How To Get Your First Bookkeeping Job - What You Need to Know

So, you’ve assessed all of your viable career options, and think that bookkeeping might be well suited for your skills and interests? If so, there are a few things that you can do to increase your odds of landing a job bookkeeping. Like almost every profession in today’s world, jobs are becoming more and more scarce. 

It’s therefore important to make sure that you take the necessary steps and advice to give yourself the best possible chance. To find out more about how you can prepare for a bookkeeping job in the future, simply keep reading below, as we take a closer look. 

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What Is Bookkeeping? 

Before we jump straight in and provide some advice for landing your dream career, let’s just provide readers with a general overview of bookkeeping. Bookkeeping is a specific field within accounting, where the worker will keep track of the financial transactions of a business. 

Every business needs somebody to look after the books, as it's important in terms of recording and organizing financial information. 

Many people will opt to undertake a bookkeeping job if they’re introverted by nature. Most of the work undertaken by bookkeepers is solitary, and can be highly enjoyable for those who like to work alone. 

Bookkeepers have a lot of choice in terms of how they’d most like to work. For example, some enjoy working for corporations, whereas others prefer to be freelance, and work on their own terms. 

Bookkeepers will have a whole host of different tasks they’ll be required to complete on a daily basis. Some of the most common tasks assigned to bookkeepers include processing sales invoices, calculating loss and profit, drafting payroll statements, managing ledgers, and estimating revenue. 

Most of these things will be taught at degree level during college, and if a student is interested in bookkeeping, they can specialize in it. 

Also read: Understanding Profit And Loss Reports

How To Get A Bookkeeping Job

Now that we’ve taken a look at some of the job components of a bookkeeper, we can move on to discuss how you can land one. In order to become a bookkeeper, there are a few different skills you’ll require, as well as some different routes you can take to qualify. 

To find out more about the practicalities of becoming a bookkeeper, simply keep reading below as we take a closer look. 

1. Interpersonal skills

Now, we know that this might seem like a strange one, especially considering that bookkeeping is such an introverted career path, but it is nonetheless, important. If you want to be successful at bookkeeping, you’ll need good communication skills. 

Although you’ll be spending most of your time working alone, there are some aspects of the job where you’ll have to work with others. One of the key responsibilities for bookkeepers is aiding the financial team. So, if they have any questions or queries, you’ll be their first port of call. 

It is therefore a good idea to work on your interpersonal skills, as well as team management skills before you consider applying for a job. 

2. Pursue It At High School Level

We recommend that if you have an interest in bookkeeping, that you start on the career path early on. If your high school has specific subject choices centered around personal finance, consider undertaking these. 

Most jobs won’t require you to have a bachelor’s degree for bookkeeping, but they will require you to have a high school degree. Make sure that you’re keeping your grades as high as possible, especially when it comes to subjects such as math. 

In high school, you’ll also gain skills centered around teamwork, organization, and managing your time, which are all useful when it comes to pursuing a bookkeeping job. 

If you want to take your studies further, and pursue accounting and finance at college, this could be a massive help when it comes to landing your dream bookkeeping job. Pursuing it at college level, although it can be tough, can be incredibly rewarding. 

Those who have studied accounting and finance at college will receive specific tutorials surrounding bookkeeping. You’ll get first hand advice and instruction from tutors about the job. 

In addition to this, if you decide to pursue accounting and finance at college, you’ll also be qualified to keep books for companies with more specific educational requirements. You’ll get to work for exclusive businesses, and it could end up being far more lucrative for your career. 

Also read: Are Bookkeeping Jobs Declining?

3. Look For Job Opportunities

After you’ve acquired the relevant skills and qualifications, you can then move on to actually begin searching for a job. There are lots of different job options out there for bookkeepers, so it’s important to stay vigilant and check for work opportunities on a regular basis. 

You will need to create a strong resume that outlines all of your qualifications, relevant skills, and experience. Make sure that it looks professional, and get a second opinion on its presentation. Finally, make sure there are no grammatical or spelling errors visible. 

If you don’t have very much experience, tailor your skills and attributes to show how you’ll be able to tackle the job requirements. 

If you’re more interested in freelance work, and working from home, you can consider setting up your own bookkeeping service. In order to do this however, bear in mind that you will need some previous experience as a bookkeeper in order for clients to trust you. 

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Final Thoughts 

In order to pursue a career as a bookkeeper, it’s best to start early and make sure that you get good grades in high school. Following on from this, you can consider pursuing a college degree in accounting and finance. 

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