Attention bookkeepers

amother

Hotpink

Fri, Jul 07 2017, 12:49 pm

Someone would like to hire me to do his bookkeeping for a small business. How much is reasonable to ask for per hour? This would be a small side gig for me, I am proficient in quick books etc
In new york.

amother

Orange

Fri, Jul 07 2017, 1:05 pm

amother wrote:

Get rid of the notion of what is reasonable. Its up to the person who is going to pay you to make that determination.

I bet you are amazing at what you do. Ask for $75 an hour - but say you are willing to negotiate. Ask him what he had in mind. Its his job to do the work to figure out the cost of a hiring a bookkeeper, not yours.

amother

Copper

Fri, Jul 07 2017, 1:16 pm

$75 sounds completely out of whack.

But, first another is right in pointing out that it's his job to make you an offer. And then you can decide if it's something you want.

amother

Orange

Fri, Jul 07 2017, 1:28 pm

youngishbear wrote:

$75 an hour is unrealistic for doing QuickBooks.

Unless the work is more complicated. What are your qualifications?

$75 could be out of whack, but why not aim high? This person has already shown interest in her working for him, I can't imagine he's going to tell her she's crazy for asking and drop the whole thing.

She can say I ask for $75 an hour, but admittedly I've never been able to convince anyone to pay me that. What were you thinking.

amother

Lemon

Fri, Jul 07 2017, 3:01 pm

I currently work as a bookkeeper. Im on salary but if u break it down to hourly im getting 30 an hr. Usually these random side gigs pay more hourly than a regular job. I wouldnt do it for less than 35. Once someone asked me to spend a few hours showing their new fresh from sem secretary how to do basic data entry into quickbooks. I said sure...for 75 an hr. It was a one time 4 hour gig but I got 75 an hr LOL

amother

Hotpink

Fri, Jul 07 2017, 4:42 pm

He said doesn't know the rate and asked me what I think is fair. I said I'd find out. As far as qualifications I have over 10 years bookkeeping experience but in a salaried environment in business offices. I don't know what's fair in a per diem capacity. That's why I asked.

singleagain

Fri, Jul 07 2017, 4:58 pm

amother wrote:

if your salaried, that means, 40 hours a week. x 50 weeks in the year (factoring two weeks vacation) equals 2000 hours, divide 2000 hours into your salary, and you'll know how much you personally make an hour, and then, don't ask for anything lower than that.

so if a person is working for a 40,000 salary per year, they are making 20 dollars an hour

amother

Blue

Fri, Jul 07 2017, 5:00 pm

bookkeeper with 7 years experience.

I think Per Diem pays better than a salary.

$30 to $35 an hour is reasonable.

Do not ask for $75. Aside from it being outlandish and unprofessional to ask for so much, he could get very turned off by you asking for something so ridiculous and just drop you. (I have dropped people who ask for crazy rates just on the basis of me thinking they are crazy for asking for so much)

a 4 hour one time job is completely different than something steady.

amother

Orange

Fri, Jul 07 2017, 5:00 pm

amother wrote:

indeed.com shows an average of $60,586 per year for a full charge bookkeeper in NYC. Thats about $30 an hour. You have 10 years experience, you could ask for more.

amother

Orange

Fri, Jul 07 2017, 5:05 pm

amother wrote:

she's clarified that her potential boss wants her to provide a 'fair' number.

I think its outlandish for an employer to ask his employee to educate him on salaries.

If she asked - I'm thinking about doing contract work as a bookkeeper - what should I set as my per/hour rate so that I will get jobs without underselling myself... I wouldn't have suggested $75.

amother

Blue

Fri, Jul 07 2017, 5:39 pm

amother wrote:

I don't think its so crazy that he asked her what she charges.

It's not an employee situation. It's a side gig. He doesn't know and she doesn't know.

$75 for a bookkeeper is crazy

groovy1224

Fri, Jul 07 2017, 5:59 pm

amother wrote:

There's a difference between aiming high with the intention to negotiate and shooting yourself in the foot. If I were this guy and she gave me that number, I'd assume she's mentally unstable, and find someone else. End of negotiations.

amother

Lemon

Fri, Jul 07 2017, 6:46 pm

Now that its clarified he wants to know what the going rate. I personally am a bookkeeper in brooklyn. I would ask for 40 an hr for a per diem job. Maybe I would ask for 45 if it was more complicated work. I would go down to 35 but I wouldnt take a job for less than that.

amother

Orange

Fri, Jul 07 2017, 7:08 pm

groovy1224 wrote:

you don't have much of sense of humor do you.

Orchid

Fri, Jul 07 2017, 7:57 pm

amother wrote:

I most definitely would drop the whole thing if someone asked for $75/hour for bookkeeping.