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Coursework through a community college, or online courses like Bookkeeper Launch will teach you the basics to help you get that first job. Also, make sure to update your LinkedIn profile to reflect your bookkeeping skills and desire for work. That way, how to become a bookkeeper you will show up in searches if someone looks for a bookkeeper in your area. Bookkeeper Launch has a whole section on finding jobs online, including specifically on LinkedIn. The free course is taught by Ben Robinson, CPA, founder of bookkeepers.com.
- Bookkeeper education begins with attaining a high school diploma.
- Virtually every business needs a bookkeeper, so the range of possible employers is vast.
- A temp job will add an experience entry to your resume and could even turn into a full-time position.
- These programs usually take one year to complete and give students the foundational skills necessary to work as a bookkeeper.
- This will lay the necessary groundwork to pursue training at the next level or find employment.
- Many bookkeepers gain experience on the job while working in accounts receivable, accounts payable, or in an administrative-type role.
One organization to look into is The American Institute of Professional Bookkeepers. They provide bookkeeping certifications and training, which can officially make you a Certified Bookkeeper. Pay attention to the job description to identify which jobs are remote bookkeeping jobs and which are in-house. Once you’ve had some bookkeeping training, you’re ready for real-world bookkeeping jobs or experience. For Canadians, the only modules that don’t apply are the payroll and tax modules. But I still watched the videos to get a basic idea of how things work in the US! And you’ll just need to understand how to record sales tax (GST/HST & PST), but that’s about it!
Electronic Spreadsheet Skills
The good news is that you can do bookkeeping training from the comfort of your home. There are a lot of cheap bookkeeping courses online and a lot of free content too. You can find bookkeeping courses on standard bookkeeping work tools like https://www.bookstime.com/ accounting software and financial reports. To get started in bookkeeping, all you need are a few basic skills. These don’t require you to go to school or gain any special training, but they may be skills you’ll need to develop over time.
- AccountingCoach, LLC is our pick here because it allows you to learn the basics of bookkeeping for free.
- I would love to learn more using the free 3 part training class, but after several attempts, never received the video via email.
- Bookkeeping attracts finance-oriented people with strong attention to detail and solid math skills.
- And many people are surprised to learn that online bookkeeping, which is among the most lucrative remote work options, falls into that category.
You’ll likely get paid less (as you’ll be an employee instead of an indepent contractor. See my video here for more information). But, you will get paid while you’re learning, so that is a huge advantage as you’re starting out. QuickBooks Online ProAdvisor training is a fast and free way for bookkeepers to gain a certification that adds credibility to their businesses. However, just to note, this certification is just for the QuickBooks software and not as much about running a bookkeeping business.
What is the difference between accounting and bookkeeping?
As an entry-level bookkeeper, you can expect to earn anything between $18 to $23 per hour. Which means you could earn around $40,000 per year as a rookie. The most significant difference between accounting and bookkeeping is that accounting involves interpreting and analyzing data, and bookkeeping is all about recording transactions. After recording the transactions, an accountant will generally review the bookkeeper’s work, analyze the data, and make adjustments before submitting the accounts. It is also possible to obtain a bookkeeper certification, though it typically requires that a person have at least two years of experience in the role before the certification can be completed. A certification test will encompass all of the skill areas in which a practicing bookkeeper is likely to be involved.