Why do you love bookkeeping

Growth for accountants and auditors is expected to continue for the next several years. 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. For a long-term career, accounting offers much more upward mobility and income potential. The education required to be competitive in the field is greater, but the payoff down the road can be considerably higher.

Bookkeeping is a great starting point if you are interested in the field but not fully committed and want to test the waters.

You may also be an ideal bookkeeping candidate if you want a good job with a respectable wage and decent security but may not be looking for a long-term career. Bookkeeping offers much lower barriers to entry, and the competition you face in the job search is less fierce. Nearly all bookkeeping is done using computerized accounting software and programs, so bookkeepers should be comfortable learning new technology if not proficient in it.

Bookkeepers are usually tasked with documenting or checking financial data for a company or client, including checks received or written, invoices, cost spreadsheets, and monthly or quarterly revenue.

A bookkeeper is skilled at keeping documents and tracks a wide net of financial information. When a bookkeeper wants to leap to being an accountant, they will need to take the CPA exam, plus earn a bachelor's degree most of the time , if they do not have one already. Fifty states plus the District of Columbia require accountants to earn credit hours of college education before taking the national four-part Uniform CPA exam. If you are proficient and comfortable using mathematics and computing figures, plus punctual, organized, and detail-oriented, it is not hard to learn how to be a bookkeeper.

Of course, a background in accounting practices will help you ride out a learning curve as a new bookkeeper. According to Northeastern University in Boston, and the U. Department of Labor's Occupational Handbook, some of the most in-demand accounting jobs include comptroller, accounting manager, senior tax accountant, and internal auditors. American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. Internal Revenue Service. Association of Certified Fraud Examiners.

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Your Money. Personal Finance. Your Practice. Popular Courses. Careers Career Advice. Table of Contents Expand. Bookkeeping vs. Accounting: An Overview. Rewarding career path It is entirely possible to start as an accountant and work your way to more senior positions, such as controller or CFO. Interesting, fulfilling work. The Driven Insights advantage Driven Insights is experienced in leading small businesses on the journey to leveraging financial and operating metrics to accelerate growth.

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Private Equity vs. Optimizing your accounting practices for the SaaS space is critical to running a healthy SaaS However, most programs will be intuitive and should not cause you too much trouble. Anyone with a love of numbers will find bookkeeping to be the ideal career pathway.

The roles and responsibilities of a bookkeeper require a great amount of attention to detail and patience. If you are not a strong multi-tasker, there is no need to worry! Bookkeeping generally requires you to focus on one financial situation at a time so that your work is accurate.

If you are a social person, you should consider a career in bookkeeping. Day-to-day interactions with clients ensure that you can be closely involved with a wide range of people. On the other hand, if you find that you are more of an introverted person, there are still plenty of opportunities for you in bookkeeping as well. The diversity of the role makes it a great choice for personalities of all types.

If you would like a challenging and diverse role, consider a career in bookkeeping. You can get your foot in the door by completing a Certificate IV in Accounting and Bookkeeping FNS which will open up a world of new career opportunities for you. In fact, businesses need bookkeepers more than ever to maintain financial books and ensure their accuracy.

Technology only steps in to make the job easier. For instance, bookkeepers deal with fewer paper checks due to bookkeeping software and the rise of electronic banking.

With bookkeeping, you could get to take control of your career. Get started right away, and work as much as you need to. Many folks enter the field with a high school diploma or some college education, although plenty opt for college degrees to bolster their chances of getting work. Designations such as The Certified Bookkeeper designation from the American Institute of Professional Bookkeepers and certification from the National Association of Certified Public Bookkeepers also enhance job prospects.

Opportunities for advancement are plentiful; many bookkeepers go on to become auditors or accountants. You could work part-time or full-time, although longer work days are common at tax time, when audits are due and at the end of fiscal years. Work freelance or for an established company; the choice is yours. Bookkeepers get paid well, and as the above section touches on, you have the ability to control your career and how much you get paid.

When you have a passion for numbers and details, and the ability to focus, bookkeeping can be a fun career to go into. Part of your job is to prioritize certain tasks over others and to avoid multi-tasking. You need to be able to focus on one financial situation and not get distracted.