Getting Started as a Bookkeeper – 5 Things to Bear in Mind

So, you’ve taken the plunge, done a course or two and you think yourself now ready to begin a rewarding career in Bookkeeping.  That’s great!  But before you do so, here’s a couple of things you ought to keep in mind before you open your books for business.  They’re concerns your clients and employer will have, so they’re concerns you need to know about too!

Be Qualified
You wouldn’t want the student nurse performing a heart bypass on you – you’d demand someone who was properly trained and qualified to do something so important.  To many employers, their businesses are the beating hearts of their lives and if they’ve any sense, they won’t want to let an amateur get anywhere near them.  And it’s not enough to just qualify once – changes in the law require changes in working practice and as a professional you must constantly work to improve and renew your knowledge if you want to stay ahead.   If you're looking for an entry level bookkeeping course why not look at our range of ICB accredited bookkeeping Courses

Be Understanding of Others' Flaws.
To be a book keeper you need to be calm, rigorous and methodical – your employer expects you to get it right and you need to do so.  You must know your system inside and out so that you can deliver the very best service to your clients.  Unfortunately your clients might not be quite so professional and left to their own devices will likely cause havoc with the accounts.  It’s up to you to gently, but firmly, work with them to get the books in order.   Thus, patience and understanding is mandatory in the profession.

Be Flexible
Remember that at the end of the day this is business.  You need to anticipate or accommodate the needs of your employer or client if you want to keep them.   Work to their schedule and make yourself available should they have any questions. 

Be Regulated
If you’re practicing in the UK as a Bookkeeper, you are considered an Accountancy Service Provider and must be registered as such, either independently with the Government or as part of a professional body such as the ICB.  To do otherwise conflicts with money laundering legislation and is a crime.  This is because the government deems that it is the responsibility of anyone who might know the situation of a business’ finances to report it to the authorities should money laundering be taking place. 

Legal reasons aside, membership of a professional body provides, not just guidance and assistance, but crucial brand recognition, helping you to assure potential clients of the quality of your services.  Again, do you want the student nurse or the heart surgeon performing your bypass? 
 
Trustworthy
The doctor analogy may seem a stretch but is really quite appropriate when you realize that, as a Bookkeeper, you are ultimately overseeing the health of your client's business in numbers.  Through the figures and facts, you are uniquely placed in a position, even beyond your employer or client, to see just how their business is doing, what is going well and what is going wrong. 

By giving you access to these figures and details, the Client is taking a risk that you are worth the trust invested in you.  As a professional you must reflect this trust – always be prepared to offer your advice on your findings in the business, but always treat everything you learn about your clients business as strictly confidential.  As with all businesses, your reputation is the most important thing you have and a poor one will sink your prospects quickly.

Bookkeeping Courses

Our Bookkeeping Courses – Accounting Courses Online – Graduate with a Professional Bookkeeping qualification from the Institute of Certified Bookkeepers (ICB), the largest internationally recognised Bookkeeping organisation in the world. With unlimited pre-mock exams, the latest syllabus and completely up to-date, in accordance with Government Legislation, our Bookkeeping courses provide the necessary qualifications needed to enter the bookkeeeping profession  Our tuition fees include ICB membership, free postage and packaging, exam fees, Sage Instant Accounts (where applicable), unlimited tutor support and access to our Student Resources room.  With 100% pass rates, great value for money and 98% pass rates at Distinction Level.  There are no hidden costs. Bookkeeping/accounting is a rapidly expanding profession – it provides outstanding career opportunities for men and woman of all ages and backgrounds. Whether you want to work in an accounts department, start your own bookkeeping business, or simply look after the books of your own or partner's business, a career in bookkeeping provides outstanding job opportunities.

Did you recently finish your ICB qualifications with ADL?  We’d love to hear how it went and where you went from there.  Contact us if you want to know more!