 for full time hours.

AgnesNaismith · 25/01/2022 19:20

I would say 39k is the full time rate, you can push it up to 40 though Wink

MintLampShade · 25/01/2022 19:21

It means (that's how I would interpret it) that if you worked full time (37.5 standard) you would be paid £19,500 per annum. Your part time wage therefore will be the pro rata amount for 20 hours. Hope this helps.

50andup · 25/01/2022 19:21

Normally, £19,500 pro rata means the job pays £19.5k full-time and you'll be paid the pro rata amount for the 20hrs. However, if you think that's not possible given the range of skills they've asked for, perhaps they've got it wrong in the advert?

Kshhuxnxk · 25/01/2022 19:21

If the fate is 40 hours then as PP however generally it's a 35 hour week so that would mean 11142 paid per annum which would keep you under the tax threshold too.

LIZS · 25/01/2022 19:21

That is ft salary.

OohRahhMaki · 25/01/2022 19:22

I think it's the lower amount (i.e. £19500 = 40 hours).

For IT support I'd expect low-mid 20s for a FT post (obviously this changes depending on area of the country!).

39K would be closer to a senior software developer salary.

PattyPan · 25/01/2022 19:22

What they have written means £19,500 for full time hours but that may not have been what they intended if it seems low for the role, so worth checking the precise salary with the recruiter.

Snowiscold · 25/01/2022 19:22

Yes, I agree. 19.5k is full time. Half of that for 20 hours. It’s not much at all.

DDfollowed · 25/01/2022 19:23

What do you consider pretty technically savvy though? I think most jobs that require interaction with customers require a decent degree of computer literacy as well these days

RedskyThisNight · 25/01/2022 19:23

Yes, sadly it's the former.

It sounds like it's basically an IT helpdesk role/1st line support? The salary sounds about right for that - generally people are only expected to do a fairly narrow range of activities and hand off to someone else if it's more complicated - that's not a very technically IT savvy role as it really only needs reasonably basic IT skills and ability to follow instructions.

(clearly I've not seen the ad, so guessing).

CamomileTeabag · 25/01/2022 19:24

A pro rata salary is an amount of pay you quote an employee based on what they would earn if they worked full-time.
So I'm pretty sure that £19k is the full time rate.
Unless the person drafting the job ad didn't know how to use the term?

User2638483 · 25/01/2022 19:27

I think it’s not that clear so it would be fine to ask.
It seems really low if that’s the full time salary. And it’s hard to work out what the actual salary would be for 20hrs pw if you don’t know what their ‘full time’ hours are eg. 35 hrs pw, 37 hrs pw, 40 hrs pw. Most adverts I’ve seen helpfully say the full time equivalent salary but also lay out what the pro rata amount would be.

Forfamily123 · 25/01/2022 19:28

I suspect they would base it on 37.5 hours a weeks unless they say otherwise. So you would earn £10,400 a year for 20 hours a week.

turnaroundtime · 25/01/2022 19:36

It seems low but £39 is way way more than a customer support role would be. Very would expect £23-26k

marqueses · 25/01/2022 19:43

Unless the person who wrote the advert doesnt know how job adverts work it's £19.5k for full time

I really surprised that anyone thinks that pro rata after the amount means that you gross it up.

Baker90 · 25/01/2022 19:48

HR worker and we always advertise the full time equivalent. Then pro rata off of that. Generally FTE is based on 37 hour week. So for 20 hours would be around 10,500 a year

NoSquirrels · 25/01/2022 19:53

@PattyPan

What they have written means £19,500 for full time hours but that may not have been what they intended if it seems low for the role, so worth checking the precise salary with the recruiter.
This is what I was going to say. No harm in asking the recruiter directly - better to ask than to either waste time on an application then find out it’s too low, or not apply at all because you presume it’s too low.

It could well be a mistake.

oldishguy · 25/01/2022 21:13

Thanks very much everyone for your so fast and helpful replies. I am quite disconsolate if it's arounf the £10k mark. I think I will follow the advice of several and contact the people who placed the advert.

FYI the skills etc. the organisation are looking for are as follows andI think they are nontrivial

Responsibilities:
• Help develop, manage, and deliver an annual Communications plan.
• Create engaging content for the websites, social accounts, print media, press releases and e-marketing.
• Drive email and social media marketing campaigns.
• Assist in maintaining web sites and content.
• Update databases and media lists.
• Track projects and media exposure.
• Maintain calendars and appointments.
• Assist in preparing presentations and reports.
• Help ensure maximum website performance through SEO, PPC, and social media.
• Proofread content before publishing.
• Liaise with media partners and 3rd parties and provide them with content.
• Work with other team members to support project development and communications across the different streams of the employer.
• Work with key stakeholders and partners to ensure a synergy of communications & branding across the business.
• Assist with the commissioning and briefing for a wide range of communications and marketing materials, including publications, displays, newsletters and presentations in association with the Communications Manager.
• Produce content, blog posts, articles and press releases for newsletters, email campaigns and print & online media. This involves conducting research, writing pieces of content, editing content, and submitting/disseminating it for release.
• Help manage our online presence to ensure each stream of the business is updated and well received on social media.
• Use a social media management platform to manage content schedules and campaigns.
• Maintain digital platforms on a day-to-day basis, including websites.
• Manage the maintenance and development of these digital platforms.
• Explore new ideas, initiatives, and ways of working with stakeholders and partners which demonstrate effective communication and innovation in the business.
• Research and gather information for the team, such as product information and data.
• Prepare regular reports by collecting and analysing data.
• General administrative and office duties.
Key Performance Indicators:
• The performance of the Communications Administrator will be assessed against the delivery of the Communications strategy and plan and the key objectives of the company as defined by the management.

PERSON SPECIFICATION
This section details the knowledge, skills, experience, personal qualities, and qualifications that are considered essential for a person being deployed to this role. Specifically, the candidate will need to demonstrate they are highly organised, have attention to detail, strong interpersonal skills, excellent writing abilities, great IT skills, a keen interest and proficiency with social media, a creative mind, the ability to multitask and work well as part of a team.
Knowledge/skills/qualifications:

• Relevant communications or marketing experience, qualification or degree.
• Knowledge of different communication and marketing techniques and mediums.
• High level of IT, web, and social media skills.
Experience
• At least 1 years’ experience of planning, managing, and delivering communications campaigns in a communication and/or marketing role.
Experience of
• writing and publishing content and proofing and editing.
• digital media including search engine optimisation and search engine marketing.
• working with a wide range of organisations and stakeholders from the public and private sectors (desirable).
• managing and implementing a range of projects. working with a range of IT products (e.g., Microsoft Office applications, intermediate/ advanced Outlook, spreadsheets, databases, web-editing and social media management platforms)

Excellent skills
• people and relationships
• communications
• Working independently.
• ICT/ technological aptitude
Knowledge and understanding of WordPress.
• Knowledge of SEO and PPC.
• Experience with CRM (desirable).
• Knowledge of improving conversion and ROI (desirable)
• Knowledge and/or interest in analytics.
Personal qualities
• Excellent people and relationship skills.
• Excellent communication skills across a range of disciplines.
• Ability to follow instructions from more than one manager and prioritise accordingly.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Open to new ideas and with a willingness to learn.
• Creative and innovative thinker.
• Effective under pressure.
• Ability to manage a range of projects at the same time and deliver to tight timescales.

Other Requirements:
• Demonstrate a commitment to equality and diversity in both the delivery of services and to staff.
• Ensure reasonable care is always taken for the health, safety and welfare of yourself and others and to comply with policies and procedures relating to health and safety within the company.
• Willingness and ability to work outside normal office hours and across multiple sites on occasion.
• Carry out any other duties which fall within the broad spirit, scope, levels, and purpose of this job description.

OP posts:
RedskyThisNight · 25/01/2022 21:50

So that sounds like an entry level admin job, ideally for someone with a communications specific background? Most of the spec is "help" or "assist" which translates to "you do the grunt work". Whilst I think 19K is a bit low (I'd maybe think early 20s) it's certainly not 40K full time. And I wouldn't say it needs someone who is particularly tech savvy - just fairly basic IT skills in terms of being able to input content into various tools, which I would say is an absolute minimum expectation for an office job.

Cuck00soup · 25/01/2022 21:58

There are no specific qualifications such as a degree required which I think is why it's banded so low. Some work experience is needed but not a lot. It's just above entry level.

Snowiscold · 25/01/2022 22:01

I agree. I think it’s entry-level marketing/communications. I do think that salary is on the low side, but it’s not wildly off the mark. Some of these jobs are sometimes even listed as apprenticeships these days.

Passthecake30 · 25/01/2022 22:04

They’ve beefed up the advert in order to attract a graduate is my guess. The skills section states “knowledge of/ability” rather than “experience of….”

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