I get a lot of questions about picking the right bookkeeping course. And, it’s a good question! After all, successful bookkeepers can earn as much as $20 an hour, even when they’re just starting out.
Plus, bookkeeping happens to be one of the popular (and lucrative) remote career paths you can start today.
But, not every bookkeeping course is created equal. Some will only prepare you for the basic tasks a bookkeeper does and others will show you everything you need to launch a successful bookkeeping biz from scratch.
For remote job seekers who want to become a bookkeeper, I highly recommend a bookkeeping course that not only shows you what it takes to be a good bookkeeper but also helps you become successful.
But, before we jump into the nitty gritty details, let’s take a step back and figure out if being a bookkeeper is right for you.
Would You Enjoy Being A Bookkeeper?
Before you sign up for a bookkeeping course, you need to determine if you’d actually enjoy being a bookkeeper. There’s no sense in paying for a class only to find out it’s the wrong career choice for you. (Trust me, been there, done that).
That’s why, as a remote work career coach, I ask my clients to determine their career ideals first and then pick a work from home career path that aligns with those ideals.
When you take the time to determine whether or not a potential career is a good fit for you, you end up finding a job you enjoy — sometimes, you even land on your dream work from home job! More on that in a bit. But first, let’s look at what a bookkeeper is.
What Does A Bookkeeper Do, Exactly?
I always recommend you do your homework before starting on a new career journey. The more you know about a career, the better prepared you’ll be to determine if it’s a good fit for you.
Remember, I want you to find your ideal work from home job, not just any ol’ remote job. So, let’s get to figuring out if bookkeeping is actually a career that appeals to you. Here are some fun-ish facts about becoming a bookkeeper:
Bookkeeping Is Remote Friendly
Good news, right? I’m guessing if you’re here, you’re looking for a career you can do remotely. Bookkeeping fits the bill. In fact, you can be a 100% virtual bookkeeper and work from a location of your choosing.
Bookkeeper Earnings
According to PayScale, bookkeepers earn an average of $16.87 an hour. Make sure this number falls in line with your salary expectations. But, remember, when you work from home, you save money — and this should be added into your compensation package too.
For example, you won’t have a daily commute or business casual wardrobe to buy as a remote worker. These savings add up annually and keep money in your pocket.
Bookkeepers Don’t Need A Formal Degree
You don’t have to hold a formal degree to become a bookkeeper. In fact, according to O*NET, most bookkeepers gain experience from learning on the job or by taking classes that prepare them for a career as a bookkeeper.
Bookkeepers Work With Number, But They Aren’t Accountants
Bookkeepers and accountants both work with numbers in the business world, but their job duties vary greatly. Accountants, for example, require formal education and offer big-picture financial advice.
Bookkeepers, on the other hand, tend to work with day-to-day transactions. Most bookkeepers keep track of money coming in and money going out. They don’t serve as financial advisors. As such, bookkeepers don’t need a formal degree. Instead a bookkeeping course provides the information needed to get this career off the ground — a much quicker and more affordable option!
Want to learn more about becoming a bookkeeper? Check out my complete guide to launching a lucrative bookkeeping biz.
Who Makes A Good Bookkeeper?
Certain traits are better suited to a particular set of careers. Think about some of your soft skills (remember, soft skills are those inherent traits we have and not those we learn). Your soft skills determine your work personality or style. The nature of the job compared to your soft skills will determine how compatible you are with the position.
Check out this slideshare for a refresher on soft skills and why they matter:
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Keep in mind, there are particular traits that are best suited to remote workers in general. There are specific traits that are key to becoming a successful bookkeeper. These include:
- Dependability – Being reliable, responsible, and dependable
- Attention To Detail – Paying attention to small things and thoroughly complete error-free tasks
- Integrity – You’re dealing with peoples finances and business numbers as a bookkeeper. You must be honest and ethical at all times.
- Cooperation – You’ll need to work alongside business owners and do so in a way that is pleasant and cooperative
- Adaptability/Flexibility – Bookkeeping evolves month to month. It’s up to you to roll with the punches and be adaptable.
What Skills Are Needed To Become A Bookkeeper?
Let’s talk about skills for a minute. All jobs require a particular set of skills to hit the ground running. A photographer needs to know how to operate a camera and manipulate lighting. They also need to be able to direct their subjects to get the best shots possible. These are hard skills — those skills that can be learned and demonstrated, not ones that are inherent to who we are.
As a bookkeeper, some of the hard skills needed include:
- Mathematics
- Active listening
- Critical thinking
- Reading comprehension
- Speaking to relay information
- Writing
- Monitoring
- Time management
Now, keep in mind, these are basic skills that bookkeepers need. There are also specialized skills bookkeepers need to have in order to be successful in their profession. Specialized skills often include the software and programs bookkeepers need to be successful.
Check out the table below to find out common tech skills bookkeepers need to be successful!
Help! I Don’t Have The Right Tech Skills To Be A Bookkeeper, But It Fits My Interests
Don’t panic. The easy part is learning the skills, the hard part is finding a remote job that appeals to your interests and work personality. If bookkeeping lends itself well to your work style and your personality type, but you don’t have the tech skills or software knowledge that bookkeepers need, that’s okay. This is commonly called a skills gap. A skills gap is not a big deal, especially if you have the time, energy, and willingness to learn the required skills and bridge that gap. That’s where a bookkeeping course can come into play.
Bookkeeping Course: What To Look For
If you’ve made it this far, you’re pretty sure you have the makings of a great bookkeeper. The problem? You might not have all the knowledge or skills needed to actually become a remote bookkeeper. That’s okay. An online bookkeeping course can help.
But, like I said before, there are many online courses out there that will teach you how to use QuickBooks or basic accounting principles. They won’t, however, prepare you for your new career as a bookkeeper. There is one, however, that will teach you everything (and I do mean EVERYTHING) you need to go from wanting to become a bookkeeper to actually working as a successful bookkeeper.
Bookkeeper Business Launch
Bookkeeper Business Launch is the only online bookkeeping course that teaches you how to bootstrap your own virtual bookkeeping business from scratch.
The course is taught by Ben Robinson, a former air traffic controller turned Certified Public Accountant (CPA). He’s been teaching aspiring bookkeepers, like you, for more than 14 years now.
In that time, he’s helped more than 4,000 men and women take their careers into their own hands as professional, self-started bookkeepers. He can teach you, too!
What You’ll Learn
Ben prides himself in teaching others how to become 21st Century bookkeepers. That means adapting to technology and using common software, like QuickBooks, to your advantage as a bookkeeper.
It also means being 100% virtual and offering your services to in-demand industries. Keep in mind, there are more than 28 million small businesses in the U.S. alone — and each one of them is required, by law, to keep financial records (bookkeeping!). Needless to say, there are PLENTY of clients to go around.
How Bookkeeper Business Launch Can Help
This bookkeeping course will teach you how to be a great bookkeeper. But, beyond that, you’ll learn:
- To set up your business
- What to do to get great clients without being sales-y
- How to shift your mindset to small business owner
Plus, you’ll get tons of help and support every step of the way. As long as you enjoy numbers and can do basic math, Ben can show you how to become a bookkeeper even if you’ve never done it before, have zero business experience and know nothing about working remotely.
Sound good? Great! Head on over to Bookkeeper Business Launch to learn more about the course. While there, have a look around. There are tons of testimonials from former students turned successful bookkeepers. Remember, if they can do it, so can you! You’ve got this.
And, of course, feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions. I’m always happy to help point you in the right direction if you think this bookkeeping course just isn’t right for you.
Happily,
Ashlee
P.S. This post contains affiliate links. Check out my disclosure statement for more information.
