Do you have a love for finance and remote working? Then becoming a bookkeeper could be for you.
There are over 1,620,000 bookkeeping roles in the US, and for a good reason. People need help with their finances, and bookkeepers provide essential support to manage business transactions efficiently.
If you are interested in pursuing a bookkeeper career, read on. Here is everything you need to know about becoming a bookkeeper to help you decide if it is a good career choice for you.
Table of Contents
What Does a Bookkeeper Do?
One of the main bookkeeper roles is to input financial transaction information for individuals or businesses to monitor their finances. Often bookkeepers use software to do this efficiently.
Bookkeepers also manage accounting records of transitions, payroll services, financial documentation, and other tasks that ensure a business’s financial information is up to date. Depending on the industry, there are also opportunities to manage other company tasks, such as strategic planning.
Bookkeeper Qualifications
There are different ways of becoming a bookkeeper. Most bookkeepers have a high school degree before pursuing the next qualification stage.
The standard route to becoming a bookkeeper is completing industry certifications or training through a company. Some people complete different college degrees first before deciding to specialize in bookkeeping.
Bookkeeper Salary
The average bookkeeper’s salary is around $43,400 as of 2022. However, with career advancements, this can reach over $65,000. A typical starting salary is about $22,000, especially if one is an apprentice training on the job.
Bookkeeper vs. Accountant
A common question that comes up is what are the differences between a bookkeeper and an accountant. Usually, a bookkeeper will work with an accountant, but they have different tasks and skillsets.
Bookkeeping tasks involve preparing the financial documentation accountants need. Bookkeeping involves transactional and administrative tasks, whereas accounting looks at bookkeeping information and provides financial insights, which can be subjective.
Reasons to be a Bookkeeper
There are many reasons to be a bookkeeper. It is a career that offers many benefits. Some of the top benefits include:
- Flexible working hours and locations
- The opportunity to work freelance
- High job demand
- Works well with technology
- Many job opportunities
With the rise of flexible working hours and remote working, a bookkeeper is one of the highest-paying remote jobs around. It also is more accessible than accounting but allows you to complete similar tasks. Plus, there are many different bookkeeping career opportunities, which keep the role exciting and dynamic for you.
Becoming a Bookkeeper
Becoming a bookkeeper is a good choice for many people. If you are interested in managing finances, accounting, and flexible working, it is the perfect career to pursue. There are different ways to become a bookkeeper, and different ways to work, such as with a company or freelance.
There are many reasons to be a bookkeeper too, which appeal to many people. Who doesn’t want to choose their work location and have different tasks to complete each day? And it is a career that remains in-demand, with no signs of that changing any time soon.
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