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You could volunteer at a local church, animal shelter or some other type of charity in a bookkeeping function. Gain experience in tax preparation by serving in a Volunteer Income Tax Assistance or Tax Counseling for the Elderly program. You can find more information about VITA/TCE programs at the IRS website. You might also be able to find internship opportunities through your college. Be sure to ask for a letter of recommendation once you have demonstrated your skills in your unpaid position. There are also some general software skills that will help you, and often there’s free or low-cost training available.
Though bookkeepers don’t need to hold college degrees, some may see their salaries increase after completing an undergraduate degree. Coursework through a community college, or online courses like Bookkeeper Launch will teach you the basics to help you get that first job. Bookkeeper Launch has a whole section on finding jobs online, including specifically on LinkedIn. These courses deal strictly with education but do not offer business launch, marketing, or scaling support like Bookkeepers.com. There you have it; the major rules you should follow on your bookkeeper resume.
Why Pursue a Career in Accounting?
To learn these skills and others, new bookkeepers often receive around six months of on-the-job training to learn how to use bookkeeping software, databases, and spreadsheets. Completing a course can increase your knowledge of bookkeeping, but to prepare for a career, go for the certification so you can obtain the license. You’ll have the CPB credential law firm bookkeeping to add to your credibility as you pursue jobs or start your own virtual bookkeeping business. To create an accomplishment-driven professional experience section, show how you executed specific tasks as a bookkeeper, emphasizing the results you achieved. Quantify these accomplishments by including numbers, percentages, and monetary figures.
As you prepare your bookkeeper job description, salary range transparency is an important consideration. Adding compensation numbers can help to build trust with candidates, while also ensuring applicants who may be more aligned with your budget. Many times, a bookkeeper job description and that of an accountant are lumped together into one category. The differences between an accountant and a bookkeeper are largely colloquial, but there are some key separations. On the other hand, an accountant can double as an advice-giver, providing insights and consulting services as well. Generally, a bookkeeper is considered to be less experienced and less expensive than an accountant.
Freelancing as a Virtual Bookkeeper
You do, however, need to pay attention to the ways you can describe your position on a resume to showcase skills that are important for accountants. You might demonstrate math ability and your trustworthiness by working as a cashier. An undergraduate degree will take 2-4 years and can pursue higher-paying positions in the field than those without a credential. Professionals who learn through on-the-job training can grasp essentials after about six months in entry-level roles. Most employers prefer hiring new bookkeepers who will learn from more senior professionals.
However, bookkeeping and accounting clerk jobs are expected to decline, with the BLS projecting a 5% fall in jobs over the same period. The BLS notes that job growth for accountants should track fairly closely with the broader economy. However, bookkeepers will face pressure from automation and technology that will reduce the demand for such workers. Accountants work with numbers and financial details all day long. Therefore, those who do not like math, get confused easily when making simple calculations, or are generally opposed to number crunching should not apply. As you begin the process of drafting your job description, consider putting together the top 10 functions of a bookkeeper for your company.
