# Employee needed, but don't know title.



## DavyJones (21 Nov 2008)

I run a small business with five employees. We are lucky to be very busy at the moment. I do all the paperwork myself, payroll, VAT returns, invoicing,quotations etc.

I also "work on the tools" and since we have became busy I find that I am leaving the small invoices slide, paperwork and leaving VAT returns to the last minute etc.  After a hard days work it is very difficult to sit at a desk and work some more, esp when I could be playing with my kids.

It's quite shoking how much I am owed from small debts, no single invoice is over €200 but there are quite a few. 99% of the people who owe me small amounts will pay if I chase them up.

I need someone to run my office, send out invoices, do VAT returns, payroll, basically all the things that I am running out of time to do (should be working now! but can't face it). I think someone semi retired or part time would probably do.

Do you know the title of the person I am looking for?


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## Purple (21 Nov 2008)

You need someone with experience working as an accounts clerk/technician in a small business. Someone who worked as a practice manager in a GP or dental practice would be perfect.
It may not sound like a skilled job but it is and the right person could be very hard to find (but very valuable to your business).
I’d advertise for a part time office manager with accounts payable experience and some knowledge of whatever accounts package you use.
Expect to pay €15 an hour at the very least but it sounds like 10-15 hours a week is all you need.


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## MaryBe (21 Nov 2008)

Purple said:


> Someone who worked as a practice manager in a GP or dental practice would be perfect.


 
It sounds like you are applying for the job. 
I do the accounts for small companies in the north east and charge 20.00+ per hour depending on the size of the company. I believe I'm worth it given the positive feedback I receive.

Davyjones, it sounds like you need someone part time only at first and see how it goes for both of you. Good luck


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## DavyJones (21 Nov 2008)

Thanks Purple. 
 Sound advice. I can see how it is a skilled job and I am struggling to cope and find it hard to find the will to want to do it. My skills lay esle where and I feel I am far more valuble to the business concentrate on what I do best.


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## DavyJones (21 Nov 2008)

MaryBM said:


> Purple said:
> 
> 
> > Someone who worked as a practice manager in a GP or dental practice would be perfect.
> ...


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## MaryBe (21 Nov 2008)

For the record, I'm not applying!!! and I do not have a 'title' as such.  I worked for a Multinational company for 20 years in finance.  In addition I was very much involved on committees, team building, sourcing out new ideas etc to meet the continous improvement targets.  When I left, I decided to see how small companies operated and found through networking a job in a very small company.  it was all manual paperwork which took up a lot of time and also cost the company money in paying me.  The owner did not want to introduce computers so I changed the way the paperwork was done and effectively halved the workload.  Sometimes it takes new blood to change things for the better.  I'm sorry but visitors have arrived and I must go but if you need any help give me a pm and I'll do my best to help you to decide what type of person you are looking for.


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## Tomorrow (21 Nov 2008)

Just to give you an idea, I do similar to what you are looking for, for several differenct companies in the North West, my charges, unlike MaryBM would range from €17 to €21 per hour, obviously just a different part of the country.

As for the title, I am called bookkeeper / accountant / office person!!


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## mcb (21 Nov 2008)

I would of done this work too and you would be looking for an accounts assistant/office clerk.  Make sure in the description of work that you state you need someone that can do payroll, relevant payments to the Revenue etc.

Office admin person may not do certain aspects of the job that you need.

You will have no problem finding someone to do this work for you.  Part time to start out with and then take it from there.  There are loads of people that I know who do this work part time while the kids are at school in the morning.

I was paid 18 euro an hour for this work and I am based in Dublin


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## carrielou (21 Nov 2008)

I use do something like this.  Hire company with sales.  Had to chase up lot of outstanding bills when first joined.  Managed to pull in approx region of €50,000 outstanding but did end up with some bad debts unfortunately.  Ran office, ordered stock and spares.  Done all paperwork, invoices, hired out plant, book keeping, wages, VAT returns, etc.  My job description was *Office/Accounts Administrator*.  Only worked 3 day week, which was brill with small children.  Cleared €280 for the 3 days which was brill also


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## MandaC (22 Nov 2008)

Bookeeper/Accounts Technician/Part time Office Manager would be a good title.  

I would also expect to pay betweeen €18-€20 an hour to the person, depending on your location.

It was something I actually considered doing myself actually, before I got a good full time option.

There are a lot of good people out there at the moment looking for such work.


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## PaddyW (22 Nov 2008)

I think Carrielou's Office/Accounts administrator fits the bill perfectly. Seen the same titleposition advertised on several sites.


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## hhhhhhhhhh (22 Nov 2008)

PaddyW said:


> I think Carrielou's Office/Accounts administrator fits the bill perfectly. Seen the same titleposition advertised on several sites.


call the role 'VP of Operations' and they you can pay them less
[broken link removed]


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## DavyJones (22 Nov 2008)

Thanks for all the good advice.

The business is currently expanding and would it be to much to ask that the person would have a fairly good understanding of the best way to employ people I.E full time basis or hire tradespeople as sub contractors?

I am basically looking for someone to make the business as cost effective as possible.


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## carrielou (22 Nov 2008)

It sounds like you need someone who will rise to a challenge. 

God, would I love it but unfortunately not in a position to send you my CV. 

You are probably looking at a mature employee who is a great all rounder and may have touched on all these different things at one time or another.

I have worked in reception, shipping, wages, accounts, secretarial, HR to mention a few.  If you could find someone that can get stuck in and loves a challenge as well as being able to work big time on own initiative as well as a great team worker then you may have struck gold.

I would offer maybe €15 per hour and see how things go for the first few months.

Is the initiative still there for companies from the tax office who create new positions in there company. (Must do a search on that one.)


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## DavyJones (26 Nov 2008)

Thanks for the feed back.

carrielou, thats exactly what I need, someone who knows their way around a business, such as knowing if their is initiatives from the tax office etc.

I am going to advertise the job at the start of next week, I usually use the FAS website to find tradespeople. I have found it very useful in the past and have hired 3 of my 6 staff from it (hired new tradeperson this week). Is this the best place to start?

Now all I need is someone to do the interveiws for me. I wouldn't know the right questions to ask.


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## carrielou (26 Nov 2008)

If you ever decide to really expand, pls come to Limerick


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## carrielou (26 Nov 2008)

Revenue Job Assist. May be a runner, check it out.  www.revenue.ie.

Oh god I'm getting itchy feet.  I would so love this job.  

I'll check out few things tomorrow and get back on here.


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## DavyJones (26 Nov 2008)

Thanks again for your advice.

Funnily enough, We are based in Limerick and cover all of north Cork, parts of Clare and Tipp.


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## MaryBe (27 Nov 2008)

carrielou said:


> It sounds like you need someone who will rise to a challenge.
> 
> God, would I love it but unfortunately not in a position to send you my CV.
> 
> ...


 
I am getting so frustrated reading these posts. I myself pay my housekeeper 15.00 per hour and she takes direction from me and the job is done to my satisfaction. 
To think that you expect an experienced person who can bring your company to another level for the same amount is proposterous. If you are looking for someone to fit you requirements and show results you need to up the wages. As I have said before my fee is 20.00 per hour and that is after the dogwork - insofar as getting the company to a level where the owner is satisfied with the initial results and proper procedures are in place. I mean any experienced clerk can continue with the everyday tasks as in reception, ledgers, wages, prsi/paye vat returns and may be content with the 15.00 but realistically the person who gives you continued results is worth much more.


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## carrielou (27 Nov 2008)

DavyJones is a small company, owed money at present, but lucky enough to be busy and expanding.

Bring someone in €15 per hour on the trial period, say 3 months.

This employee is hopeless, have to let go, re-advertise, and start all over again.

or

This employee is brilliant, raise to €20 per hour.

This could in effect, for a three day week, bring in gross of €480.  Not to be sneezed at I would think.


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## shootingstar (27 Nov 2008)

DavyJones said:


> Thanks again for your advice.
> 
> Funnily enough, We are based in Limerick and cover all of north Cork, parts of Clare and Tipp.



Limerick? Blast.. was gona PM you there saying im yer woman for the job.


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## carrielou (27 Nov 2008)

Limerick eh, north Cork, Tipp, Clare. What are you doing to me. May well search the FAS website myself on Monday. 

Would love to know the extent of your workload. Have you an estimated time scale of what hours you were spending on the duties you would like your new employee to do for you?

If you could roughly work this out it would be a great starting point as I would expect a person trained in these fields of office/accounts work to do it a bit faster than you (no offence meant) which would mean they would need less hours to do the tasks. 

On the other hand, if your system is a bit behind, they may well need extra hours to sort this out for you and your company.


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## krissovo (27 Nov 2008)

DavyJones said:


> I am basically looking for someone to make the business as cost effective as possible.



I dont know what business you are in but I would contact the IDA as I am sure they would love to hear from a potentially expanding business.  They can offer grants for job generation and being in Limerick this area provides the highest grants per employee plus they can help with a new site even and possibly 12 to 24 months rent free.  Also talk to them about running your own business for recommendations of a business consultant to assist you.

If they cannot help maybe you should talk to a business consultant.  These would be between €300 > €1000 a day and can help both short term and long term.  I would look at two days a month for 6 months, you might be surprised at how they could change your business.

I am not a consultant BTW


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## Purple (27 Nov 2008)

krissovo said:


> I dont know what business you are in but I would contact the IDA as I am sure they would love to hear from a potentially expanding business.  They can offer grants for job generation and being in Limerick this area provides the highest grants per employee plus they can help with a new site even and possibly 12 to 24 months rent free.  Also talk to them about running your own business for recommendations of a business consultant to assist you.
> 
> If they cannot help maybe you should talk to a business consultant.  These would be between €300 > €1000 a day and can help both short term and long term.  I would look at two days a month for 6 months, you might be surprised at how they could change your business.
> 
> I am not a consultant BTW


The IDA don't work with Irish companies. County enterprise boards and Enterprise Ireland are who you need to talk to.


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## davidoco (27 Nov 2008)

DavyJones said:


> I do all the paperwork myself, payroll, VAT returns, invoicing,quotations etc.


 
If the business is  

Quote
Invoice (receipt)   (say up to 50 a week)
Statements
Follow up letters for overdue accounts
VAT Returns
VAT Inputs

then there are a number of very very easy to use software packages out there.  One springs to mind which I'll PM if your interested.

Some of these packages are so easy to use, perhaps one hour a week to prepare and print out outstanding invoices, envelope and post.  One hour a week to enter inputs.  Half hour bi monthly to check and print VAT return details.


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## beetle01 (28 Nov 2008)

Oh how I would love this job but Im in Dublin  I joined a company 10 years ago in a very similar role and unfortunatley I am being made redundant soon. My salary at the moment is 40k full time plus aprox 7k bonus. Hope this helps a little with regards how much to pay.


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