Bookkeeper Career Guide and Counseling

Question: Bookkeeper? I am possibily looking to become a bookkeeper at an elementry school. Pros and cons? For the school system as well as bookkeeping???

Answer: Bookkeepers are not in demand as much as they used to be before computerized accounting programs... and very few businesses still keep books , but have all their accounts on the computer. so you need to be familiar with accounting program software. Often businesses only need to do their books once a week or once a month so you may need more than one client. and the school may not need you full time either.

Question: What is the difference between a full-charge bookkeeper and a regular bookkeeper? I am a bookkeeper and am very familiar with Quickbooks. I am applying for a new job and they asked me if I am a full charge bookkeeper and I of course said yes! Then it started to make me a little nervous. I work with the accountants at both of my jobs. They do use the general ledger in Quickbooks and I have never seen this before. Any jobs I ever had they never used general ledger. Let me know!!

Answer: A full charge bookkeeper in my experience would be required to provide monthly financial statements to management. Which would require an understanding of the general ledger and how general ledger entries are made.

Question: What is the going rate for an inexperienced bookkeeper to do? quickbooks for your business? What is the going rate for an experienced bookkeeper? This is for the Denver Colorado area if you happen to know.

Answer: When I started as a bookkeeper, I got $8 an hour with a raise to $8.50 after 90 days and I get a raise every 6 months for 5 yrs--its built into my contract. I do have an Associates degree in Accounting. At the end of my 5 yrs (which is October) I will be making $15 and hour and I will then decide if I want to stay with the company or look elsewhere, I started where I did for experience so I could eventually get into a bigger company, but most places want 2-5 yrs of experience. So come October I will be making some decisions and possibly changes. If you don't have a degree you might only be able to make $8 to $10 an hour, unless your potential employer really likes the job you are doing.

Question: What does a employer expect from a bookkeeper? I knew bookkeeper do mostly posting transaction on the book and prepare financial statements, what else they do? What do they different from accounting clerk or assistant? What classes need to take in order to qualify for a bookkeeper? Thanks.

Answer: Yes, bookkeepers do posting and some prepare financial statements, but they also can do payroll, payroll taxes, sales taxes, accounts payable (paying the bills the company owes), accounts receivable (sending out statements and collecting money the business is owed), reconciling bank statements, creating reports, etc. Small companies usually have a full-charge bookkeeper who handles all the bookkeeping. Larger companies may have several people working in a department doing bookkeeping duties, but work under a company accountant so they would be considered more of an accounting clerk or assistant. You do not need a degree to become a bookkeeper, however there are some classes that you can take that will help you. I recommend at least one course in basic accounting so you can learn debits and credits. Learning Microsoft Excel is a must since you will be using spreadsheets. A course in Payroll Accounting would also be very beneficial. I would also recommend a course in QuickBooks. Good luck!

Question: How do I become a bookkeeper in Canada? Does an accounting diploma help? Do I need to take some bookkeeping exams in order to be certified and then I can work as a bookkeeper?

Answer: Sheridan offers a bookkeeping course..if you already have your accounting degree you may be exempted from some of these http://sculptor.sheridanc.on.ca/webapp/w…

Question: I want to be an at home bookkeeper? What should I do or where should I start? I have a home office with lazer printer, quickbooks and peachtree. How would I start to get clients? I have tried advertising but no one want a bookkeeper unless they can watch her every move while in the office. I have 10 years experience, but for the love of pete, I cannot find anyone who wants a freelance or work at home bookkeeper. Help!!!!

Answer: I worked for an outsourced accounting firm for awhile, which is similar to what you are interested in doing. My boss was a CPA, and started the company just by networking - meeting small business owners who were unable to keep their own books accurately. His company ended up growing so much that he now has 15-20 employees after only 5 years. If you can meet owners of restaurants, bars, boutiques or pretty much any small business in your town, and see what their accounting needs are, you should be in business. Even if the first few people you talk to don't think they need a bookeeper, they'll know to pass your name on to other owners, or possibly call you later when their business gets busier. Good luck!!

Question: What is the typical cost for a small business bookkeeper? I was wondering what the typical salary or salary range was for a part-time bookkeeper. I am putting together a budget for a small business and we will be looking to hire someone to take care of the books and taxes.

Answer: You should take a look at Rent-A-Bookkeeper, Inc. They are a company based out of Florida but they can do your bookkeeping remotely no matter where you are located. What's great about them is that you can hire them to do your books on a weekly basis or just for a few hours here and there every month to clean up your books...They're really affordable, I don't remember exactly how much they charge but it was way less that my accountant was going to charge me. Check them out though they were a big help to my business. their website is www.rent-a-bookkeeper.com

Question: Would you hire a bookkeeper that works out of her home? I have started my own bookkeeping business and I was wondering if you would hire a bookkeeper that works out of her home or if you consider it more "professional" to have an office in town. So far, I have gone to the clients office to pick-up and drop-off work or worked with them at their office on their computer. I have my office set up now inside my home, but I do have another office outside in a seperate building that I don't use since it doesn't have central heat and air. I had considered renting a small office in town when business picks up, but I really like being here at home so when I am not working I can take care of personal things here. What's your opinion? THANKS!

Answer: Our accountant started out in an office, gained business and then moved it home and is doing great at it.

Question: whats the difference between a bookkeeper and accountant? The difference between accounting bookeeping and auditing? If you are qualified as a bookkeeper can you work as an accountant?

Answer: Basically yes a bookkeeper can work as an accountant in the UK. You can't 'Audit' as a bookeeper, but you could be an Accountant for a small firm. Many bookkeepers describe themselves this way. The Biggest companies must have qualified accountants under listing rules, but that is about it..

Question: How do I advance in my career, after working for 5 years as a bookkeeper? Have worked with retail merchant for about 2 years as a bookkeeper, and 3 years with technology firm as a accounts assistant. I do have a bachalors degree in the accounting field.

Answer: I also have a BS in Accounting and I'm surprised you took a job as a bookkeeper. I got a staff accountant job right out of college but after a year it was getting easy and the pay wasn't want I thought I should be getting. I ended up working with a staffing company and quickly got a job also as a staff accountant but making 50% more and I have a lot more challenging job that keeps things interesting. I would reccomend working with a staffing company to help you find a better job. I was worried at first that it would be like the temp agencies I worked with as a teenager but it was totally different. You are a professional now. I thought my resume was pretty good but they were able to help me be more specific and helped me with the whole process. I worked with Kforce but there are a lot of them out there. Look for someone who specializes in Accounting and Finance. Your CPA would be a good thing to work towards. In Oregon you have to have more than just 4 years of college credit so I went back to school and I'll have my master's degree in June. Now I'm deciding if I want to go the CPA route. These days a CPA license helps but it's not necessary. Our controller doesn't have a CPA. Good luck!