Accountancy job vacancy - will I get any interest if it's part time?

Monsoon

We are possibly looking to recruit an accountant, with practice experience, preferably AAT qualified or at Technician level.

The position may only be part time, but permanent.

Am I likely to get any takers? Or will any qualified experienced accountant only want a full time job?

taskey

i would snap your hand off for it, but my commute might be a bit too far lol

I hope you find someone.

Tracy

Rachel

You will get loads if it fits in with school runs.

burg

When I advertised my role back in September/October which was part-time term-time only (although not for a qualified with experience) I got around 50 applicants. Most were of good quality and I managed to get someone to fit with the times I wanted them to work. You could always try the jobcentre plus website as a test as it's free!

Monsoon

Thanks all

Will give it a go on the part time front then!

anniem

You will get qualified who want part time work - how many hours do you want someone for? You're quite likely to get someone with small children who wants to fit in a p/t job with school hours and holidays, and may need some flexibility.

It may also be worth contacting some of the colleges that do accounting courses; I know in Andover Cricklade College does AAT and my friend is studying technician level there at the moment, so I can get you a contact name there if you like.

Bluewednesday

I work part time and don't think I would even consider going full time again - I think you will get your hand snatched off!!

Monsoon

Thank you!!

I would guess I'm looking at 18-24 hours a week at the moment.

2 of our employees are mums with kids at school and we are very flexible, so I'm happy to do the same again.

We definitely need someone with practice experience who can hit the ground running, I think that's going to be the tricky part!

Thanks Annie - I will email the tutor at Wiltshire College, if you could pass on details for someone at Andover that would be appreciated

Out of interest - what do others think a reasonable rate of pay would be for someone with 1-2 years+ practice experience in accounts prep and business taxes? I seem to see some very wildly varying salaries thrown about, from the low teens to the early twenties, which is a bit of a gap!

burg

Personally for Gloucester I think it would be around the £18-20k mark for a full time position.

I looked at working for a Wiltshire firm several years ago and they were paying slightly more than here so say around £20-22k. I've also sent you a pm Jenni.

Tiger

Like Hens Teeth..... very rare to find ....

Quote Burg: 'When I advertised my role back in September/October which was part-time term-time only (although not for a qualified with experience) I got around 50 applicants'

I guess that explains why i didn't get an acknowledgement of my application i guess you were inundated with suitable applicants..


Monsoon : I have been looking for a PT accountancy vacancy for many many months they are hard to find even for a qualified with 3yrs practice experience... I'd imagine you will be flooded by applicants... (too far away for me)!

burg

Apologies Tiger we had loads to go through and it just simply wasn't feasible to let everyone know who hadn't been successful. I tried to let as many know as I possibly could.

Best of luck with finding something.

Gem7321

I think around £16,000pa (full time) for a recently qualified is reasonable in the SW, hope that helps.

Tiger

Don't apologise Burg, I wasn't grumbling it was interesting to see how much competition there is even in rural Gloucestershire..

I'm in work just looking for a change..

Maybe next time.
T

Londina

Monsoon wrote: »

Thank you!!

We definitely need someone with practice experience who can hit the ground running, I think that's going to be the tricky part!

Monsoon, why are you too requiring someone with practice experience? Why don't you give the chance to somebody to learn the job in practice, in order to avoid the typical catch 22 "no job, no experience - no experience, no job"? At the end of the day what they need to do? bookkeeping? they will get used to multiple clients after a while, no?

burg

To be fair to Jenni she has stated that she wants someone with accounts prep and business tax experience not just someone to do bookkeeping. It may be a more in depth role that someone with no practical experience may struggle to cope with?

I'm pretty sure Jenni mentioned in another post that she was looking for a trainee a while back and experience wasn't essential to that role so it may just be what is desired this time.

Besides having been on both sides as the employee and the employer I can see your argument but I can also see the need for someone with experience. It is hard to get that role with the 'catch 22' situation but it costs a lot and takes time to train someone and it isn't always possible to do that with particular job roles and workloads, particularly with the January rush coming up.

I'm sure Jenni has her reasons and the tone of asking her to effectively explain herself I possibly think shouldn't be justified with an answer.

Londina

I have read the first post and I didn't get that she is looking for someone who does year ends and tax returns...

Anyway I didn't mean to be critical, it's just as we are all AATs, I thought we were a bit more sensitive about jobs/experience required and try to break the bad habits of lots of employers expecting to always get someone experienced because they can't be bored to be a bit more patient and invest in a new junior person, that's it.

Monsoon

Thanks for your support Ian.

Londina wrote: »

I have read the first post and I didn't get that she is looking for someone who does year ends and tax returns...

I specifically stated accountant not bookkeeper. I would have thought that was implied.

bad habits of lots of employers expecting to always get someone experienced because they can't be bored to be a bit more patient and invest in a new junior person, that's it.

I think it's unfair to call it a 'bad habit.' It's not just about patience and investment when taking on someone with little or no experience. I'm currently doing 2 peoples' jobs and therefore have no time at all to be training anyone up - it's a practical consideration! Even someone experienced will need a certain degree of training up in the way their new employer does it.

I know full well there is an age-old catch 22 of experience but from an employer's point of view there are very valid reasons for needing experience.

Londina, in normal circumstances we are actually very pro non-experienced people. One of our bookkeepers was such and she is brilliant.

I have geniune commercial reasons for potentially needing someone who can hit the ground running and at this time of year can't spare the time for training someone up.

If it wasn't for that, I would be as flexible as I usually am.

Anyway, it's all hypothetical as there isn't a vacancy at the moment.

Londina

Fair enough Monson, sorry if I jumped into my own conclusion so quick.

Monsoon

Thanks Londina