Careers In Bookkeeping
In any business, cash is king, and the person who provides an efficient and accurate bookkeeping service is a valuable asset. So, taking the decision to pursue a career in finance is a wise one.
Bookkeeping is all about the process of accounting for money that comes into and goes out of a business or organisation. The law requires that every business and organisation provides an accurate accounting function so that taxes can be declared and collected, so, as a qualified bookkeeper your skills will be in constant demand.
Finance departments need to have systems that enable the financial accounting to be completed accurately, so they are quite ‘structured’ departments, where you can start as a Clerk or Assistant and progress through to supervisory and management levels. Also, as finance is about money, you can move from one area of business to another without too much difficulty. Running a payroll, or balancing a set of figures is the same whatever business you’re in.
And, once you have a qualification you should find it relatively easy to find a job that has prospects for the future, or to set yourself up as a self-employed bookkeeper who looks after the accounting function for businesses. Let’s examine your options:
The employment route
Businesses have many needs that are particular to their own area of operation, but the requirement to account for money coming into and going out of the business crosses all boundaries. As a qualified bookkeeper you could look for employment either in the public or private sector.
You may wish to look at the possible employee benefits that you’d get from each area – for example, if you go for a public sector job at the local Council or in the Health Service, you might get good conditions of service such as a pension scheme, flexible working time, or time off during the school holidays. But, if you go for a job in retailing or travel, you may get discounts from your company that enable you to give the family a treat now and then. So, don’t just look at the job, think about the side benefits too.
The self-employed route
Working from home, getting a cup of tea whenever you want, looking out into the garden seems to be a dream for lots of people. But, don’t be fooled! It can be hard sometimes to detach yourself from the everyday running of the house to concentrate on work.
However, if you are going to choose a career to run from home, bookkeeping is ideal. You need a computer and internet connection, and some reference books and you can get started. Your clients will come to you with their sales and purchase invoices, receipts and your job will to account for all the monies coming into and going out of the business. So, in terms of space to run your business, you really won’t need much more than a spare bedroom, or ‘garden office’ if you have room.
To plan a career in finance, a qualification of some sort is really essential, and a bookkeeping qualification can provide a good stepping stone for career development. Although, once you are a bookkeeper you should always be able to find work.